PORT HARCOURT – Mr Augustine Ojekudo, former Vice Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt branch, on Monday said that the mandatory stamp and seal policy for the Nigerian lawyer was a welcome development.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that it was a welcome development that would check quackery in the legal profession.
NBA had recently launched and approved a mandatory stamp and seal policy for lawyers in both private and corporate practice in the nation.
NAN reports that the policy renders any legal document without the approved stamp and seal illegal and null and void.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
He, however, argued that only the very important legal documents should bear the seal.
The former Chairman, NBA Human Right Committee, said the 120 seals cost N4, 000 per year.
“There are so many persons that are posing as qualified lawyers, when they are actually not qualified.
“They may have gone through the university law faculties but they might not have passed their examination to be called to Nigerian Bar.
“The examination is prescribed by the Council of Legal Education, the supervising authority of the law School.
“Because they have some basic knowledge of the law, they begin to done their wigs and gowns while the unsuspecting public will fall prey to their practice that is unauthorised.
“So, to that extent, the stamp and seal policy is a very welcome development,’’ Ojekudo said.
He, however, said a lot more needed to be done on the policy, and noted that there was no need for the dichotomy between private lawyers and lawyers in corporate practice in terms of colours of the seal.
Ojekudo said every lawyer that has been called to the Bar should have a uniform seals; there should be a harmonisation of the colour.
He added that the seals were not enough for some lawyers that had a lot of clients and said it should be increased.
According to him, the seals are yet to be delivered to lawyers that have paid while the year was fast running out. (NAN)
you may also like:
