Nigerian lawyer Stella Justice Nnennaya has dismissed two long-standing beliefs about the burial of lawyers, describing them as myths with no legal or factual basis.
In a Facebook post that has attracted widespread attention, the legal practitioner clarified that there is no Nigerian law, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) rule, or legal tradition requiring lawyers to be buried differently because of their profession.
According to her, one of the most common misconceptions is the claim that lawyers are buried face down because they allegedly told too many lies during their careers.
She also debunked the widespread belief that lawyers are traditionally buried wearing their wigs and gowns or alongside law books.
Addressing the claims, she wrote:
“Two of the biggest lies ever told about lawyers are:
1. That lawyers are buried face down because they told too many lies.
2. That lawyers are buried in their wigs and gowns.
Both are false.
Lawyers are buried like every other human being.
There is no law in Nigeria, no rule of the Nigerian Bar Association, and no legal tradition that requires lawyers to be buried face down, in wigs and gowns, or with law books.”
Stella Justice explained that funeral arrangements for lawyers are determined by the wishes of the deceased, their family, religious beliefs and cultural traditions—not by their profession.
“A lawyer’s burial is determined by the wishes of the deceased, the family, religion and culture, not by the legal profession,” she added.
She also challenged the stereotype that lawyers are trained to lie, explaining that the legal profession is centred on presenting facts, interpreting the law, defending clients’ legal rights and ensuring that everyone receives a fair hearing.
According to her:
“The job of a lawyer is not to tell lies.
A lawyer is trained to present the facts and the law, defend a client’s legal rights, and ensure that everyone gets a fair hearing in court.
So, if anyone tells you that lawyers are buried face down because they lie for a living, don’t believe it.
It’s simply a long-standing myth with no truth behind it.”
She concluded by asking her followers whether they had ever believed the popular stories about lawyers’ burials, inviting them to share their experiences in the comment section.
