Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has raised concerns over the declining adherence to ethical principles within the legal profession.
Gatekeepers News reports that the CJN expressed concern while speaking on Wednesday at the public presentation of Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) report, held at Body of Benchers’ Complex in Abuja.
Justice Kekere-Ekun emphasised the need for lawyers to recommit to the core values of ethics, discipline, and professional responsibility.
She lamented the challenges facing professional discipline among legal practitioners, stressing that the integrity of the legal profession is under threat, and called for decisive action to restore its sanctity.
The CJN underscored the importance of enforcing professional discipline through the LPDC, ensuring fairness, transparency, and strict accountability.
She said, “It is instructive to note that the Body of Benchers, as the apex institution of the legal profession in Nigeria, is uniquely positioned to lead the charge in this regard.”
“The responsibility of upholding the legal profession’s sanctity rests heavily on its shoulders, and I have no doubt that the body will continue to rise to the occasion.”
Justice Kekere-Ekun applauded Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), and members of the body for their foresight in initiating the Body of Benchers annual lecture.
According to her; the lecture was a significant step toward fostering intellectual engagement and practical discourse on legal ethics in Nigeria.
The maiden edition of the annual lecture, themed “Half-A-Century of the Body of Benchers: The Past, The Present, and The Future of Maintaining the Ethics of the Legal Profession in Nigeria,” aims to illuminate the role of the Body of Benchers and strengthen ethical standards in the legal profession.
The CJN urged that the initiative be sustained and expanded, emphasizing its role in setting clear benchmarks for professional ethics, continuous legal education, and justice sector reforms.
She reiterated that maintaining high standards of integrity and discipline among legal practitioners is essential to preserving public confidence in the judiciary and the legal profession.
