NLS urges Nigerians to renew commitment to Rule of Law as Nigeria marks 66th Independence

The Nigerian Law Society (NLS) has called on Nigerians to renew their commitment to the rule of law, constitutional governance and the values upon which the country was founded as Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary.

The Acting President of the NLS, Abdulqadir Alhaji Sani, made the call in an Independence Day message issued on behalf of the society to mark the anniversary of Nigeria's independence on October 1, 1960.

Sani said independence was not merely a transfer of political authority but a solemn commitment that Nigeria would be governed by law rather than the whims of individuals, while power would be exercised as a trust and all citizens would enjoy equality before the law.

According to him, 66 years after independence, the founding ideals remain relevant despite the numerous challenges confronting the country.

He identified insecurity, economic hardship, displacement, loss of livelihoods and fragile public confidence in institutions among the challenges currently facing Nigerians.

The NLS Acting President also expressed concern over what he described as the continuing temptation to circumvent constitutional processes, stressing that such challenges were not abstract issues but realities affecting millions of Nigerians.

He, however, said the country's difficulties should not be regarded as a verdict on its future but as a call to greater responsibility by citizens and leaders.

“Nations are not built in moments of comfort; they are built in seasons of testing, by men and women who choose duty over convenience and principle over profit,” he said.

Sani urged lawyers to uphold their responsibility as custodians of the law and conscience of society by defending the independence of the judiciary and resisting attempts to weaponise the law against citizens.

He further called on members of the legal profession to insist on respect for constitutional limits and obedience to court orders, particularly during periods of national difficulty.

The NLS also urged lawyers to uphold the highest standards of integrity, noting that a profession which demands accountability from others must first demonstrate accountability within its own ranks.

Addressing young lawyers and law students, Sani urged them not to be discouraged by the challenges and shortcomings they observe in the country.

He said Nigeria needed their “brilliance, courage and integrity,” urging them to become a generation committed to confronting injustice rather than looking away.

The NLS reaffirmed its commitment to promoting a pluralistic, vibrant and ethical legal profession.

FULL RELEASE

1st October 2026


NIGERIA AT 66: A CALL TO RENEW OUR COMMITMENT TO THE RULE OF LAW

Independence Day Message from the Nigerian Law Society


Today, as our nation marks sixty-six years of independence, the Nigerian Law Society (NLS) joins millions of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora in celebrating the enduring spirit of our people and the promise of the Republic founded on the 1st of October, 1960.

Independence was not merely the transfer of political authority. It was a solemn covenant—a promise that Nigeria would be governed by law and not by the whims of men; that power would be exercised in trust and not seized as entitlement; and that every citizen, regardless of tribe, faith, or station, would stand equal before the law.

Sixty-six years on, that covenant remains our guiding light, even as our nation continues to confront profound challenges. Insecurity has taken root in too many communities, displacing millions of our people and robbing families of their livelihoods and their loved ones. Economic hardship has strained households and deepened despair, particularly among our teeming youth. Trust in institutions remains fragile, and the temptation to seek shortcuts around constitutional processes has not disappeared. These are not abstract concerns. They are the lived reality of millions of Nigerians.

Yet the Nigerian Law Society believes that our nation's difficulties are not a verdict on our future. They are a summons to responsibility. Nations are not built in moments of comfort; they are built in seasons of testing, by men and women who choose duty over convenience and principle over profit.

As lawyers, custodians of the law, and conscience of society—we bear a distinct obligation. We must defend the independence of the judiciary, resist every attempt to weaponise the law against the citizen, and insist that even in moments of national stress, constitutional limits are respected and court orders are obeyed. We must also hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity, for a profession that demands accountability of others must first be accountable itself.

To our members across the length and breadth of Nigeria, we urge you to remain steadfast in the service of justice. To our young lawyers and law students, we say this: your country needs your brilliance, your courage, and your integrity. Do not be discouraged by the failures you see around you. Be the generation that refuses to look away.

The Nigerian Law Society reaffirms its commitment to a pluralistic, vibrant, and ethical legal profession, and to a Nigeria where the rule of law is not merely recited in courtrooms but felt in the daily lives of ordinary citizens.

May our nation, in this sixty-sixth year, rediscover the courage of its founding vision and the unity of its finest ideals.

Happy Independence Day, Nigeria.

Signed
Abdulqadir Alhaji Sani
Acting President,
Nigerian Law Society(NLS)
aasanilawfirm2@gmail.com