Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has criticised the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for inviting former Liberian President George Weah to deliver the keynote address at its 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Falana questioned the decision to invite Weah to address Nigerian lawyers on democracy, the rule of law and judicial independence, citing allegations of interference with Liberia’s judiciary during the former president’s administration.
He urged the NBA to exercise greater caution when selecting African political leaders as speakers at its conferences, particularly leaders whose administrations have been accused of undermining democratic institutions.
“Let me appeal that the Bar Association must stop inviting dictators in Africa to come and address us,” Falana said.
According to him, Weah’s administration, which lasted from 2018 to 2024, allegedly interfered with Liberia’s judicial system to the extent that some citizens had to seek legal redress outside the country.
“George Weah, who was here yesterday and was talking about the judiciary, in his country, his regime captured the judiciary to the extent that they had to contact some of us outside the country to get legal redress in the ECOWAS Court,” he said.
Falana cited the case of members of the Mandingo community in Liberia, who he said had lost properties during the country’s civil war.
He said the ECOWAS Court ruled in their favour but alleged that the Weah administration failed to enforce the judgment.
“The ECOWAS Court gave them judgment. George Weah refused to comply with the judgment. The new government of Boakai has just set up a committee for the enforcement of that judgment,” Falana said.
The SAN also referred to the case of a former associate justice of Liberia’s Supreme Court, whom he said was removed from office without proper justification.
Falana said the matter was taken to the ECOWAS Court, which reportedly set aside the dismissal, awarded the judge $200,000 and ordered his reinstatement.
He alleged that the Weah administration again failed to comply with the judgment.
“Now, that is the man coming here to talk to us about the rule of law and democracy,” Falana said.
The human rights lawyer further criticised the former Liberian administration over its handling of drug trafficking, making allegations concerning senior officials and events during Weah’s tenure.
He also referred to Weah’s absence from Liberia during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where his son, Timothée Weah, represented the United States.
Falana consequently advised the NBA to consider inviting African leaders with what he described as stronger records in democratic governance.
He cited Namibia’s female president, vice president and speaker, as well as the late former Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, as examples of personalities whose leadership records could provide useful lessons.
However, Weah, in his keynote address at the conference, had urged lawyers to remain independent and impartial in the discharge of their professional responsibilities.
The former Liberian president stressed that a functioning democracy requires strong institutions, particularly an independent judiciary backed by a courageous legal profession.
He warned that democracy could be weakened when governments tolerate corruption, interfere with judges or disregard the rule of law.
According to Weah, democratic governance should not depend on “strong men” but on institutions capable of functioning independently and protecting democratic values.
Also speaking at the opening of the conference, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara called for an independent judiciary and urged judges to remain firm in the face of pressure.
Fubara said judicial officers must uphold truth and justice irrespective of the social status, political influence or connections of individuals appearing before them.
