Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has sounded an urgent alarm over the declining adherence to ethical principles in the legal profession, lamenting that strict ethical standards are facing serious challenges across the country.
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The CJN made her concerns known on Wednesday at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja during the public presentation of the report of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee and the inaugural edition of the Body of Benchers annual lecture.
Justice Kekere-Ekun canvassed an urgent need for law practitioners to recommit themselves to the fundamental values of ethics, discipline and professional responsibility, noting that the downtrend posed a significant concern for the integrity of the legal profession.
“The Body of Benchers, as the apex institution of the legal profession in Nigeria, is uniquely positioned to lead the charge in this regard. The responsibility of upholding the legal profession’s sanctity rests heavily on its shoulders,” the CJN stated.
She emphasized the critical role of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee in enforcing professional discipline, saying it must be pursued with fairness, transparency, and unwavering resolve.
Justice Kekere-Ekun commended the Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo, SAN, and members of the Body for their foresight and dedication in initiating the annual lecture series—a move she described as testament to the progressive evolution of the institution.
She highlighted that the lecture would serve as a much-needed platform for intellectual engagement, practical discourse, and introspective reflections on the role of the Body of Benchers within Nigeria’s legal profession.
The maiden edition of the annual lecture, themed “Half-A-Century of the Body of Benchers: The Past, The Present, and The Future of Maintaining the Ethics of the Legal Profession in Nigeria,” is to be delivered by former Lagos State Governor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN.
According to Justice Kekere-Ekun, the lecture initiative was conceived to serve multiple purposes, including illuminating the workings of the Body of Benchers both nationally and internationally, fostering greater understanding of its critical role in legal practice, and providing a forum for robust, critical and well-researched discussions.
The CJN explained that the lecture will address challenges and future prospects of the Body, evaluate ethical standards of the legal profession to ensure the highest levels of discipline, integrity and professional responsibility among lawyers, and present a forward-looking agenda for strengthening the legal profession while enhancing public confidence in the judiciary.
She pleaded that the initiative be sustained and expanded, noting that it should serve as a mechanism for setting clear benchmarks for professional ethics, continuous legal education, and justice sector reforms.
“This is not merely an avenue for reflection and discourse, but a mechanism for institutional renewal and professional rejuvenation,” Justice Kekere-Ekun remarked.
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