The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mazi Afam Josiah Osigwe, SAN has rejected calls to condemn the recent portrayal of the legal profession by popular Nigerian socialist, Pretty Mike.
Over the weekend, Pretty Mike attended a 50th birthday celebration with 50 men and women dressed in full legal attires. The videos circulating online show the individuals wearing lawyers’ wigs, gowns, and legal collars.
The incident led to massive calls for the NBA to condemn the act, or even take legal action.
However, the NBA President has shut down the calls, arguing that the association is governed by laws, not morals.
According to TheNigeriaLawyer, the NBA President posed a series of questions which reportedly quashed the condemnation calls. The President, in one of the questions asked if Pretty Mike’s actions do not under creative expression and artistic liberty rather than professional affront.
He also asked if Pretty Mike used the attire to falsely claim official authority, mislead people, or impersonate a lawyer.
Meanwhile, the NBA President’s response has reportedly divided the Nigerian legal community. While proponents see the action itself as a tribute to the profession, critics describe it as an institutional mockery.
