NBA-AGC 2022: “We Must Return Legal Profession To Good Old Days And Leave Good Legacies For Upcoming Generation” — Lagos CJ

Justice Kazeem Alogba, the Chief Judge of Lagos State, has urged lawyers to uphold the legal profession’s sanctity and leave a positive legacy for the next generation. He urged them to restore the legal profession to its rightful place where lawyers are given audience and respect at significant events.

He made these remarks at the opening of the 62nd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) themed “Bold Transitions”. Alogba, who represented the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola in declaring the 2022 conference open, admonished lawyers to do everything possible to ensure that the legal profession returns to those good old days, so as to leave a good legacy for the upcoming generation.

He said “We are faced with times when boldness is a necessary attribute in our society”, adding that the AGC 2022 theme is so aptly drawn.

“The Nigerian Bar Association has chosen to do the right thing at the most appropriate time. These are the times when boldness becomes necessary, so, no better theme could have been chosen, and no better words could have been chosen to highlight what we truly need in Nigeria

“One thing that has always been of great interest to me, is the ethics of the profession. It is not because others cannot speak good English and even with Latin maxims but because you are learned in the real sense of the word such that every other profession comes behind the legal profession

“It is because of who we are, gentlemen and ladies; therefore, that tradition must be restored.”

The chief judge however emphasized the need for the legal profession to return to the base, where lawyers are given an audience and respect at important occasions

According to him, “We must do everything possible to ensure that we return to those good old days, so as to leave a good legacy for the upcoming generation.”

“These are the times when boldness becomes necessary, and so, no better theme could have been chosen, and no better words could have been chosen to highlight what we truly need in Nigeria

“One thing that has always been of great interest to me, is the ethics of the profession .

“It is not because others cannot speak good English and even with latin maxims but because you are learned in the real sense of the word such that every other profession comes behind the legal profession

“It is because of who we are, gentlemen and ladies; therefore, that tradition must be restored, ” he said

Alogba, consequently, underscored the need for the legal profession to return to the base, where lawyers are given audience and respect at occasions

“We must do everything possible to ensure that we return to those good old days, so as to leave a good legacy for the upcoming generation

“On behalf of my Lord the acting CJ. Hon. Justice Oluwa Kayode Ariwoola, I most humbly declare this conference open.” He said