*As Dr. Tonye Jaja Petitions CJN Despite Rejections Says “Blue Silk Not Regulated By Legal Practitioners Act, Court Has So Ruled”
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A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and President of the Nigerian Law Society, Chief Mela Audu Nunghe, SAN, has formally and vehemently refused an invitation to apply for the purported “Blue Silk” rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN), accusing the promoter, Dr Tonye Clinton Jaja, of engaging in “nefarious activities” and warning that he would report the matter to the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC).
In a letter dated February 18, 2026, addressed to Dr Jaja, Chief Nunghe expressed his final refusal to participate in any form or manner in the Blue Silk scheme.
Chief Nunghe stated that his previous non-committal interactions with Dr Jaja were clear indications of his disapproval.
“I acknowledge receipt of your email inviting me to apply for the designation commonly referred to as ‘Blue Silk.’ For the avoidance of doubt, I hereby express my vehement and final refusal to participate, in any form or manner, in the activities outlined in your proposal.
“As you are fully aware, I have been deliberately non-committal in my recent interactions with you. My actions were a clear indication that I do not wish to be identified with you or your ventures. Your persistent proposal has left me with no choice but to formalize my position,” Nunghe stated.
The senior advocate pointed out that the LPPC had already disowned the Blue Silk designation.
“Please be advised that your invitation arrives at a particularly inopportune moment. The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), at its meeting held on 12th February 2026, has formally and unequivocally disowned the ‘Blue Silk’ designation.
“The LPPC, the only statutory body vested with the responsibility of conferring the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has stated clearly that:
- The LPPC does not recognize any parallel, intermediate, or alternative rank styled as ‘Blue Silk’
- The introduction, conferment, or use of such a title has no statutory backing and does not emanate from any authority recognised under the Legal Practitioners Act
- Legal practitioners who create, adopt, or parade themselves under this disputed designation may be exposing themselves to potential breaches of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023.”
Nunghe emphasised his commitment to the SAN rank as the sole recognised mark of professional distinction.
“Please note that with or without the intervention of the LPPC as stated above, I do not want to be associated with you or any of your activities and do not want to know about them. I hold the privileged and prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the sole recognised highest mark of professional distinction for legal practitioners in this country and I will not diminish that honour by associating with any purported rank that lacks a statutory foundation.
“I formally withdraw any implied or perceived consent to participate in any matter that is contrary to, or falls outside the purview of, my rank as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Participation in such schemes as you have proposed is not only prohibited by the Rules of Professional Conduct but is also entirely counterproductive.”
Nunghe accused Jaja of acting out of spite following his refusal to support Jaja’s bid to renew his tenure at the Nigerian Law Society.
“I am not unaware that this proposal is motivated by spite, stemming from my refusal to support or sponsor your bid to renew your tenure as the Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Law Society. For the reason that, based on my assessment of your professional conduct over time, I did not and do not possess any trust in the integrity of your practice.”
The NLS President warned Jaja to stop using the organisation’s name and logo.
“For the avoidance of doubt, you have long ceased to be the Executive Director of the Nigeria Law Society, and you cannot be the Executive Director of NLS and so you should desist from using the name and logo of NLS for your nefarious activities and your collaborators.”
Nunghe issued a final warning to Jaja.
“Consequently, I hereby urge you to henceforth desist from any further communication with me regarding this or any similar matter. I am resolved not to grant you an audience on any grounds whatsoever, as this is the last time I will be dignifying you with a response.
“Should you refuse to heed this final warning, I will have no choice but to bring this matter to the attention of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee and explore the severe consequences that may follow for conduct that violates the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023.”
EMAIL RESPONSE TO BLUE SILK INVITATIONHowever, in a petition to the Chief Justice of Nigeria dated February 19, 2026 and made available to journalists on Thursday, Dr Tonye Clinton Jaja, through the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), insisted that the Blue Silks ranks are not under the regulation of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962.
Jaja noted that a court judgment had already ruled that the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) can only regulate matters under the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962.
“We write to remind respected Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) of our letter dated 8th December 2025 wherein we stated for the avoidance of any doubts that the Blue Silks rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, SCN, is designed for non-litigation Nigerian lawyers.
“We further stated that the Blue Silks rank is not regulated by the provisions of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962 as is the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
“Our statements in the said letter of December 2025 has recently been given judicial pronouncement by the Hon. Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court Abuja who delivered a judgment on 27th January 2026. In the said judgment, it was held that neither the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, and by extension the LPPC cannot interfere or regulate the Blue Silks rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria, SCN, or any other matters that are not specifically mentioned inside the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962,” the petition stated.
The petition argued that the NBA’s role is restricted to regulation of lawyers involved in litigation as defined under the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962.
“Therefore, neither the NBA nor the LPPC has a monopoly of legal services in Nigeria. The spirit and letter of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Act, 2018, forbids the NBA or any other player within the legal services industry from playing the role of a monopoly.
“From a common-sense and logical point-of-view, since both the NBA and the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, ALDRAP, are both incorporated trustees both registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission, under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020, the NBA cannot serve as regulator over another incorporated trustee.”
The petition disclosed that another Federal High Court Abuja is adjudicating on a suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/2594/2025, in which ALDRAP is seeking to break the monopoly of the NBA regarding the fixing of prices of goods and services within the legal services industry in Nigeria.
The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee had in a statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and Secretary of the LPPC, Kabir Akanbi, declared that it does not recognise any such rank as Blue Silk.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the LPPC does not recognise any parallel, intermediate, or alternative rank styled as ‘Blue Silk’ or by any other nomenclature purporting to suggest official status, hierarchy, or recognition within the legal profession.
“The introduction, conferment, or use of such a title has no statutory backing and does not emanate from the LPPC or any authority recognised under the Legal Practitioners Act.”
The committee warned that lawyers who create or parade themselves with the disputed title could be in breach of professional rules.
“The LPPC views the actions of legal practitioners involved in the establishment of such purported ranks, as well as individuals who present or parade themselves as ‘Blue Silks,’ as conduct that may amount to violations of the provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023.”
At its meeting held on February 12, 2026, the LPPC resolved to “take appropriate steps” in line with its statutory mandate “to preserve the integrity of the legal profession and the sanctity of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.”
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