A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chris Ehumadu Okeke, has charged young lawyers interested in becoming senior advocates to be consistent and diligent.

Okeke also urged them to use the law as a tool to transform Nigeria and bring about social advancement.

He gave the charge during the celebration of the conferment of SAN on him in Lagos.

The senior lawyer said: “They (young lawyers) need that knowledge. They need to be consistent with it. More importantly, the law should not be seen as an end in itself, but as a means to an end. The end being the welfare of a progressive society.”

Expressing delight at attaining the peak of his career, Okeke, who was a former Guardian Law Report Editor, said: “I have done so much as a lawyer. I have done so much building, developing, engineering and re-engineering, and it is only proper that we get it consolidated at this point not minding the rigours I passed through.

“I am glad that I emerged from that rigorous process, and then today I am celebrating it.”

A maritime lawyer, Osuala Emmanuel Nwagbara, described Okeke as a trailblazer in many fields, adding that his knowledge and influence as a SAN would have a great impact on the legal profession.

“He deserves the title and the privilege of a SAN. We believe that if more people like him are made SANs, Nigerian legal firmament will be better for it in terms of erudition, value addition, knowledge sharing, and impact on society,” Nwagbara declared.