The Nigerian Law Society (NLS) and the Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (BOSCON) have publicly maintained their authority to grant the Blue Silks designation to legal practitioners. This assertion comes amid ongoing friction regarding the rank, which was initially introduced by the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners as a non-litigation alternative to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title.
Previously, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and its Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee condemned the Blue Silks rank, labeling it illegal and threatening disciplinary action against participating lawyers. A Federal High Court in Abuja initially sided with the NBA, issuing an injunction against the conferment of the title. However, with the matter currently under appeal, the NLS and BOSCON have stepped in to take over the process.
In a formal statement signed by NLS President Dahiru Aliyu, the organizations drew a parallel between their situation and the recent stance taken by NBA President Afam Osigwe. Mr. Osigwe had argued that the NBA possesses the autonomy to manage its internal elections without influence from the Attorney-General of the Federation. The NLS and BOSCON contend that they hold similar internal sovereignty regarding the Blue Silks title.
The organizations emphasize that the designation, known as Senior Counsel of Nigeria, is an internal matter for their members. They state that the rank is not addressed in the Legal Practitioners Act of 1962 and that participation is entirely voluntary. Furthermore, they cite a January 2026 court ruling as justification for their position, insisting that no outside entities, including the NBA or the LPPC, hold the authority to interfere in their administrative affairs.
