Why Do Nigerian Lawyers Favor Latin Maxims Over Native Proverbs?

I often hear Latin maxims like nemo judex in causa sua, mens rea, and ignorantia juris non excusat in court. Yet our rich Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Efik and pidgin sayings are rarely used. For example, if I quoted my pidgin proverb “wheat na amala wey join army” in a High Court, it would be laughed off. Judges never even saw my teeth. Or consider the Igbo saying “Egbe bere, ugo bere; nke si ibe ya ebela, nku kwaya” and Yoruba “Ẹnu kò rí bẹ́ẹ̀, ẹnu kò rí bẹ́ẹ̀, ni kò jẹ́ kí ẹjọ́ tán.” People ask for translations instead of embracing them. Why do lawyers and judges rate Latin as superior? Is it prestige, tradition or something else? Why are our native maxims under‐regarded in Nigerian law?

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