Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the time has come to call out senior lawyers whose actions demean the rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN).

Osinbajo made the call at the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) 2021 Annual Dinner and Scholarship Awards on Saturday in Lagos.

Speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the event, the vice president  said it was a burden on BOSAN and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to ensure that their members remained disciplined and conduct themselves appropriately.

“There is a growing perception that some of our colleagues have developed unhealthy relationships which are meant to influence cases before our courts.

“And it now becoming the case that even younger members of our profession do much the same thing.

“I think it is time to commit to calling out those whose actions demean the ranks of SAN and ensure that they are brought before the appropriate disciplinary body.

“We must not allow a situation where the rank is demeaned because members of the public believe some of those in our ranks are those who actually corrupt the judicial system,” the vice president added. 

Mr Osinbajo said the system of justice was a public resource which does not belong to the legal profession, neither does it belong to the bar nor the bench but the people.

“It belongs to the people; we, lawyers and judges are paid operators of a service that our constitution created to resolve their disputes and give justice.

“We are custodians not owners; when this public resort is not working effectively on account of delays or it is being discredited by corruption, we, the operators, have a moral, legal and civic obligations to fix it.”

Other speakers included former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko, represented by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and Nigeria’s first female SAN, Folake Solanke, among others.

(NAN)