Litigations: We go to court because of clients – NBA branch chair

Lawyers in Nigeria only go to court when they are briefed by their clients who have cases with merit, the chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Garki Branch, Obioma Ezenwobodo, has said. Ezenwobodo was reacting to a statement credited to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, about the huge number of cases […]

Lawyers in Nigeria only go to court when they are briefed by their clients who have cases with merit, the chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Garki Branch, Obioma Ezenwobodo, has said.

Ezenwobodo was reacting to a statement credited to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, about the huge number of cases in the Supreme Court during the inaugural dinner and award night of the branch with the theme: ‘The role of the bar in nation building’ over the weekend.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayoode Ariwoola, had during the investiture of 62 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria on November 28, bemoaned the “litigious” nature of Nigerians as accounting for the huge number of cases in the country.

However, Ezenwobodo said lawyers would always accept cases from their clients and the clients are also entitled to legal representation.

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“I think lawyers go to court because their clients have briefed them and they found merits in the briefs; where there is no merit in the case, it is the duty of the court to dismiss same,” he said.

Speaking also, Victor Giwa said the dinner was to celebrate the inauguration of the branch and to recognize individuals such as Mr Cecil Osakwe, Ademola and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, who contributed to the establishment by the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court.