A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Jibrin S. Okutepa, has responded to recent comments by former NBA First Vice President, John O. Aikpokpo-Martins, dismissing suggestions that Egbe Amofin is responsible for the growing tensions within the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
In a detailed rejoinder issued on March 18, 2026, Okutepa said the real crisis confronting the NBA is rooted in what he described as a lack of honesty, integrity, and transparency in the leadership of the Association, rather than the activities of regional or interest-based groups.
Reacting to Aikpokpo-Martins’ question, “What does Egbe Amofin want?”, Okutepa noted that while the concern may have arisen from the ongoing litigation involving the Incorporated Trustees of Egbe Amofin before an Oyo State High Court, it would be inappropriate to delve into the substance of the case due to its pendency.
However, he warned that the NBA appears to be heading towards “self-destruction” if urgent steps are not taken to address what he termed deep-rooted structural and ethical challenges.
According to him, the issues within the NBA are not attributable to Egbe Amofin, the Arewa Lawyers Forum, the Midwest Bar Forum, or the South East Lawyers Forum, but rather to a culture of “godfatherism” and undue influence by certain individuals who, he alleged, have turned the Association into a personal fiefdom.
He accused some past leaders of positioning themselves as “overlords” and “kingmakers,” allegedly determining who emerges as NBA President irrespective of broader consensus within the Bar. He further alleged that aspirants are often pressured to align with these power blocs or risk being sidelined.
Okutepa also decried what he described as a growing culture of indiscipline within the profession, including instances where younger lawyers openly disrespect senior colleagues under the guise of political engagement within the NBA.
He lamented that ethical standards and professional decorum have been eroded, with practices such as inducement and vote-buying allegedly becoming normalized in NBA politics.
“The problem of NBA is not Egbe Amofin,” he reiterated, emphasizing that the real challenge lies in the abandonment of truth, accountability, and adherence to the NBA Constitution.
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I read the write-up of my very good friend and learned friend, the well respected former 1st VP of NBA, John Aikpokpo-Martin Esq published on the 18th of March 2026 on various platforms, in which my respected learned friend asked the question: What does “Egbe Amofin wants”. This question was asked perhaps as a concern and in respect of the pending litigation filed by Incorporated Trustees of Egbe Amofin before the High Court of Justice of Oyo State holden in Ibadan.
I will in this rejoinder not join issues on the pending litigation as it will be inappropriate to do so. Be that as it may, since NBA seems to be heading to a destination of self- distruct, I owe a duty to speak my mind and perhaps NBA and those who have the duties to do what is right can make a u-turn and do what is right in the interest of the Bar.
The problem of NBA is not Egbe Amofin. The problem of NBA is not Arewa Lawyers Forum or Mid-West Bar Forum or the South East Lawyers Forum or other Fora within the NBA.The problem of NBA today is lack of honesty, integrity and transparency in the running of the affairs of NBA and the glaring facts that some of those who have had the privilege to lead the Bar at one point or the other have decided to become demigods and they have planted themselves as good fathers of NBA without regards for others.
These sets of people have in their agenda that only them can decide for NBA and no other person or persons. They have made NBA as personal fiefdom and christened themselves as the overlords of the association. They threatening and coerced lawyers who want to run for NBA offices to worship them and must only follow their opinions. They have vowed to ensure that only the candidates they want from any particular zone of the country can emerge as president of NBA. It is godfatherism that is the problem of NBA. Those who are not ready to follow them slavishly and worship them will be branded as bad persons.
To this end they have, like typical Nigerian politicians, planted and lined up those they think and who they want to be presidents of NBA from each zone allowed by NBA constitution till only God knows when. Today these set of people have positioned themselves as the kingmakers. They are the emperors of the bar. We all know them. They want to pick from each zone the lawyer they want as President of NBA even when the leadership of that does not support the lawyer of their choices. Worst still they only support the lawyer they can control as president of NBA who will be doing their bidding.
The bane of NBA is not the fora. No it is not. The bane is that we have replaced truth with falsehood and then make it looks like the truth.There is no truth and honest dealing in NBA anymore. Those who have held the jugular of NBA have introduced indiscipline into the profession. They want respect but they have no respect for others. They now encourage some young lawyers to insult their elders and seniors in the name of exercise of their fundamental rights.
Even those who have no ideas of how to run NBA are being foisted on us by the tyranny of majority of the young elements at the bar. A day old lawyer can now insult a senior lawyer in the name of NBA politics and nothing happened. Today elders have kept alway from NBA because of insulting behaviors of those who should exercise sufficient maturity in leadership. The problem of NBA is not Egbe Amofin.
NBA problem is dishonesty and celebrations of falsehood as if it the truth. It is in brazen breach of NBA constitution and rules and rationalizing it as normal. It is in the refusal of leadership of NBA to admit when it is wrong and to correct itself. It is in the assumptions that whatever NBA leadership does must be correct even when it is manifestly wrong. So until truth and integrity is restored in NBA and the leadership of the profession admits its mistakes and ready to correct itself in line with NBA constitution and rules the problems in NBA will grow deeper and deeper. Today NBA politics has become more complex and complicated than the conventional Nigerian politics. We encourage those who breached NBA Constitution with a distinction without a difference and we want people to respect us. The dirty politics of Nigeria has eaten deep into the fabric of NBA. NBA is the problem of itself.
Today we have character difficit in many aspiring to lead the Bar and we not only keep quiet but we support such characters to assume offices in NBA. We have thrown the etiquette and ethics of the Bar overboard in NBA politics. Inducements and vote buying in NBA is celebrated as normal. So indecipline in NBA is the problem not Egbe Amofin or any other Fora. Until NBA returns to its core mandates and we all agree to promote those core mandate in truth and not in speeches, the problems of NBA will be growing in geometric proportions in the coming years.
Jibrin . S Okutepa SAN
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