Abuja: The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC), Chibuzo Ekwekwuo, has urged young lawyers and law students to remain committed to using the law as a tool for social justice and human development. Ekwekwuo made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the 2025 Law and Humanity Summit with the theme ‘the Quintessential Pro Bono Lawyer: Providing Value Without Compromising Professional Standards’.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Ekwekwuo highlighted the necessity for lawyers to always be prepared to articulate their thoughts and defend justice, noting that the profession plays a fundamental role in shaping society. He expressed his delight in commending the exceptional work being done under challenging circumstances to keep these programmes operational.
He praised participants for their interest and deep engagement in the summit, stressing that legal practice carries little value unless it positively impacts society. He emphasized that the work done by lawyers holds little significance if it does not affect humanity, invoking the principle that law is meant to serve man, not the other way around.
Ekwekwuo also articulated the importance of using law as a tool for social engineering to prevent injustice and oppression. He urged young legal practitioners to sustain the culture of public-interest lawyering as they progress in their careers. He warned that without using law as a tool for social engineering, society could descend into a state where only strength matters, leading to a lack of fairness, justice, development, and peace.
The PPDC board chairman reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to providing a platform for both young and established lawyers to contribute to justice delivery while maintaining sustainable legal careers. He called on participants to remain committed to the cause and continue supporting PPDC’s efforts, expressing hope for their continued collaboration.
The Law and Humanity Summit aims to strengthen ethical public-interest law practice, build capacity among young lawyers, and enhance access to justice in Nigeria.