Professor Yusuf Olaolu Ali (SAN) has called on lawyers to strictly adhere to the rule of law, urging them to evaluate new ideas on merit and ethics rather than impulse.

He admonished lawyers to combine professional excellence with principled conduct rooted in the teaching of Prophet Mohammed (Sunnah).

Ali, who chaired the reception and lecture of the Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN), Lagos branch, New Legal Year 2025, called on colleagues to combine professional excellence with principled conduct rooted in the Sunnah.

Ali reminded members that while lawyers must rely on skill and effort, they should not expect supernatural intervention to substitute for diligence.

“There is no replacement for hard work,” stressing that faith and learning should guide practice but not replace the discipline of good “lawyering.”

Ali also urged lawyers to handle matters with speed and care, warning against creating avoidable problems through negligence or pride.

“Do a client’s case as efficiently as you can and give them closure.”

He listed the business-like habits such as punctuality, clear files, and transparent.

Billing as simple steps that reduce friction and prevent self-inflicted disputes.

Also, the Chief Imam of Lagos Assembly, Dr Abdulahakeem Abdulateef, urged Nigerians, particularly legal practitioners, to embrace righteousness, gratitude, and justice as a spiritual foundation for addressing the country’s persistent challenges.

He prayed for a successful year, commending the association for providing a platform to reflect on spirituality and national renewal.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Spirituality as a Life Jacket for Lawyers and Judges,’ he lamented that Nigeria’s many problems – corruption, maladministration, insecurity, and miscarriage of justice – were not divine punishments but man-made consequences of human conduct.