Okutepa, SAN, Congratulates 38 Lawyers To Be Sworn In As San, Says There’s Need For Cleansing In The Justice System – TheNigerialawyer

* Says If We Choose To Have Blind Eyes To Manifest And
Obvious Breaches Of Our Rules Of Professional Ethics As A
Profession, Then We Have Lost The Right To Fight
Corruption

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, J.S. Okutepa, SAN, has congratulated
the 38 eminent legal practitioners who have been found worthy to be
elevated to the rank of SAN.

According to the learned silk, their elevation no doubt is
coming at a time that the legal profession is in dire need of house
cleansing.

He added that there is no doubt that the legal profession is the
only profession that has an arm of government devoted exclusively
to it.

”Today the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria will be swearing
in 38 eminent legal Practitioners who have been found worthy in
knowledge and character by the Legal Practitioners Privileges
Committee (LPPC) to be conferred with the prestigious rank of
Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

”I congratulate these eminent Nigerian legal Practitioners for
attaining the zenith in the legal profession. Your elevation no
doubt is coming at a time that the legal profession is in dire need
of house cleansing. There is no doubt that the legal profession is
the only profession that has an arm of government devoted
exclusively to it.

The heads of the judicial arm of government at the Federal and
in the 36 States of Nigeria including FCT are members of the legal
profession. The Attorneys General of Federal and States of Nigeria
are members of the legal profession.

The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as
amended in section 6 thereof set out the judicial powers of the
Federation of Nigeria,” he said.

According to him, at this critical stage of our national life it
will be short-sighted arrogant to say all is well with the legal
profession, stressing that, there is a need to do some house
cleansing if the much-desired justice in our land is to be
attained.

”Just like the Nigerian society, corruption has found its ugly
head into the legal profession. It is part of our code of conduct
and etiquette that in the discharge of our duties we must not give
appearance of impropriety. Today not only we give appearance of
impropriety, we defend impropriety using legal jargon that clearly
promotes injustice.

”All members of the legal profession, Bar and Bench must join
hands at all levels to fight corruption in the legal profession and
our society.

The leadership of the profession at all levels must be prepared
to fight corruption in the profession. These include the new senior
Advocates of Nigeria.

”We all have duties and responsibilities to ensure the
maintenance of the highest ethics in the profession to be in a
position to fight corruption.

He who comes to equity must do so with clean hands. For the
profession to perform significant role in the fight against
corruption, it must be seen to enforce its rules of professional
conduct religiously. That is the essence of Rule 55(2) of the Rules
of Professional Conduct 2007,” he added.

Speaking further, he said that we must change our attitude and
collectively enforce our rules to enable the legal profession fight
corruption, adding that, we must avoid playing politics with the
fight against corruption. He also added that if we choose to have
blind eyes to manifest and obvious breaches of our rules of
professional ethics as a profession, then we have lost the right to
fight corruption.

”If we choose to have blind eyes to manifest and obvious
breaches of our rules of professional ethics as a profession, then
we have lost the right to fight corruption. The profession must be
at the vanguard of ensuring that our government create conducive
environments for strong institutions.

”In conclusion, let me say that there is total loss of
professional ethics and etiquette in the legal profession in
Nigeria and that is seriously affecting the administration of
justice. Unless we do something quickly to return to the core
values of the legal profession, we may as well forget the use of
the legal profession as the final arbiter in resolving disputes. I
get worried for the kind of precedents we set for ourselves in the
legal profession. The bench must be proactive and promote justice
in judgments it gives. Precedents must be set in aid of justice and
not to promote and encourage injustice. Where those who are to do
justice promote and encourage injustice by laying down impossible
rules to prove allegations, then the streams of justice suffer
shipwreck.

”The legal profession must be agent of social engineering. It
must be ready to live by the nobility of its name. There is no
society that can grow where injustice is given stamp of legitimacy
by the profession that is constitutionally empowered to give
justice to all. As we enter into 2019/2020 legal year, we must do
everything possible to use the law to restore order to Nigerian
society. Time to do so is now,” he said.