Human rights lawyer and social commentator, Chief Abdullai Tony Dania, has called for the decentralization of Call-to-Bar ceremonies in Nigeria, urging the Body of Benchers and other stakeholders in the legal profession to establish regional centres across the country.
Dania argued that the long-standing practice of conducting all Call-to-Bar ceremonies in Abuja should be reviewed in light of current realities, particularly the security challenges on major highways leading to the Federal Capital Territory and the financial burden imposed on families of aspiring lawyers.
According to him, advances in technology and the increasing digitization of judicial processes have made it unnecessary for all new law graduates to converge at a single location before being admitted into the legal profession.
He noted that many courts across the country have already embraced electronic filing systems, online applications, case management platforms, and digital documentation, demonstrating the judiciary’s ability to adapt to modern methods of service delivery.
“The legal profession should take advantage of these technological developments. Prospective lawyers can complete their registration and documentation online, while the formal Call-to-Bar ceremony can be conducted within the states where they reside or at the Court of Appeal division nearest to them,” Dania said.
The legal practitioner proposed that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) should consider empowering Chief Judges of states to conduct the formal Call-to-Bar ceremonies for law graduates residing within their jurisdictions. Alternatively, he suggested that designated Court of Appeal divisions across the six geopolitical zones could serve as regional centres for the exercise.
He maintained that such a reform would significantly reduce the financial burden on graduates and their families, many of whom spend substantial amounts on transportation, accommodation, and other logistics associated with travelling to Abuja for the ceremony.
Dania stressed that decentralizing the process would not undermine the prestige, integrity, or sanctity of the Call-to-Bar ceremony. Rather, he said it would make the process more accessible, inclusive, and cost-effective while maintaining uniform standards nationwide.
He further argued that conducting the ceremonies simultaneously across states or designated regional centres would reflect Nigeria’s federal character and promote greater participation without compromising professional standards.
The human rights advocate therefore urged the Body of Benchers, the Council of Legal Education, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to initiate discussions on reforms that align with contemporary realities and leverage technology to improve efficiency within the legal profession.
His proposal adds to growing conversations on the modernization of legal education and professional admission processes in Nigeria, as stakeholders continue to advocate reforms aimed at reducing costs, improving accessibility, and enhancing service delivery across the justice sector.
