It was more than an honour—it was a solemn moment of reckoning and renewal—as I joined esteemed colleagues at the 2025 Nigerian Bar Association Ikeja Law Week and had the privilege of speaking during the Alao Aka-Bashorun Memorial Lecture.
The theme, “The Fall in the Standard of the Legal Profession: Who Do We Blame?” was a bold question—one that pierced through formality and demanded introspection. It wasn’t just a title for dialogue; it was a mirror confronting each of us with the truth we often avoid.
We gathered not merely to talk, but to confront the uncomfortable, to admit the cracks, and to begin—however gradually—the work of unlearning, rebuilding, and reaffirming the values that define our noble profession.
Yet, in the midst of critique, there was light. Light in the sincerity of voices raised. Light in the willingness to own our shared responsibility. Light in the hope that, together, we can raise the bar again.
I am grateful for the platform, for the minds engaged, and for the enduring spirit of justice and truth that binds us all.
Prof. Foluke Dada-Lawanson
Chair, Lawyers in Academia Forum
Past 2nd Vice President, NBA (2018–2020)
