SAN Title has Lost Its Credibility – Ex-NBA Chairman, Bayo Akinlade Esq Raises Alarm
Bayo Akinlade Esq, former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu Branch, has declared that the prestigious title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) has lost much of its professional value.
In a strongly worded statement issued in Lagos and posted on Facebook, Akinlade congratulated the newly sworn-in SANs but expressed deep concerns about the diminishing credibility of the rank. According to him, the revered title, once synonymous with excellence in advocacy and profound contributions to jurisprudence, has gradually become “another opportunity to take from the profession instead of improving it.”
“The title has lost its credibility and impact on our jurisprudence,” Akinlade lamented. “Barely any tangible legal arguments exist in our courts that birth reforms, and this, unfortunately, renders our justice system impotent.”
The outspoken lawyer, known for his critical interventions in bar-related matters, also took aim at the economic pressures that surround the attainment of the rank. He argued that financial muscle rather than pure merit often determines who wears the silk.
“The economics of it all is in itself the undoing of the title,” he said. “One has to have more of the money than the actual qualifying standards necessary to obtain the title.”
Despite his critique, Akinlade extended a cautious optimism, charging the latest set of SANs to strive toward reform and transformation within the legal profession.
“Perhaps, this set of SANs will be transformative and reformative,” he stated. “We need a Renewed Hope in this profession, even if it may not translate into anything but wishful thinking.”
