Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Ebele Nwokoye, has been awarded the Blue Silks rank, an alternative title to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) created for non-litigation lawyers.
The conferment, which took place in Abakiliki, Ebonyi State, has stirred controversy as the NBA has consistently opposed the Blue Silks initiative, describing it as illegal and warning that lawyers who accept the title risk sanctions.
The rank, formally known as Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN), was introduced by the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) and assessed through the Body of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (BOSCON).
Unlike SAN, which requires courtroom litigation records, candidates for Blue Silks must present at least 35 verifiable non-litigation transactions and hold an LLB degree for a minimum of 10 years.
Nwokoye, who led the NBA between 1985 and 1987, was also named National Patron of BOSCON during the ceremony.
Reacting, ALDRAP’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, hailed the conferment as a “double victory” for the Blue Silks, noting that the NBA failed to appeal a Federal High Court judgment delivered in January 2026 that validated the rank.
Jaja argued that the ruling prohibits the NBA and its Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) from interfering with the Blue Silks, making it a legally recognized path of distinction for non-litigation lawyers.
The development marks a significant moment in Nigeria’s legal profession, intensifying the debate over whether the Blue Silks can stand as a legitimate alternative to the SAN title.