The Curious Case of a Self-Acclaimed Barrister

In the theatre of Nigerian democracy, there are comedians who make us laugh, and there are tragedians who remind us of our sorrows. But once in a while, a character appears who is neither comic nor tragic, but downright scandalous. Enter: the self-acclaimed “Barrister” Bucknor — a certain Babatunde Akintade who, like an actor on a Greek stage, has been parading himself with the toga of nobility he never earned.

During the course of our investigation, we, armed with the diligence of the Athenian scribes and the curiosity of Socrates, approached the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) registry. Lo and behold, not a trace of “Barrister Babatunde Akintade Bokno.” Not as “Mr.,” not as “Barrister,” not even as a shadow on the sacred roll of advocates. What then is this, if not a carefully woven lie, dressed in borrowed robes?

Let us be clear: Nigeria is not a lawless jungle. The Legal Practitioners Act, Cap L11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, states unambiguously in Section 22(1): “If any person who is not a legal practitioner practices, or holds himself out to practice, or wilfully pretends to be a legal practitioner, he is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment.” In simple terms: to claim “Barrister” without call-to-bar is not comedy, it is criminality.

This is no longer about the petty squabbles of land or the reckless swagger of self-glorification. It is about the sanctity of the legal profession and the faith of the Nigerian people in our institutions. For every fake lawyer allowed to roam freely, the true ones — trained through sweat, books, and bar exams — are mocked, and justice itself is diminished.

At this juncture, I call upon the NBA FCT branch, the Barr. Afam-led national NBA, and every custodian of legal dignity in this country to rise, not with silence but with sanctions. This is not a matter for polite warning. It is a matter for the police, the courts, and the Constitution.

The 1999 Constitution (as amended), in Section 36(12), makes it clear: no one shall be punished for a criminal offence unless that offence is defined and its penalty prescribed by law. Here, the law has spoken — false representation as a barrister is an offence. The penalty is imprisonment. The road is clear.

And so, let no one say tomorrow that this was a harmless play. Parading as a barrister without legal destiny or lawful backing is not just fraudulent — it is treason against justice. And justice, as Aristotle reminds us, is giving each man his due.

Therefore, give this man his due: not a wig, not a gown, but the bars — behind bars.