The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has issued a strong warning to activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore, stating that courtrooms must not be misused as venues for publicity or theatrical displays.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the NBA condemned what it described as Sowore’s disruptive conduct during a sitting at the Federal High Court in Abuja, emphasising that while courtrooms in a constitutional democracy are open to the public as sanctuaries for the orderly administration of justice, they are not stages for performance.
The NBA’s position was articulated by its president, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, in response to an incident involving Sowore and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, earlier in the day.
According to the NBA, Sowore entered the courtroom accompanied by several individuals carrying camera phones and recording equipment. The association noted that he proceeded to set up what appeared to be preparations for a press conference within the courtroom itself.
“Members of his team attended to him, fanning his face and tidying his appearance in a manner akin to a broadcast setting,” the statement read. “He subsequently moved into the inner bar, sat on one of the tables, and, as cameras were directed at him, began addressing what he described as ‘a range of national issues.’”
The NBA further noted that Sowore’s case was not listed for hearing, and he was not accompanied by any legal practitioner during the event.
The development, the association said, led to tension within the courtroom and a confrontation with Adetunbi, SAN, who objected to the conduct and insisted on maintaining courtroom decorum.
In its statement, the NBA stressed that courtrooms are solemn spaces dedicated to the administration of justice, warning that any conduct which undermines the dignity of the court, intimidates legal practitioners, or disrupts proceedings constitutes a grave affront to the rule of law.
“The use of a courtroom as a venue for publicity, advocacy theatrics, or confrontation is unacceptable and inconsistent with the discipline required in judicial proceedings,” the NBA declared.
While acknowledging that every Nigerian, including Sowore, is entitled to attend and observe court proceedings, the association maintained that such a right must be exercised responsibly and with due regard for courtroom decorum.
“Public access to the courts does not extend to converting the courtroom into a platform for press briefings or actions capable of undermining the dignity and authority of the court, whether or not the court is in session,” the NBA added.
The association condemned Sowore’s disruption of the courtroom environment and expressed solidarity with Adetunbi, SAN, and all lawyers who insisted on maintaining order.
The NBA also called on court authorities to ensure that courtrooms remain protected spaces for the orderly administration of justice, free from acts capable of intimidating legal practitioners in the discharge of their professional duties.
“The NBA will continue to defend the dignity of the legal profession and the sanctity of judicial proceedings. The courtroom must remain a place of order, respect, disciplined advocacy, and responsible public access, not spectacle, confrontation, or disorder,” the statement concluded.
The association noted that while the openness of courtrooms promotes transparency and public confidence, it also imposes a duty of restraint on all who enter, adding that access to the courtroom is a right exercised within the boundaries of decorum, discipline, and respect for judicial authority.
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