Corruption among lawyers, judges holds nation captive – Pastor Tunde Bakare
•Pastor Bakare
The Serving Overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has urged urgent personal and structural reforms within Nigeria’s justice system, warning that entrenched corruption among legal practitioners and judges continues to hold the nation captive.
The cleric, who is also a legal practitioner, described the justice sector as deeply compromised, stressing that without deliberate integrity-driven changes by those who operate within it, Nigeria risks remaining trapped in systemic decay, reports Daily Independent.
Bakare made the call while delivering the keynote address at the 22nd Chief Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja branch.
The lecture was themed, ‘Integrity Deficiency in the Justice Sector: Whither the Legal Profession.’
He decried what he described as the growing perception of the judicial bench as a “means of livelihood,” pointing to political intrusion in judicial appointments and contradictory court judgments as major symptoms of a failing system.
According to him, the legal profession must return to the principles of ethical lawyering, rooted in contentment, diligence, patience, and a clear understanding of the sacred responsibility lawyers and judges bear as custodians of justice.
Bakare argued that genuine reform must start from the foundation, beginning with the moral formation of law students.
He called for stronger emphasis on ethics at universities and the Nigerian Law School, insisting that character development should go hand in hand with legal training.
He also proposed the deliberate promotion of ethical role models within the profession, suggesting that the stories and conduct of upright legal practitioners be used as teaching tools to reinforce moral values.
On institutional accountability, the cleric recommended closer collaboration between the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), the NBA, and the National Judicial Council to conduct regular, evidence-based assessments aimed at identifying corruption and inefficiency in the justice system.
Bakare further advocated full financial autonomy for the judiciary through direct funding from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, noting that adequate remuneration, housing, and operational support would reduce judges’ dependence on political actors, in line with constitutional provisions.
He urged legal professionals to draw inspiration from revered figures such as Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Justice Kayode Eso, and Justice Chukwudife Oputa, whose principled activism, he said, helped safeguard judicial independence.
Bakare further noted that even an imperfect constitution can function effectively when administered by upright judges, describing the judiciary as the final refuge for the oppressed.
