The National Association of Catholic Lawyers (NACL), Lagos Archdiocese, has called for urgent reform of the 1999 Constitution, warning that it entrenches weak institutions, fuels authoritarian rule, and undermines justice across the country.
The demand was made at a gathering of Catholic lawyers in Lagos, which combined their third yearly conference with the 2025 New Legal Year Mass, bringing together judges, senior advocates, and members of the bar for both intellectual reflection and spiritual renewal.
The conference, themed “Strong Institutions as Enablers of Democracy,” examined the crisis of governance in Nigeria and across Africa, while the Mass at the Holy Cross Cathedral served as a moment of prayer and recommitment to justice.
Delivering the keynote address, the Vice Chancellor of Augustine University, Reverend Father Anthony Akinwale, described the constitution as fundamentally flawed, arguing that it gives more power to government than to citizens.
He traced the problem beyond individual abuses, noting that the design of the 1999 Constitution sets Nigeria on an authoritarian footing. Akinwale said, “We have ended up with a hostile state because we have a hostile constitution. The problem was neither the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) nor the Nigeria Police.
“The problem was, and still is, the relationship between government and the citizens, and ultimately, the constitution itself.” He linked police brutality and the 2020 #EndSARS protests to deeper structural failures, insisting that constitutional reform is the foundation for lasting democratic stability. He further cautioned against the romanticisation of strongmen in African politics, recalling the autocratic legacies of Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah and Jerry Rawlings.
In his goodwill message, NACL National President, Edward Eneji Ogar, accused Nigeria’s political class of prioritising personal power over institution-building.
“Instead of building strong institutions, they have built strong men and women who destroy the very fabric of democracy. Having selfishly appropriated the commonwealth, they have sacrificed accountability, good governance, and the welfare of the people,” Ogar said.
The president of the Lagos chapter of NACL, Florence Atuluku, stressed that legal professionals have a duty to strengthen institutions that serve the public interest. She emphasised that democracy cannot thrive on elections alone; it requires functioning institutions that safeguard the rights and dignity of all citizens.
“When institutions – judicial, electoral, legislative and security operate with integrity and accountability, they lay the foundation for governance that serves the common good.
“Conversely, weak institutions breed injustice, exclusion, and impunity,” she said, urging lawyers to act “not only as professionals, but as citizens committed to building a Nigeria where institutions serve the people, not the powerful; where justice is neither delayed nor denied; and where democracy is not a distant aspiration, but a lived reality.”
Additionally, she pointed to the association’s commitment to pro bono legal service, describing it as both a moral duty and a strategic investment in strengthening democracy.
Speaking at The New Legal Year Mass, Chairman of the 2025 Conference and Mass Planning Committee, Ngozi Anyaegbunam, described the occasion as a time for lawyers to seek divine guidance for the weight of their responsibilities.
“It is a moment to pause, reflect and seek divine strength as we recommit ourselves to the pursuit of justice, equity and service to humanity,” she said.
Prof Fabian Ajogu (SAN) noted that while the challenges of commerce and population growth in Lagos remain daunting, lawyers must uphold ethics, leadership, and service to ease the burden of justice delivery. He urged colleagues to devote more time to pro bono work, particularly for inmates awaiting trial.
“There are a lot of people who are languishing in prison, awaiting trial. Some of them have spent longer than even the maximum jail terms. Together, we will be able to reduce the number of those who are languishing in jail,” he said.
Chairman of the NBA Lagos branch, Uchenna Akingbade, underscored the urgency of restoring respect for the rule of law in Nigeria, warning that disregard for court orders by governments and institutions was fast becoming normalised. She urged lawyers to resist this trend by drawing strength not only from their professional calling but also from their moral and spiritual values.
“We find that there’s a flagrant disregard for the rule of law these days, and it is becoming the norm. It’s not the right thing to do.
“Therefore, we must learn not only to live by the tenets of our profession, but also by the dictates of our religion and be courageous and upright in all that we do in this new legal year,” she said.
