NBA’s 300 MILLION NAIRA CONTROVERSY: ETHICS AND ACCOUNTABILITY
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— By Eculaw Media.
Have you noticed the Nigerian Bar Association’s fierce resistance to returning the 300 million naira received from Rivers State Government? This revealing situation exposes troubling practices within Nigeria’s premier legal association.
Here’s what transpired: Rivers State paid 300 million naira to NBA leadership for selecting Port Harcourt as the 2025 Annual Bar Conference venue. Following the declaration of a State of Emergency and appointment of a sole administrator—actions condemned by Eculaw Media—the NBA protested by relocating the conference to Enugu State, which will likely provide similar financial incentives.
This arrangement mirrors the Olympics host selection process, except the International Olympic Committee operates with significantly greater transparency. The NBA has effectively commercialized its conference venue selection, auctioning it to the highest-bidding politicians—a practice that has persisted for years. What makes this year exceptional is the unprecedented double-dipping: collecting payments from two different states for a single conference. Their monetization extends further, even selling speaking slots at NBA events.
The NBA’s ostensible mission—promoting member welfare, particularly for young lawyers—has been abandoned. Leadership’s primary focus has shifted to cultivating political connections and personal enrichment rather than addressing the profession’s challenges.
Nigerian lawyers face extraordinary hardships compared to their global counterparts. They experience higher rates of arbitrary arrest, struggle to secure credit without significant collateral, and young practitioners find vehicle ownership nearly impossible—a stark contrast to other African countries where new lawyers can typically afford cars within their first year of practice.
The 300 million naira scandal’s most alarming aspect is the NBA’s refusal to return funds tied to a contractual obligation they’ve unilaterally abandoned. This money was invariably tied to hosting the conference in Port Harcourt. By rejecting Rivers State as the venue while keeping their payment, the NBA commits a profound ethical breach that undermines the integrity of an organization meant to uphold justice and contractual fidelity.
This financial maneuver doesn’t just represent questionable accounting—it signals a leadership crisis within Nigeria’s legal community. When the very institution responsible for advocating ethical conduct and rule of law demonstrates such flagrant disregard for basic principles of fairness, it erodes public confidence in the entire justice system. The refusal to refund undermines the NBA’s credibility as a moral authority and weakens its position when addressing corruption in other sectors.
The NBA must immediately return the 300 million naira. This is not merely about money—it’s about restoring integrity to the legal profession in Nigeria.
