Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Ibrahim Gamdeh Adamu has acknowledged that some of VeryDarkMan’s criticism of Nigeria’s legal profession contains truth, despite admitting that the remarks hurt him.
Adamu, spokesperson for the 68 newly conferred SANs, made the remarks while addressing the Supreme Court, where he raised concerns about the growing number of lawyers and the standard of legal practice in the country.
He questioned the decision to invite VeryDarkMan, whose real name is Martins Vincent Otse, to speak at the Nigerian Bar Association’s 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, describing him as someone who “barely had a secondary school certificate.”
The activist had faced criticism over his invitation to the conference, where he spoke about insecurity before criticising the legal profession. He described law as one of Nigeria’s poorest professions and questioned how many lawyers were employed or actively practising.
Reacting to those comments, Adamu said, “These remarks hurt me as a member of the legal profession, but there is some truth in what he has said, which calls for introspection. We should therefore all look inwards.”
He also called for stricter accreditation of university law faculties, an entrance examination for the Nigerian Law School and mandatory internships for newly admitted lawyers.
His remarks have sparked debate on X, with some users questioning the state of the judiciary and others defending VDM’s right to speak at the conference.
Social Media Reactions
@Nigerialawyers: He said the guest was later reported to have responded to those who criticised his invitation by calling them a “bunch of clowns”, and to have asked whether law is a noble profession before answering his own question.
@activistmanny: Well it’s an indictment on the judiciary. The last hope of the common man has become hopeless in itself. Justice for sale and the decriminalisation of forged certificates has become the norm!
@vendredifridey: But our former president with NEPA certificate ruled Nigeria n.
@NUEL2018: Yes but he has more influence than you
@aduwolufemi: With due respect to Mr Adamu SAN, his argument betrays a fundamental confusion between professional qualification and intellectual legitimacy. The NBA Conference is not a court of law nor should it be the exclusive preserve of legal practitioners. It is a forum for exchanging…
@Nwaonyenze: Blame yourselves. The freemasons will not neither will the Knights do.
