By: Joy Musa
In every society governed by law, the legal profession stands as a pillar of justice, integrity, and decorum. It is not merely a career it is a calling that demands the highest standards of conduct, both in speech and in action. When a lawyer begins to stray from these expectations, the consequences ripple far beyond personal reputation they threaten the credibility of the entire profession.
Recent public conduct by Deji, a member of the Nigerian Bar, has raised serious concerns. His increasingly combative tone and erratic behavior in public discourse are not just unbecoming they are dangerous. In a country where lawyers have faced incarceration for misconduct, it is naïve to assume that the toga of legal practice confers immunity from prosecution or conviction. The law is no respecter of titles, and the courtroom is not a stage for grandstanding.
The legal profession is built on discipline, restraint, and respect for the rule of law. Lawyers are trained to argue with reason, not rage; to persuade with logic, not threats. The kind of persistent bellicosity displayed by Deji undermines the very principles he swore to uphold. Initial “gra-gra” may be forgiven as youthful exuberance, but when it becomes a pattern, it signals a deeper disregard for professional ethics.
What Deji needs is not applause from the gallery, but proper counselling from senior colleagues who understand the weight of the wig and gown. The Nigerian Bar Association must not remain silent when one of its own veers dangerously off course. The profession must guide him back not just for his own sake, but for the integrity of the legal community.
Judges are not blind to the conduct of counsel who appear before them. If Deji continues on this path of defaming Mr. Peter Obi, he risks being perceived not as an officer of the court, but as a hoodlum masquerading in legal robes. And when that perception takes root, his clientele may dwindle to those who see chaos as strategy perhaps only the likes of Omoleye Sowore, whose own methods often challenge conventional norms.
Being a lawyer is not a license for hooliganism or activism. It is a privilege that must be earned daily through conduct that reflects the nobility of the profession. Deji must be reminded that self-control is not weakness it is wisdom. And if he cannot find that wisdom within, then let the profession offer it to him before self-harm becomes irreversible.
The legal profession must remain a beacon of hope, not a theatre of unruly spectacle. Let us protect its dignity starting with those who threaten it from within.
