Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has criticised the legal profession in Nigeria, arguing that law no longer deserves to be described as a noble profession.
VeryDarkMan made the remarks while responding to criticism over his invitation to the Nigerian Bar Association’s 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The activist participated in a panel discussion on insecurity at the conference, where he spoke about security challenges affecting Nigerians and shared his experiences.
His presence at the gathering, however, attracted criticism from some members of the legal profession, with questions raised over why he was invited to participate in an event organised by lawyers.
In a video shared on social media on Friday, VeryDarkMan said his participation was aimed at representing Nigerians who, according to him, lacked the platform to make their concerns heard.
He said he spoke for poor Nigerians and people whose voices were often overlooked.
The activist also questioned the reaction to his presence at the conference, suggesting that some critics were uncomfortable because someone without a traditional elite background had been given an opportunity to speak at the event.
He subsequently turned his attention to the legal profession, rejecting the argument that law should automatically be regarded as a noble profession.
VeryDarkMan argued that a significant number of lawyers struggle to find employment or opportunities to practise after completing their training.
He questioned how many lawyers in Nigeria currently have jobs, regularly appear in court or actively practise the profession.
The social media personality also criticised the number of people graduating from the Nigerian Law School each year, arguing that the profession does not appear to provide sufficient opportunities for all those entering it.
He claimed that some law graduates eventually turn to unrelated businesses because of the limited opportunities available within the profession.
His comments followed the controversy generated by his appearance at the NBA conference, where he was invited to contribute to discussions on insecurity despite not being a member of the legal profession.