Two of Nigeria's foremost legal minds, Professor Yusuf Ali, SAN, and Chief Folake Solanke, SAN, have issued a compelling charge to legal practitioners across the country. They emphasized that the future of the profession hinges on integrity-backed innovations and a return to the golden era of high ethical standards. This clarion call was made at the 2025 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ibadan Branch Law Week.
A Vision for the Future: Ethics Must Guide Innovation
Speaking on the theme, ‘Law, Ethics and Innovation: Sustaining the Future of Legal Practice’, the keynote address was delivered on behalf of Prof. Yusuf Ali by former Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Asiwaju Adebayo Ojo, SAN. Ali stressed that the trajectory of legal practice in Nigeria must be consciously shaped through deliberate actions, ethical leadership, and fearless innovations.
He clarified that while technology is transformative, it is not the sole determinant of the profession's future. "The future of legal practice will not be determined by technology alone, but also by its application," he noted. He therefore urged lawyers to wholeheartedly embrace relevance, innovation, ethics, competence, and progress.
"We should embrace the future with clarity, courage and conviction. Let us innovate with integrity, modernise with discipline and lead with vision so that the future of ethical legal practice can be sustained," Ali concluded.
A Call Back to Foundational Values
The 93-year-old legal luminary, Chief Folake Solanke, SAN, offered poignant advice against professional misconduct, drawing from her vast experience. She expressed her deep affection for the profession, stating, "Apart from my family and the church, I am happiest among judges and lawyers."
She nostalgically recalled the pristine standards at the beginning of her career in 1963. "When I joined the profession in 1963, there was no allegation or accusation of any misconduct. As a lawyer, you prepared your case and presented, knowing that the judgment would be based on the law and the facts," Solanke remarked, implicitly urging a return to such principled practice.
Unified Support from the Bench and Bar
The event garnered strong backing from top judicial and government officials in Oyo State. The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Abiodun Aikomo, appealed to lawyers to always conduct themselves with the dignity the profession commands. "It is in our collective interest that the legal profession thrives and maintains its standing in society," he asserted.
Similarly, the Oyo State Chief Judge, Justice Iyabo Yerima, represented by Justice Boyede Akintola, advised that as the profession evolves, it must guard its learned identity. She emphasized upholding its special status through language, appearance, and conduct.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NBA Ibadan Branch, Mr. Ibrahim Lawal, addressed the often-blurred lines between ethics and innovation, calling for unity in finding lasting solutions. The Chairman of the Law Week Planning Committee, Mr. Oluseun Abimbola, SAN, reminded attendees that a lawyer's conduct in every setting—boardroom, marketplace, or courtroom—remains the true currency of the profession's relevance.
The collective message from the 2025 Ibadan Law Week is unequivocal: for the Nigerian legal profession to sustain its future and societal respect, innovation must be firmly rooted in unwavering integrity and timeless ethical principles.
