Babafemi Badejo, national chairman of the Nigerian Bar of Association (NBA) anti-corruption committee, has warned that corruption is “professional suicide” for lawyers and poses a serious threat to the country’s development.
In a statement on Tuesday, Badejo said corruption weakens institutions, destroys public confidence, discourages investment, and deepens inequality.
He said the diversion of public resources meant for education, healthcare, infrastructure, and security has made it difficult to tackle crimes such as abduction and kidnapping for ransom.
“Lawyers occupy a strategic position in the struggle to rescue the Nigerian state from this destructive cycle,” Badejo said.
“We are not merely advocates for clients; we are guardians of the rule of law. Our duty to justice and society must never be subordinate to financial gains or political pressures.”
He said the acceptance of corruption as normal diminishes the NBA’s motto and amounts to professional suicide for lawyers, with devastating consequences for the country.
“We cannot effectively fight corruption in the nation if we harbour it overtly or covertly within our ranks. Our integrity is our only currency,” Badejo said.
He warned that lawyers who continue to “oil the wheels” for corrupt clients without question are not part of the solution but enablers.
Badejo called for a total change of orientation in the legal profession, urging lawyers to have the courage to reject briefs tainted by corruption and against public interest.
He also demanded stronger internal processes and a more effective Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) that hears complaints promptly, instead of allowing them to drag for over a year.