DRESSING, ADDRESSING, AND REDRESSING NIGERIA’S LAWYERS AND JUDGES

Chidi Anselm Odinkalu argues that the Chief Justice of Nigeria's directive is insufficient. He notes that the distinction between solicitors and barristers has been recognized since the late 16th century, with barristers handling trials and solicitors working to protect clients from legal proceedings. In England, barristers are known as "trial lawyers."

On 20 June 2011, Willy Mutunga became the first Chief Justice of Kenya under the 2010 Constitution. Prior to his role, he was a law professor, a political detainee, and a former Ford Foundation representative in East Africa. Mutunga's diverse background helped him address the need for reform in post-colonial Kenyan institutions.

Chief Justice Mutunga aimed to transform Kenya's legal system, launching a four-year Judiciary Transformation Framework on 31 May 2012. The framework highlighted the outdated nature of the system, which was characterized by dominance, power, and remoteness, rather than service and equality. The document criticized the legal system's "dress and address," as well as its rituals, for making it appear "alien and insensitive" to the public.

One significant issue was the attire and manner of addressing legal and judicial professionals. Aspiring lawyers and judges were influenced by the dressing and addressing styles of their predecessors. The circular dress code and address protocols were seen as theatrical, aiming to impress on the public, provide anonymity, and protect professionals from retaliation.

In the end, Kenya's judges voted to abandon wigs, as they were viewed as "torturous," "colonial relics," "cumbersome," and "antique." They also decided to redesign the judicial robe and replace "My Lord" with "Your Honor," which translates to "Mheshimiwa" in Kiswahili.

Surprisingly, despite these changes, Kenya's legal system has not collapsed. Instead, it has made progress. Similar changes have occurred in other countries, such as Punjab and Haryana in India, where the bar dispensed with addressing judges as "My Lord" or "Your Lordship." In India, the Chief Justice of the High Court of Orissa, Srinivasan Muralidhar, also issued a notice in 2022 urging advocates and court users to avoid addressing judges with titles like "My Lord," "Your Lordship," "Your Honor," or "Hon'ble."

The CJN in Nigeria, in July 2026, directed the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court to issue a circular prohibiting the use of the title "Barrister" as a prefix to names, claiming it was inappropriate and inconsistent with professionalism standards.