The Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria has issued a stern warning to its members against the growing practice of appropriating undeserved academic titles, describing the trend as an unbridled and burning desire that could attract disciplinary sanctions.
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In a letter dated March 10, 2026, and addressed to all Senior Advocates, the Secretary of BOSAN, Olumide Sofowora Esq. SAN, C. Arb., disclosed that the Secretariat has been inundated with complaints about members prefixing “Doctor” to their names in court and other professional settings after being conferred with honorary doctorate degrees.
Sofowora noted that the National Universities Commission last month issued guidelines on the award and use of honorary doctorate degrees in Nigeria, stating clearly under Item 13 on “Usage” that recipients of honorary doctorates are at liberty to use approved nomenclature such as Doctor of Law (honoris Causa), LL.D (h.c.) or D.Litt (h.c.) after their names, but are not permitted to use the title “Dr.” before their names, as that prefix is reserved exclusively for holders of earned degrees and medical professionals.
The NUC guidelines further stated that recipients of honorary doctorates are not permitted to use such degrees to practise as scholars or professionals, oversee administrative units, or supervise research work.
Sofowora expressed even deeper concern that some members have gone further by addressing themselves as “Professors” after receiving honorary doctorates. He noted that the NUC made it a requirement several years ago that before an academic can attain the rank of Professor, the person must first obtain an earned doctorate degree.
He explained that beyond the doctorate, there are additional requirements including several years of requisite teaching experience, adequate publication and peer-reviewed research work, postgraduate supervision, contribution to adequate knowledge in the field of study, and appearance before the requisite assessment panel of the University Senate conferring the title. Where these requirements are not met, no person is entitled to call himself or herself a professor, the BOSAN Secretary stated.
Sofowora called on all distinguished members of BOSAN to be mindful of the guidelines and warned that any member found to be according to himself or herself a title he or she is not entitled to could face disciplinary measures under the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners.
He warned that such conduct would amount to fraudulent misrepresentation and false claims to nobility, which he described as behaviour incompatible with the dignity and honour of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The warning from BOSAN comes at a time when the use of academic titles by public figures and professionals in Nigeria has become a subject of growing public scrutiny, with critics arguing that the proliferation of honorary degrees has blurred the distinction between earned and ceremonial academic recognition.
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