From Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto
The legal profession must pivot away from a transactional culture of quick monetary gains and return to foundational mentorship and integrity if it hopes to produce competent advocates, the newly elected Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Sokoto Branch, Barrister Bashir Muazu Jodi, has warned.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday following a competitive but peaceful election, the Principal Partner of Gallant Law Firm (Majestic Chambers) took aim at the current orientation of younger practitioners, framing professional competence and independent advocacy as his administration’s highest priorities.
Barrister Jodi, who brings nearly 20 years of bar experience to the role, lamented that the modern training environment for junior lawyers has become dangerously commercialized at the expense of actual legal skill.
“The welfare of young lawyers is critical, but many of them are not properly oriented.
“In chambers today, the emphasis is too often on ‘money, money, money’ instead of experience.
“But without experience, you cannot deliver, and clients will eventually not brief you,” Jodi stated.
To combat this trend, the Chairman announced a planned restructuring of the Sokoto branch to institutionalize strict mentorship programs, invoking a vital principle passed down by former NBA President, Y. C. Maikyau, SAN: “Your knowledge of law should be 20 percent and your integrity 80 percent.”
For Jodi, building professional competence is inextricably linked to the ultimate goal of his tenure: establishing an NBA branch entirely insulated from external influence.
Addressing public skepticism regarding the judiciary and Nigeria’s persistent security challenges, Jodi rejected the narrative that blames the legal system in isolation.
He argued that institutional failures are merely symptoms of a broader societal breakdown.
“The problem is not just lawyers or the judiciary. It is all of us. If we have informants aiding criminals, then we are all part of the problem,” Jodi noted, calling for a unified civic front to restore order.
Concluding his address, the new Chairman urged all members of the Sokoto Bar to look past personal interests and rally behind his executive team to defend the rule of law, pledging to leave behind a more unified, self-reliant, and respected association.
