At the 2025 NBA-SPIDEL Annual Conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Chairman of the NBA Human Rights Institute, Sabastine Anyia Esq., delivered a stirring and reflective address, challenging legal practitioners and national stakeholders to confront the values that shape Nigeria’s future.
Speaking before colleagues, leaders of the Bar, members of the press, and advocates of justice, Anyia described the gathering as a rare opportunity for sober reflection and a call to national healing.
He praised the hospitality of Uyo and encouraged participants to savour the beauty and culture of the ancient city but quickly steered his remarks toward the central theme of the conference: “A Banner Without Stain.”
Anyia questioned whether Nigerians today can boldly claim pride in the nation’s current state. Drawing inspiration from the national anthem, he emphasized the moral weight of the line “A banner without stain,” noting that it imposes a generational duty to hand over a country worthy of its children.
He argued that Nigeria’s banner has suffered deep scars, from corruption to insecurity, from tribal and religious bias to political godfatherism, from judicial compromise to systemic inequality.
He referenced historical stains such as the January 1966 coup and the counter-coup that followed, stressing that each generation either purifies or further defaces the national fabric.
According to him, Nigeria cannot continue lamenting while tolerating behaviours that undermine its progress.
He insisted that justice must be done to all, security guaranteed across all regions, from Bakassi to Sokoto, and leadership chosen based on competence rather than tribe, religion, or patronage.
He condemned the sale of judicial judgments, politicised appointments, and employment reserved for the privileged, calling them “abnormalities” that must be challenged with courage and sincerity.
Anyia noted that terrorism, banditry, religious intolerance, and senseless killings represent fresh stains that continue to bleed into the nation’s identity, warning that corruption has become a nearly indelible mark that must be confronted urgently.
He emphasized that the law is more than a profession, it is a sacred calling, a defender of justice, and the last hope of the common man. For Nigeria to recover its vision, he said, the legal profession must rise to its duty.
Anyia expressed confidence that with collective resolve, the nation can rebuild trust, restore dignity, and realign with the values envisioned by its founding ideals.
He urged participants to allow history to record that the 2025 Uyo conference was the turning point where the legal community resolved to cleanse and restore Nigeria’s banner.
He concluded with a passionate call: “Let us hand to our children and to every citizen whose hope is tied to the promise of Nigeria a banner worthy of their dreams.”
