A Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, and Human Rights Activist, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu has lashed out at a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, J.S Okutepa for describing the Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN as a “Superior Lawyer” in Nigeria.

Okutepa had in an interview condemned the letter of recusal written by the Bar President, Olumide Akpata to Olanipekun in respect of the trial of a Partner in the latter’s law firm.

According to Okutepa, “The letter was not in the best tradition of how things are done irrespective of what anybody feels about it. Chief Wole Olanipekun was a past President of the Nigerian Bar Association and whether we like it or not, he is a superior member of the bar and if I were to be in the position of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, I won’t write such letter.

I would go to meet with Chief Wole Olanipekun or involve senior members of the Bar, elders, past Presidents, and then meet with him and have discussion because whether anybody likes it or not, he is the leader of the bar.”

In his reaction, the Former NHRC Boss, Odinkalu in a tweet described Okutepa’s statement as asymptomatic of the impunity which reigns in Nigeria.

Prof. Odinkalu described the categorization as impunity; noting that “Impunity in Nigeria answers different names, including ‘superior lawyer, Outlawyer, Anyhow lawyer, Lawful lawyer, Regular lawyer, Lawyer, Junior lawyer” noted via his Twitter handle.

“Add your own

Impunity in #Nigeria answers different names. So now, we learn from my friend JSO that we have these categories in @NigBarAssoc:

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