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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, His Eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has issued a call for the decolonisation of Nigeria’s legal system and warned that justice in the country is increasingly being bought and sold to the highest bidder.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) held at the International Conference Centre in Enugu, the revered monarch decried the erosion of integrity within the justice system, noting that it now often favours the rich while punishing the poor.
“Today, justice is increasingly becoming a purchasable commodity, and the poor are becoming victims of this kind of justice, while the rich commit all manner of crime and walk the streets scot-free,” he said.
The Sultan urged Nigerian lawyers and legal professionals to recommit themselves to the principles of fairness, accountability, and equality before the law. He commended the NBA’s choice of the conference theme, “Stand Out and Stand Tall”, describing it as a timely call for legal practitioners to rise to the ethical demands of their profession.
He emphasised that legal reforms must go beyond surface changes and instead address the foundational issues within Nigeria’s inherited legal structures. According to him, the country must gradually move away from colonial-era laws and realign its legal system with the nation’s culture, values, and historical realities.
“We must continue the effort to decolonise our laws and make them closer to our values, culture and history,” the Sultan stated. “Justice is the foundation of stable societies, and law must always target justice as its ultimate goal.”
He stressed the need for the legal community to focus on strengthening social justice, closing the widening gap between the privileged and the disadvantaged, and expanding access to justice, especially for the weak and vulnerable who are often excluded by the rising cost of litigation.
The Sultan also lamented the persistent challenge of poor policy implementation in Nigeria, despite the existence of well-drafted legal and institutional frameworks. He urged lawyers to use their influence to drive change and hold power accountable, noting that when the rule of law applies equally to all citizens, it will address many of the governance issues plaguing the country.
“If we uphold the rule of law and ensure everyone, including those in power, is accountable under it, we will have tackled the core of Nigeria’s governance crisis,” he added.
The Sultan’s comments resonated with the broader theme of the conference, which also featured a keynote address from South African opposition leader, Julius Malema. Malema warned African countries against unregulated foreign loans, particularly from institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), describing such loans as a “debt trap” that threatens the continent’s future.
According to him, Africa’s salvation will not come from foreign powers but through self-reliance and intra-continental collaboration. He called on Nigeria and South Africa to lead a new era of African industrialisation and economic independence, urging the two nations to process their resources locally and reject economic dependency.
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, also addressed the gathering, reminding legal practitioners that their role extends beyond the courtroom. He described the legal profession as the conscience of the nation and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to justice sector reform as a cornerstone of governance.
“The law is not just a profession; it is the conscience of the nation. We are not only courtroom advocates; we are also defenders of truth, architects of peace, and champions of equity,” he said.
The 2025 NBA Annual General Conference brought together thousands of legal minds, policymakers, and dignitaries from across Africa. The event served as a platform for critical reflection on the state of justice, legal reform, and governance in Nigeria and the wider continent.