Ahiakwo: Social Media Lawyers Threaten Justice

Public commentator and legal practitioner, Justice Osai Ahiakwo, has cautioned that the growing misuse of social media by lawyers poses a serious threat to professional ethics and public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system.

In an interview, Ahiakwo said the digital revolution has produced a new wave of “online lawyers” whose activities often blur the line between legal education and partisan advocacy. While acknowledging that social media has helped to enlighten the public, he warned that it has also become a platform for self-promotion and political manipulation.

According to him, many lawyers—particularly those with political ambitions—now exploit social platforms to influence public opinion on judicial matters, a practice that violates the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) and undermines the dignity of the legal profession.

“Before social media, publicity among lawyers was largely limited and controlled. Now, lawyers dominate X, Facebook, and YouTube, discussing court rulings and political disputes more for popularity than professionalism,” he observed.

Ahiakwo described this development as both “innovative and dangerous,” adding that the rise of the “social media lawyer” represents “a mix of enlightenment and ethical decay.” Quoting Lord Atkin, he warned that “freedom of expression must not degenerate into acts that compromise justice.”

He noted that despite the new RPC (2024) explicitly prohibiting solicitation and prejudicial commentary on pending cases, violations have become rampant.

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“As Justice Oputa once said, when moral rectitude collapses, the temple of justice trembles,” he reminded.

The legal expert condemned the growing trend of lawyer-politicians weaponising social media to sway public perception or discredit judicial officers, describing such conduct as “unethical and contrary to the lawyer’s oath.”

Citing Okike v. LPDC (2005), he stressed that any act capable of bringing the profession into disrepute constitutes professional misconduct.

Ahiakwo urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to establish clear digital communication guidelines, enforce discipline against erring members, and promote responsible online engagement.

He concluded that while social media can be a tool for public enlightenment, it must not become a stage for vanity or bias.

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“The future of the legal profession depends not on how loud a lawyer speaks online, but on how ethically he defends justice,” he said.