Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, prominent public policy advocate, has urged Nigerian lawyers to safeguard the integrity of their profession, warning against allowing it to be co-opted by political interests that threaten present and future generations. She made the call during her keynote address at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Enugu.

Addressing delegates, Ezekwesili described lawyers as “the heartbeat of professionalism” and “the elite of our society,” emphasizing their crucial role in upholding the rule of law and shaping ethical governance. She expressed concern that the privileged class of lawyers must not abandon their responsibility to ensure justice and accountability in the country.

Highlighting Nigeria’s persistent poverty, Ezekwesili noted that over 133 million citizens remain trapped in extreme deprivation due to systemic distortions in incentives and governance. She stressed that the legal profession plays a central role in regulating political behavior, rewarding integrity, and punishing misconduct.

“Stop trading this profession. Stop giving it over to a bunch of lousy politicians who want to destroy generations, both present and unborn,” she warned.

Ezekwesili also called for the country to return to rewarding hard work rather than using politics as a shortcut to wealth. She urged lawyers to evaluate their contribution toward creating a society where merit, rather than connections, determines opportunity and justice.

Concluding her remarks, she joked about the possibility of not being invited again, saying, “Don’t invite me again; even if you do, I may not come.”

Her address was met with sustained applause from attendees, who praised her candid assessment of the responsibilities of legal professionals in Nigeria.

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