Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has hit back at critics of his appearance at the Nigerian Bar Association’s 66th Annual General Conference, describing law as one of the poorest professions in Nigeria.
VeryDarkMan was invited to participate in a panel discussion on insecurity at the conference in Port Harcourt, where he spoke about his experiences and offered his perspective on the security challenges confronting Nigerians.
His appearance, however, attracted criticism from some lawyers and members of the public, with questions raised over the decision to invite a social media activist to participate in a major gathering of legal practitioners.
In a video shared on social media on Friday, VeryDarkMan defended his participation, saying he attended the conference to speak for Nigerians who, in his view, lacked a platform to make their voices heard.
“I spoke on behalf of the poor people. I spoke on behalf of the people that don’t have a voice,” he said.
He also questioned the discomfort expressed by some people over his presence at an event dominated by members of the legal profession.
“Because a son of nobody was seen in your midst,” he added.
‘Law has not been a noble profession’
The activist subsequently turned his attention to the legal profession, rejecting the argument that law should automatically be regarded as a noble profession.
“This bunch of clowns are telling me that law is a noble profession,” he said.
He continued, “Well, lately, law has not been a noble profession. I’m sorry to say. I’m not even sorry to say. It is what it is.”
VeryDarkMan argued that the prestige traditionally associated with the legal profession did not necessarily reflect the economic realities faced by many lawyers.
He claimed that a significant number of trained lawyers were either unemployed or not actively practising, using the situation to challenge the perception of law as a financially secure career.
“But even you, some of you who are not even practising. Mind you, law is one of the most broke professions we have in the country,” he said.
“Because we never talk about it. Law is one of the most broke professions. One of the poorest professions in this country is law.”
Questions employment prospects
VeryDarkMan further questioned the number of lawyers who are able to secure employment or actively practise in court after completing their training.
“How many lawyers are there? How many lawyers have jobs? How many lawyers actually go to court? Ask yourself that.”
He also criticised what he described as the continued production of large numbers of law graduates despite what he considered inadequate opportunities within the profession.
“And every year, they say they have people graduating from law school. Four thousand have graduated from law school, only to end up selling bedsheets,” he added.
His remarks are likely to fuel an ongoing debate about employment, remuneration and professional opportunities for young lawyers in Nigeria, particularly amid the country’s wider graduate unemployment challenge.
Appearance sparks debate
The controversy followed VeryDarkMan’s participation in the NBA’s 66th Annual General Conference, where he joined discussions on insecurity and other challenges affecting Nigerians.
The invitation generated mixed reactions, with some lawyers questioning the decision to include him in the conference programme, while others defended the move as an opportunity to hear perspectives from outside the traditional legal establishment.
VeryDarkMan’s response has now added another dimension to the debate, shifting attention from his eligibility to attend the conference to broader questions about the state of the legal profession and the economic realities facing lawyers in Nigeria.