Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo has urged legal practitioners in Nigeria to protect the image of the judiciary.

“Lawyers must learn how to restrain themselves because by our conduct, we are reducing the status and estimation of the judiciary in the eyes of the public. We must know that our profession is on trial in this country,” stated the Bayelsa deputy governor.

He added, “We must tell ourselves the bitter truth. The nobleness of our profession is fast eroding, and so, we have to work hard to redeem the image of the legal profession.”

Mr Ewhrudjakpo made the call when a joint delegation of the Sagbama and Yenagoa branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the leadership of the Young Lawyers Forum, Sagbama chapter, visited him in Yenagoa.

Mr Ewhrudjakpo took a swipe at lawyers encouraging their clients to disrespect court orders and judgments.

“The judiciary is under trial in the country. Therefore, those who truly love the profession must do everything within their reach to redeem its image as the beacon of hope for the common man and defender of the rule of law,” he stressed.

Also addressing the Young Lawyers Forum led by Peres Agari, the deputy governor urged young lawyers to be studious and make innovation and smartness their watchword to achieve success in the legal career.

“When I was growing up, lawyers restrained themselves from talking about cases that are sub judice (in court). But today, we even discuss the merit and demerit of a case on television and on the pages of newspapers,” stated Mr Ewhrudjakpo. “A lawyer going to TV to hold a press conference on subsisting cases and justifying why one arm of government or the other will not obey a court order; to me, that is taking patronage too far.”

(NAN)