One of Nigeria’s oldest lawyers, Mr. Mikhail Adisa Bashua (SAN, CON) is dead. He was aged 92 years.

CITY LAWYER gathered that the senior lawyer has been sick lately and passed on today. He is the father of Justice A. J. Bashua of the Lagos State Judiciary among others. 

Mr. Imran Agunbiade who worked with the late sage told CITY LAWYER that “I started my practice with the firm. His son Justice A. J. Bashua called me this morning to inform me. His firm produced Justices K. O. Dawodu and A. J. Bashua.”

There are strong indications that the deceased may be buried today.

Bashua was born into the Bashua Chieftaincy family of Lagos. He was called to the English Bar in 1960 and on his arrival in Nigeria, founded M.A. Bashua & Co., which he registered in 1968. He was enrolled in the Lincoln Inn. Incorporated on 02 August, 1968 his law firm, M. A. BASHUA AND CO celebrated 50 years anniversary in December 2018. The firm commenced operations at No. 45, Iga-Idunganran Street, then known as Reclamation Street, Lagos Island. The office was later moved to its present place at 218, Bamgbose Street, Lagos Island, in 1980. 

He took Silk in 1997 and was elected member of the Federal House of Representatives, Lagos Constituency from 1962 till 1964. He was conferred with the national award, Commander of Order of the Niger (CON) in 2008.

Bashua had while celebrating the firm’s 50th anniversary said: “Young lawyers must be honest and understand the fact that Law is the noblest profession, so, they have to uphold its etiquettes. Upholding the profession’s etiquettes will get you anywhere you want to go. Never allow overburdened interests to becloud you as a lawyer; the client’s interest should always come first.

“Every upcoming lawyer should see this profession as a very interesting one; it should never be seen as a chaotic, problematic and difficult work. Once, as a lawyer, you enjoy what you do, the sky is the limit.”

Speaking on the milestones recorded by the firm, Mr. Aderemi Bashua, its Managing Partner, said: “Its continuous legal practice and consultancy services have been mostly recognised in several ground breaking cases, one of which is the case of Mohammed v. Olawunmi (1990) 2 NWLR (Part 133) R 458 SC. This case, upon the judgment by the Supreme Court, became an authority often cited by lawyers and the Courts.

“The principle of law in that case is when a decision of Court is regarded as a final or interlocutory decision, and, whether a party appealing to an Appellate Court requires leave of Court before appealing against an interlocutory decision of Court.

“The case became a locus classicus on those two issues of law. The Supreme Court agreed with Mr. M. Adisa Bashua ( SAN), CON. that leave of court was necessary.”

In a heart-warming tribute when her father turned 90 years in 2019, Lola Bashua wrote: “My Daddy is 90 years old today!!?Happy 90th birthday to my Daddy Mikhail Adisa Bashua(SAN)Senior Advocate Of Nigeria, Commander of the Order of the Niger, The Olori Ebi (head) of the Bashua The Olori Ebi (head) of the Bashua Royal family, The Baba Oba (Father of the King) of Lagos and Baba Oba( Father of the King) of Shomolu. A Harvard school of law graduate at Lincoln’ss Inn, a great philanthropist and yet very humble man.”

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