Fani-Kayode distances himself from Senior Counsel of Nigeria title

Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, said on Friday that he does not accept the title of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN), also known as Blue Silk, given to him by the Nigerian Law Society (NLS).

In a statement signed by his media assistant, Lizzy Okoji, Mr Fani-Kayode noted that he “did not personally authorise or approve the acceptance of the said designation and hereby formally disassociates himself from the purported conferment.”

He clarified that he sent someone to the NLS event to represent him for official matters related to the society’s invitation.

Fani-Kayode, who is a lawyer, called the acceptance of the title by his representative an “unfortunate administrative misjudgement” that does not represent his support or beliefs.

The NLS has recently positioned itself as a competitor to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and introduced the controversial Blue Silk title in 2025. The society reportedly awarded the title to Fani-Kayode and four other lawyers.

The other lawyers who received the title are Seyi Tinubu, Olufunmilayo Osifuye, Ihudiebube Chukwumdi, and Alabi Adigun.

This conferment happened on Thursday at the NLS’s 2026 Annual General Conference in Utako, Abuja.

Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister, questioned the legal authority of the NLS.

With 41 years of experience in law, he stated that he would not “undermine the integrity of the legal profession, or bring the profession into disrepute.”

He added that the conferment raises significant questions about its legal and professional meaning, especially in light of the rules governing the legal profession in Nigeria and relevant court decisions about granting professional titles outside the proper legal structure.

He asked the public to ignore any false representations and reaffirmed his commitment to “the rule of law, professional ethics, and the dignity of the legal profession.”

The Blue Silk title has stirred controversy in Nigeria.

In November 2025, the NBA raised concerns about Tonye Jaja, who was advocating for the creation of the “privileged rank” or “Blue Silk” for lawyers.

The NBA stated that his actions were not in line with the legal profession’s rules, which misled and misrepresented institutional frameworks.

On February 12, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), responsible for awarding the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank, warned lawyers against using the title ‘Blue Silk’ and emphasized that it is not recognised in Nigeria’s legal profession.

In May, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a case aimed at introducing the ‘Blue Silk’ rank as an alternative to the SAN title for lawyers in Nigeria.