Fani-Kayode rejects senior counsel of Nigeria title

Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, has rejected the designation of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN), popularly often called Blue Silk, reportedly conferred on him by the Nigerian Law Society (NLS).

Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation and practising lawyer, stated he neither authorised nor authorised the acceptance of the designation, formally distancing himself from the conferment.

In a press release issued on Friday by his Special Assistant on Media, Lizzy Okoji, the previous minister defined that he despatched a consultant to the NLS occasion to take care of official engagements following an invite from the society.

He described the consultant’s acceptance of the title as an unlucky administrative misjudgement, insisting that the motion didn’t signify his private endorsement or skilled convictions.

“I did not personally authorise or approve the acceptance of the said designation and hereby formally disassociate myself from the purported conferment,” the assertion stated.

Questions authorized standing of Blue Silk

Fani-Kayode additionally questioned the authorized {and professional} implications of the designation, arguing that the conferment raised issues concerning the statutory framework regulating authorized follow in Nigeria.

He maintained that, having spent 41 years within the authorized career, he wouldn’t take any motion able to undermining its integrity or bringing the career into disrepute.

According to him, the purported conferment have to be thought of in opposition to present authorized provisions and judicial pronouncements governing the award {of professional} ranks to attorneys within the nation.

“It is particularly pertinent to note that the purported conferment raises serious questions regarding its legal and professional implications, particularly in view of the statutory framework regulating the legal profession in Nigeria and relevant judicial pronouncements concerning the conferment of professional ranks outside the established legal framework,” he said.

He consequently urged members of the general public to ignore any illustration suggesting that he had accepted or endorsed the designation.

The former aviation minister additionally reaffirmed his dedication to the rule of legislation, skilled ethics and the dignity of the authorized career.

Seyi Tinubu, 4 others reportedly honoured

The NLS reportedly conferred the Blue Silk designation on Fani-Kayode and 4 different people at its 2026 Annual General Conference held on Thursday in Utako, Abuja.

Other reported recipients had been Seyi Tinubu, Olufunmilayo Osifuye, Ihudiebube Chukwumdi and Alabi Adigun.

The improvement has renewed controversy surrounding the Nigerian Law Society’s introduction of the Senior Counsel of Nigeria designation as a substitute skilled recognition for authorized practitioners.

The society has attracted consideration lately over its actions and perceived rivalry with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), notably following its introduction of the Blue Silk title in 2025.

NBA, LPPC oppose different rank

The controversy surrounding Blue Silk dates again to November 2025, when the Nigerian Bar Association raised issues over the actions of lawyer Tonye Jaja, who was selling the creation of the designation as a privileged rank for authorized practitioners.

The NBA maintained that the initiative was inconsistent with the regulatory framework governing the authorized career and will misrepresent established institutional buildings.

On February 12, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), the statutory physique liable for conferring the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), warned attorneys in opposition to utilizing the Blue Silk designation.

The committee pressured that the title was not recognised underneath the prevailing authorized framework regulating the Nigerian authorized career.

The controversy continued in May when the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a go well with looking for the introduction of Blue Silk as a substitute skilled rank to Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

The newest improvement involving Fani-Kayode has additional introduced consideration to the dispute over the legitimacy of the designation and the authority to confer skilled ranks on attorneys in Nigeria.