By: Fortune Oyem
A lecturer of law, at the University of Benin, Professor Bright Bazuaye says the recent Supreme court directive of striking out the use of the word ” Barrister” as Prefix on names of legal practitioners in court filling across Nigeria was a welcome development.
Professor Bazuaye who is also the Dean of faculty of Law, University of Benin, stated this an interview with Radio Nigeria in Benin City.
Professor Bazuaye explained that the directive of the supreme court was legitimate and long over due.
” For some time, people like to use the word Barrister as a prefix but if you look at the law, in Nigeria you are not just a Barrister, you are also a Solicitor so you don’t even need to use that as it has been rightly directed untill there’s a contrary direction to that effect”.
The Professor of Law further noted that the usage of the prefix Barrister has always being an abnormally.
“It has always been an abnormally for you to use the prefix Barrister just simply say Esquire, Mr , Mrs , that’s Ok, not to use the word Barrister. We know that it will not go down well with so many persons, but that’s the directive and that directive has to be complied with.”
The Supreme court had last week gave a directive mandating legal practitioners across Nigeria to stop putting ” Barrister” as a prefix before their names on any official documents, Records or correspondents.
