NBA must refund Rivers State’s N300m immediately” – Adegboruwa
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to immediately refund the N300 million it received from the Rivers State Government for the hosting of the 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC), describing the donation as unjustifiable and unethical.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, Adegboruwa expressed shock and disappointment over the NBA’s acceptance of the sum, noting that lawyers in Nigeria already pay annual practicing fees and additional charges to attend the AGC, leaving no basis for soliciting funds from government institutions.
“The NBA should not be seen to be romancing with any government, especially when the country is grappling with economic hardship and rising human rights abuses,” Adegboruwa said. “He who pays the piper dictates the tune. Lawyers are the conscience of society and must be seen as independent.”
He argued that retaining the money undermines the moral standing of the association and urged the NBA to return the funds immediately.
“There should be no hiding under semantics or bureaucracy. The money should be paid into an escrow account with the Central Bank of Nigeria pending the restoration of democracy in Rivers State. NBA is not a bank,” he stated.
Adegboruwa also called on senior members of the legal profession, particularly Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), to intervene and resolve what he described as a “collective shame.”
“If the money has been spent, I urge all SANs and senior lawyers to contribute N1 million each to raise the amount and return it,” he suggested.
Looking ahead, the legal luminary cautioned the NBA to be more discerning in raising funds, emphasizing that Nigerian lawyers have the capacity and resources to independently fund all NBA programmes without resorting to government support.
