*Says “Older Silks Deserve Respect, New Silks Deserve A Dignified Welcome”
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Dr. M. O. Ubani, SAN, has asked the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria to explain how Senior Advocates came to be left outside the hall at the Supreme Court during the opening of the legal year and the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
He writes that he watched the scenes from Europe.
“Videos circulating online showed distinguished senior lawyers, fully robed and ready to attend the ceremony, stranded outside the hall, apparently helpless and unable to participate in an event celebrating their profession. I watched these scenes in Europe with profound embarrassment and sadness.”
And he puts the question that frames the article.
“Whatever the precise circumstances that led to this unfortunate situation, it raises a fundamental question: how could an event of such national and professional significance be organised in a manner that left some of its principal stakeholders unable to gain entry?”
He sets out who he says was affected.
“These were not ordinary spectators. They were officers of the court, members of the inner Bar and, in many cases, practitioners who have devoted decades to the administration of justice and the development of the legal profession.”
And he reports, on information rather than observation, that the exclusion extended to a law officer of a State.
“So many senior advocates including an Attorney General of a State, I heard, were humiliated by being asked to exit the hall by officials of the Supreme Court. Why? How?”
His central charge is not malice. It is planning.
“The recent incident to me appears to underscore the consequences of inadequate organisation. If organisers are aware that seating capacity is limited, they must anticipate attendance, coordinate invitations and accreditation, establish clear admission procedures and provide adequate guidance for guests.”
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“A foreseeable challenge should not be allowed to degenerate into a spectacle in which senior lawyers are left stranded in corridors, fully robed, at an event organised to celebrate the legal profession.”
“Good organisation is not an optional extra at a national judicial event; it is an essential part of the dignity of the profession.”
He accepts that the ceremony is not for lawyers alone.
“Politicians, public officials, family members and friends of the new silks are welcome to attend and share in the celebration. However, accommodating all invited guests requires careful planning, effective coordination and a reliable admission process.”
He is careful to disclaim any entitlement arising from status.
“Many older silks have spent decades appearing before the courts, mentoring younger lawyers, serving professional associations and upholding the rule of law. They are not entitled to preferential treatment merely because of their titles, but they deserve the consideration and respect due to every invited participant, particularly at an occasion of this significance.”
And he states what their attendance is for.
“Their presence at the conferment ceremony represents more than attendance. It reflects professional solidarity, continuity and the transmission of the traditions of the Bar from one generation to another. As the new silks deserve a dignified welcome, their senior colleagues deserve the opportunity to share in their joy. These objectives are complementary and should never be compromised by preventable administrative failures.”
“The legal profession must not celebrate the elevation of some of its members while inadvertently humiliating others.”
“The Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) should clarify what happened and explain the circumstances that led to the reported exclusion of some senior lawyers. This is not a call to condemn anyone without hearing their side of the story. It is a call for accountability and improvement.”
“Was the expected attendance properly assessed? Were seating arrangements, accreditation and admission procedures adequately coordinated? Were sufficient measures in place to manage the movement of invited guests?”
“These questions deserve answers, not to apportion blame unnecessarily, but to establish the facts and prevent a recurrence.”
And he says what the response should be if the facts bear out his reading.
“If we found out that inadequate planning or poor coordination contributed to the incident, the appropriate response should be an acknowledgement of the shortcomings and a clear commitment to correcting them in future. Silence should not be the final response to an occurrence that has caused such visible embarrassment to the profession.”
“Organisers must undertake realistic assessments of expected attendance, seating capacity and security requirements well in advance. Invitations and accreditation should be properly coordinated, admission protocols clearly communicated, and sufficient personnel deployed to manage entry and resolve difficulties.”
“There must also be contingency arrangements for unexpected attendance and other foreseeable challenges. Where capacity limitations make it necessary to restrict entry, the process must be orderly, transparent and respectful.”
“The Supreme Court represents the apex of our judicial hierarchy. Its ceremonies should reflect the discipline, orderliness and professionalism expected of the institutions of justice. When organisation fails, the embarrassment is visible; when it succeeds, the dignity of the institution is preserved.”
He closes with a warning about attendance and a hope.
“Repeated experiences of this nature could discourage older silks from attending future ceremonies. That would be regrettable, as their presence enriches the occasion and strengthens the bonds between generations of legal practitioners.”
“The older silks deserve respect. The new silks deserve a dignified welcome. The Bench and the Bar deserve ceremonies that reflect their professional standing and institutional importance.”
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