Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigerian Law Society (NLS) has firmly rejected a directive by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere‑Ekun, banning Nigerian lawyers from using the title "Barrister" as a prefix to their names in official engagements at the Supreme Court. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the NLS declared that the directive has no basis in any existing statute and that the suggested replacement, "Esquire" (or "Esq."), is likewise not recognised by the Legal Practitioners Act 1962.
The controversy stems from a memo dated July 13, 2026, signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Kabir Akanbi, which directed legal practitioners, court registrars and other lawyers to immediately discontinue the use of "Barrister" before their names in all official correspondence and engagements at the apex court. The memo described the measure as part of efforts to uphold professional standards within the Supreme Court.
However, the Nigerian Law Society, through its Executive Director, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, argued that the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962, explicitly recognises the titles of "Barrister" and "Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria" for all lawyers who have been successfully called to the Nigerian Bar. "Using 'Barrister' as a title is a half-truth that leaves out the title of 'Solicitor'," Jaja observed. He noted that while "Esquire" might be a traditional suffix, it is not expressly provided for in the Legal Practitioners Act. "The problem with this recommended title of 'Esquire', or even other alternatives 'Barrister-At-Law' or 'Attorney-At-Law', is that they do not appear inside the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962," he said. He further stressed that under the current rule of law, neither the CJN, the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC), nor the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) can impose regulations on lawyers on matters that are not expressly stated in the Legal Practitioners Act.
The NLS also accused the CJN and the LPPC of hypocrisy, pointing to their opposition to the conferment of the "Blue Silks" rank of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN), which is also not mentioned in the Legal Practitioners Act. "It is an act of contradiction and hypocrisy for both the CJN and the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to impose a ban upon a title 'Barrister' that is explicitly listed inside the Legal Practitioners Act, 1962 and replace it with alternatives that are not explicitly stated inside any statutes," Jaja declared.
The NLS's position highlights a significant legal debate about the scope of the judiciary's administrative powers and whether the CJN's directive has sufficient statutory backing. While the Supreme Court has defended the directive as an administrative measure concerning official court engagements, the NLS argues that such restrictions must be anchored in legislation or properly constituted rules.
The directive was issued shortly after the 2026 Call to the Bar ceremonies, during which more than 6,000 new lawyers were admitted to the Nigerian Bar. The Body of Benchers had urged newly called lawyers to avoid the premature use of "Barrister" as a prefix. The current disagreement raises a broader question about the distinction between regulating professional conduct within the courts and creating restrictions that require a clear statutory foundation.
As the debate continues, the NLS has called on the CJN and the LPPC to recognise that their authority is limited by the Legal Practitioners Act. Jaja argued that the same logic used to dismiss the "Blue Silks" rank—that it is not mentioned in the Act—should apply to the ban on "Barrister", making the directive legally unsustainable.
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