Tyranny Won’t Survive In Nigeria With Good Lawyers Around – Justice Tanko Muhammad

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad has come out to say that Nigeria needs more cerebral legal practitioners.

He recently revealed that this is key if we want to resist tyranny and expand what he described as frontiers of jurisprudence in the country.

According to him, with more good lawyers in the country, the main issues of the rule of law and basic human rights would be promoted and defended at all levels of society.

He added that tyranny cannot survive in Nigeria with good lawyers around, therefore they cannot be eliminated.

His word, “As judges, when you read some briefs, you are like ‘Oh, my God!’ because you are aware of the kind of research that was involved in ensuring that justice is done, considering the facts and all the available laws.

“So, when briefs are written with a view to espousing the law and are ingeniously written that you step back mentally and say ‘Wow, this is good. This person has thought things through,’ that is the kind of briefs that usually emanates from the chambers of Yusuf Ali, SAN. But that is not to say I always agree (with his assertions). But I always admire the level of work he puts into his briefs.

“When good briefs are read and judgments are written, they espouse the law and expand the frontiers of jurisprudence in a matter. It is a thing of inspiration to the legal profession in Nigeria.

“For tyranny to succeed, you must first eliminate good lawyers.”