I have been silent on the El-Rufai brouhaha because emotions have been elevated above reason. For the sake of history, I will state my position. Those who contemplated El-Rufai as a speaker should apologize to Nigerian lawyers. The NBA has a serious problem: a problem of purpose.

NBA's motto is defending the rule of law. Nobody has disputed the documented cases of disregard to court orders by governor El-Rufai. Among the victims of his tyranny are members of the NBA. El-Rufai is not a member of the NBA. He should not have been invited in the first place.

Regarding the unabated killings in Southern Kaduna, El-Rufai has not only mismanaged the crisis but has shown open bias. It is unfortunate that some lawyers shamelessly turned the decision to disinvite him into a religious conflict. But the NBA brought this shame on itself.

Over the years, the NBA has abandoned it's core mandate and pandered to the cravings of the corrupt political establishment in Nigeria. Every year, the NBA offers her conference platform to corrupt and despotic governors and other politically exposed persons for pecuniary gains.

I cannot explain why the President of Nigeria has to give opening speech at every Annual General Conference of the NBA. It is sickening. The NBA is neither a political association nor a government agency. Mr Buhari has not hidden his disdain for human rights and the rule of law.

Yet, the NBA continues to offer Buhari her platform. At the 2018 conference in Lagos, Buhari declared to Nigerian lawyers that "national security" was superior to the rule of law. Yet, the NBA invited him to subsequent conferences. Is that not ridiculous? Is that not outrageous?

As a body, the NBA has lost it's soul and conscience. Like most entities in Nigeria, the NBA has been terribly polluted by the decadent political climate in the country. There is a wide disconnect between the pro-establishment leadership of the NBA and most of her members.

I find it offensive that Abubakar Malami SAN, who has failed to defend the rule of law, is a speaker at this year's conference, like in the previous ones. Also, people like Obasanjo and Wike have no business speaking at the Bar conference. They've no respect for the rule of law.

Progressive lawyers must find ways to rescue their association from the strangulation of their elitist colleagues who are more interested in serving the interest of their friends in government. It is good that El-Rufai was disinvited. I hope it will serve as precedent in future.

If lawyers cannot boldly stand up in defence of the rule of law and human rights, we are truly doomed as a country. Nigerian lawyers must rise above religious and ethnic sentiments. We cannot afford to divide our profession along those lines the way Buhari has divided Nigeria.

If lawyers cannot afford the cost of holding their annual conference, it will be better for us to stop the yearly conference than to depend on those who are stealing public funds for support. Among professionals, lawyers should represent the highest moral and ethical values.

When was the last time that the NBA took the Nigerian government to court in the public interest? Why is the NBA seen as a toothless bull dog? Why are lawyers not getting the respect due to them from the police? These are some of the questions we must answer with honesty.

The eyes of the nation are watching. If we do not change, Nigerians will lose whatever is left of the respect that they have for us. Lawyers should engage in self-censorship. Will change take place under the incoming NBA leadership or will the status quo remain?

Time will tell.