By Abdul Lauya
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has challenged Nigerian lawyers to become proactive agents of national reform.
Speaking at the 2025 Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Bwari Branch, he delivered a fiery keynote address themed “Lawyers as Agents of Change.”
He stressed that Nigeria stands at another critical juncture, facing deep economic, judicial, and social challenges.
El-Rufai warned that without trust and courage, current economic reforms will fail to yield results.
He decried widespread perceptions of judicial compromise and called for urgent reforms to restore public confidence in the legal system.
Citing legal precedents, he urged the judiciary to resist executive manipulation and reclaim its independence.
He praised the Supreme Court’s past activism and lamented the current lack of bold, principled judges.
El-Rufai highlighted his personal reform experiences in the FCT and the power of law to restructure governance.
He applauded legal contributions to the 2023 Electricity Act and constitutional amendments that enabled it.
The former minister called for deeper legal reform in procurement, land titling, and taxation systems.
He emphasized the importance of training judges in fintech, digital trade, and climate law.
Young lawyers and local bar branches, he said, must push for justice at the grassroots.
He identified consumer protection as a ripe area for legal activism at the state level.
El-Rufai urged the NBA to clean its house and restore ethical leadership and accountability.
He questioned the effectiveness of the National Judicial Council, calling it overdue for restructuring.
Technology and civil liberties, he noted, must be reconciled through balanced legal frameworks.
He urged lawyers to speak against injustice, not just litigate it.
The legal profession, he said, is a moral calling—not just a means to earn a living.
He closed with a rallying cry for lawyers to lead Nigeria’s rebirth with bravery and integrity.
“Let Justice Reign. No Shaking,” El-Rufai concluded to resounding applause.
