•Afam Osigwe
President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, has charged newly inducted Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) designates to see their elevation as a call to leadership and ethical responsibility, not as a platform for rivalry or unhealthy competition.
Osigwe gave the charge at the induction ceremony of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) where he addressed the latest set of lawyers set to don the silk, reports The Nation.
He described the attainment of the SAN rank as the pinnacle of legal practice, but warned that remaining worthy of the honour is a greater challenge that requires discipline, resilience and accountability.
“Getting to the top is easier, staying there is the real test,” he said.
The NBA President urged the new silks to resist pressures to measure their success against their peers. According to him, the temptation to replicate another’s financial or professional trajectory often leads to needless rivalry.
“Move at your own pace and focus on building a career anchored on integrity and service,” he advised.
Citing Rule 1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, Osigwe reminded them that every lawyer is enjoined to act in obedience to the law and serve as a role model, particularly to younger members of the Bar.
He further cautioned that certain practices must be abandoned with their new status, including disparaging court judgments without proper study or making public comments on matters pending before the courts.
“Such conduct must stop once you assume the rank of Senior Advocate,” he said firmly.
Osigwe’s remarks underscored that the SAN title is more than an honour; it is a responsibility to uphold the dignity of the legal profession and provide ethical leadership.
The formal conferment of the SAN rank is scheduled to take place at the Supreme Court on September 29, 2025.
