Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar has raised concerns that justice in Nigeria is increasingly becoming a “purchasable commodity,” where the poor are victimised while the rich often evade accountability.
The monarch made the remarks on Sunday at the opening of the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) held at the International Conference Centre, Enugu. He warned that corruption and inequality were undermining the integrity of the judicial system.
“Today, justice is increasingly becoming a purchasable commodity, and the poor are becoming victims of this kind of justice, while the rich commit all manner of crime and walk the streets scot-free,” the Sultan said.
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He commended the NBA for adopting the theme “Stand Out and Stand Tall”, describing it as timely and aligned with the urgent need for lawyers to deliver on their professional and ethical mandates.
According to him, the legal profession must remain steadfast in upholding the rule of law to ensure fairness, accountability, and equality before the law.
“You are resolving to uphold the highest principles of the rule of law to ensure that everyone, including those in power, is subject to and accountable under the law. If we are able to do this, we would have addressed the core of the crisis of governance in this country,” he added.
The Sultan stressed that justice is the foundation of stable societies and urged participants to use the conference to address issues central to Nigeria’s future. These, he noted, include reforming laws to reflect local values and culture, strengthening social justice to tackle inequality, and expanding access to justice amid rising litigation costs.
He also lamented Nigeria’s recurring challenge of poor policy implementation despite having “very good policies.”
“Law and learning are inseparable. At the core of the study of law is the knowledge of value, and justice is one of those core values the law is supposed to achieve,” he told the gathering, which included South African opposition leader, Julius Malema.
Malema cautions Africa against debt trap
In his keynote address, Malema, the firebrand leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), warned African leaders against excessive borrowing from Bretton Woods institutions, describing such loans as a “debt trap” that mortgages the continent’s future.
“The debt trap of Africa to our foreign colonisers must be stopped, and that begins by regulating these loans that our leaders commit future generations to, because they will not be there when the colonisers come to collect,” he said.
He disclosed that the South African parliament is already considering the Public Finance Management Amendment Bill to check unregulated foreign loans, insisting that Nigeria and South Africa must forge closer ties to industrialise and process Africa’s resources locally.
“Our salvation will not come from Washington, London, Brussels, or Beijing. It lies here, in Lagos and Johannesburg, in Abuja and Pretoria, in the hands of Africans who refuse to be divided,” Malema added.
Enugu governor calls law ‘nation’s conscience’
Welcoming delegates, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State described the law as the conscience of the nation, reminding lawyers of their duty beyond the courtroom.
“The law is not just a profession; it is the conscience of the nation. We are not only courtroom advocates; we are also defenders of truth, architects of peace, and champions of equity,” Mbah said, while reiterating his administration’s commitment to justice sector reforms.
The 2025 NBA conference brought together thousands of lawyers, policymakers, and dignitaries from across Africa to deliberate on strengthening the rule of law, advancing justice, and shaping the continent’s democratic future.
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Justice increasingly for sale in Nigeria, poor are victims — Sultan
Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has warned that justice in Nigeria is gradually turning into a “purchasable commodity,” where the poor are victimised and the rich often escape accountability.
Speaking on Sunday at the opening of the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Enugu, the Sultan cautioned that corruption and inequality are eroding confidence in the judiciary.
“Today, justice is increasingly becoming a purchasable commodity, and the poor are becoming victims of this kind of justice, while the rich commit all manner of crime and walk the streets scot-free,” he said.
He praised the NBA for adopting the theme “Stand Out and Stand Tall”, saying it reflected the urgent need for lawyers to recommit to fairness, accountability, and equality before the law.
“The legal profession must uphold the highest principles of the rule of law to ensure that everyone, including those in power, is subject to and accountable under the law. If we do this, we would have addressed the core of the crisis of governance in this country,” the Sultan added.
He urged participants to use the conference to focus on three priorities: law reforms to reflect Nigeria’s culture and values, addressing social justice to reduce inequality, and improving access to justice amid rising litigation costs.
The monarch also lamented Nigeria’s recurring problem of poor policy implementation despite having “very good policies.”
Malema warns Africa over debt trap
In his keynote address, South African opposition leader Julius Malema warned African nations against excessive borrowing from international lenders, describing such loans as a “debt trap” that mortgages the continent’s future.
“Our salvation will not come from Washington, London, Brussels, or Beijing. It lies here, in Lagos and Johannesburg, in Abuja and Pretoria, in the hands of Africans who refuse to be divided,” he told the gathering.
Mbah: Law is the conscience of the nation
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State reminded delegates that the law is more than a profession, describing it as the conscience of the nation and reaffirming his administration’s commitment to justice sector reforms.
The NBA conference drew thousands of lawyers, policymakers, and dignitaries from across Africa to deliberate on strengthening the rule of law and shaping the continent’s future.
