The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, Afam Osigwe (SAN), rejected allegations that he lobbied to exclude Chief Jibrin Samuel Okutepa (SAN) from the Body of Benchers, calling the claim misconceived. In a Monday statement, Osigwe stated the association acted within its ethical guidelines when it made its decision. The NBA's leadership emphasized that its actions were guided by established rules rather than personal influence. The dispute centers on Okutepa's exclusion from the Body of Benchers, a body that oversees legal practitioners in Nigeria.
Osigwe's insistence on ethics over lobbying exposes a rare moment of institutional clarity. For Nigerians, this suggests that even elite professional bodies can still prioritize rules over personal or political considerations, however quietly. The NBA's stance may not resolve the deeper tensions within the legal profession, but it does signal that institutional gatekeeping can sometimes function as designed.
