Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Femi Fani-Kayode, has disassociated himself from the purported conferment of the designation of Senior Counsel of Nigeria (SCN), also known as Blue Silk, on him by the Nigerian Law Society (NLS).
Fani-Kayode, in a statement issued on Friday by his Special Assistant on Media, Lizzy Okoji, said he neither personally authorised nor approved the acceptance of the designation.
He described the circumstances surrounding the conferment as regrettable, attributing the development to an administrative misjudgment by members of his staff who represented him at the event. 
According to the statement, his staff attended the event in the course of official engagements following an invitation sent to his office by the society.
“The circumstances surrounding the representation and subsequent communication of acceptance were regrettable and arose from an unfortunate administrative misjudgment, without any intention whatsoever to misrepresent His Excellency’s personal position or professional convictions,” the statement said.
The envoy also raised concerns over the legal and professional implications of the purported conferment, particularly its consistency with the statutory framework regulating the legal profession in Nigeria and relevant judicial pronouncements.
He stressed that, as a legal practitioner of more than 41 years, he would not knowingly engage in any act capable of violating the law, undermining the integrity of the legal profession or bringing the profession into disrepute.
Fani-Kayode further highlighted his family’s legal background, noting that he comes from a distinguished lineage of three generations of legal practitioners.
He reaffirmed his commitment to the rule of law, professional ethics and the established traditions of the legal profession.
The former Minister of Aviation consequently maintained that neither his representation at the event nor any communication made on his behalf should be interpreted as his personal endorsement or acceptance of the SCN designation.
The statement said the clarification was issued to formally establish his position, dispel misconceptions surrounding the incident and reaffirm his respect for the dignity and integrity of the legal profession.
