Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to rise to its constitutional duty of defending the judiciary from undue political influence, especially in highly sensitive political cases.

The governor made this call during the 2025 Law Week Lecture organized by the NBA Osogbo branch on Thursday in Osogbo, the state capital.

Represented by the State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, Governor Adeleke referenced recent political pressures on the judiciary, including a case involving Justice Isiaka Adeleke of the Osun State High Court in Ikirun, who recused himself from a political matter due to external pressure.

“Our Judges Cannot Speak, NBA Must Defend Them” — Adeleke

Governor Adeleke decried the attacks faced by judges over pending political cases, including the ongoing imbroglio in Osun’s local government administration.

“Some politicians, even before the cases were heard, held press conferences and started dismantling our judges. Our judges cannot defend themselves publicly. That is where the NBA must step in,” he stated.

He called on the NBA to publicly support the judiciary and issue legal reviews of court judgments that impact governance, especially on matters such as local government allocations.

True Federalism or Constitutional Myth?

The keynote speaker at the event, Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, delivered a powerful address titled:

• “State and Local Governments’ Independence under the Nigerian Constitution: A Myth or Reality?”
• He argued that Nigeria’s federalism remains largely ceremonial, hindered by:
• Fiscal centralization
• Unitary policing structure
• Judicial over-centralization
• Akinboro emphasized that for Nigeria to thrive as a true federation, there must be:
• ✅ Constitutional reforms
  ✅ Fiscal autonomy for states and LGAs
  ✅ Decentralization of security and judiciary
  ✅ Empowerment of sub-national governments

“Until such structural reforms are actualized, genuine democratic governance at the sub-national level will remain elusive,” he warned.

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NBA’s Role in Shaping the Nation

In his welcome remarks, Osogbo NBA Chairman, Olayemi Abiona, urged legal professionals to reflect deeply on their civic responsibilities in shaping an equitable and democratic Nigeria.

“Let this lecture be a call to action. Let us deliberate with open minds and translate our insights into reforms that matter,” Abiona said.

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