Nigerian Lawyer Criticises Ex-President Weah’s NBA Participation

Renowned Nigerian Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has criticised the Apex body of Nigerian lawyers, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), for inviting the former President of Liberia to the 2026 NBA Conference.

Mr. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), reacting to George Weah’s participation, which MRA has reported earlier, said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m delighted to be here. But let me say this, because you know I have to be frank with the audience. And this goes for the leadership of the Bar. I want to appeal that the Bar Association must stop – stop inviting dictators in Africa to come and address us,” he said.

“Mr. Weah, who was here yesterday and was talking about the judiciary: in his country, his regime captured the judiciary to the extent that they had to contact some of us outside the country to get legal redress in the ECOWAS Court,” he said.

Falana made reference to the case of the Mandingo people against Liberia, involving people whose landed properties were allegedly seized during the war.

“The ECOWAS Court gave them judgment. George Weah refused to comply with the judgment. The new government of Boakai has just set up a committee for the enforcement of that judgment,” he said.

Mr. Falana also cited the case of an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia who, he alleged, was dismissed without basis.

“Again, we went to the ECOWAS Court. The ECOWAS Court set aside his dismissal and awarded him $200,000. He was ordered to be reinstated. Mr. George Weah refused to comply with the judgment,” Falana said.

“Now, that is the man coming here to talk to us about the rule of law and democracy,” Falana said.

Source: MRA