LEGAL PRACTICE

OLANIPEKUN: OGUNDE QUITS LAW PRACTICE, VOWS TO ‘RETURN’

Ms. Adekunbi Ogunde, the Partner at Wole Olanipekun & Co at the centre of the controversial email to SAIPEM SPA that has led to a call for Body of Benchers Chairman, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN to recuse himself from the post, has temporarily quit legal practice over the debacle.

In a Press Release obtained by CITY LAWYER, Ogunde decried the controversies that have trailed her email, adding that “I will take a leave of absence from legal practice and get involved in community and social work pro bono, with a few selected NGOs.”

She stated that she “will also during this time undergo necessary courses to equip myself better in dealing with professional and life issues.”

She however vowed to return to legal practice, saying: “I will return to legal practice after some time, in consultation with my parents, senior colleagues, and well-wishers.”

CITY LAWYER had in an exclusive report cited a complaint by former Minister of Energy and Petroleum ministries, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia SAN over an email from Ms. Adekunbi Ogunde, a Partner in Wole Olanipekun & Co, allegedly soliciting to take over a brief his law firm was handling from his client, SAIPEM SPA. Following his demand for an apology, Wole Olanipekun & Co apologized for the debacle and disowned the Partner.

Below is the full text of the Press Release.

MY EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE OF 20TH JUNE 2022 AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

The email I sent to SAIPEM on 20th June 2022 has, for several weeks, become the subject of discussion, debate, and diatribe among lawyers and the general public on various social media platforms. My public statement issued on 27th June 2022, which was aimed at expressing remorse for the anguish the said email caused to Ajumogobia & Okeke, my Firm, Wole Olanipekun & Co., and my parents and also to debunk the wrong conclusions drawn by many lawyers that the partners and/or associates at the firm knew about or consented to the content or delivery of my email did not also achieve the purpose in the opinion of some people.

Since I issued that public statement, I have read on social media a complaint filed against me at the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee by the First Vice-President of the NBA and the letter written to my Firm’s Founding Partner, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, OFR that he should recuse himself from his position as the Chairman of the Body of Benchers.

I cannot deny the fact that I am at the centre of every main or collateral issue that has arisen out of the said email. It may appear as if neither Wole Olanipekun & Co nor me has taken any concrete step to ameliorate the effect of the email by way of discipline, education, reform, and rehabilitation concerning me. I wish to state that the firm took such steps but did not believe that its actions should be for the attention of the media.

Unfortunately, the matter has now become rather complicated and has not only affected me psychologically but also Wole Olanipekun & Co and my family. It has bred bad blood and, to my great pain, thoroughly embarrassed our Firm’s Founder, the innocent and dignified Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, OFR, and as well as the Firm.

As the one through whom all these have arisen, I have consulted with my family and the Firm and after a deep and thorough examination of all the facets of this hydra-headed problem, I have decided to take the following steps:

1. I will take a leave of absence from legal practice and get involved in community and social work pro bono, with a few selected NGOs.

2. I will also during this time undergo necessary courses to equip myself better in dealing with professional and life issues.

3. I will return to legal practice after some time, in consultation with my parents, senior colleagues, and well-wishers.

This statement is issued to enable me to move to the next stage of my life. I will no longer be issuing any public statements.

I thank all those who have helped me to pass through this very trying period of my life, particularly my parents, partners, and associates of Wole Olanipekun & Co, my friends, and my parents’ friends.

God bless you all.

Adekunbi Ogunde

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‘TAIDI AS A GREAT LEADER: A PERSONAL TESTAMENT,’ BY IKE AUGUSTINE

OPINION

MR. JONATHAN GUNU TAIDI: A GREAT LEADER THE BAR NEEDS

I have known Mr. Jonathan Gunu Taidi right from the days of my practice in Minna, Niger State. Testimonies abound of his impeccable track record. He is someone who shows so much dedication to any task given to him. His deep passion to see the Bar taking its place as the vanguard for social justice is what drives him to take up leadership roles at the bar. He is very accessible, amiable and above all an astute Bar man. He is an invaluable asset to the Bar.

I feel elated and there is hope of a rejuvenated and virile Bar seeing that he has been cleared by the ECNBA to contest for the office of NBA President in this year’s election.

Ike Augustine, Esq.
Activist and Public Commentator

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COPYRIGHT 2022 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.

TAIDI EXTOLS NBA KADUNA, ILE-IFE ON LAW WEEK

FEATURED

GOODWILL MESSAGE TO CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION ILE IFE BRANCH ON HER 2022 LAW WEEK WITH THE THEME: EXPLORING THE LAW AS A CATALYST TOWARDS A TRULY FEDERAL STATE”

I felicitate with the Chairperson and Members of Ile Ife Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association on her 2022 Law Week.

The programme is focusing on the very important and very controversial aspect of our existence as a nation fondly referred to as ‘Federation,’ when some say we actually practice a military style unitary system where no matter the level of oppression you are expected to fall in line.
This system is the bane of our development as it promotes over dependence on revenue from the centre and leaves unaccountable streams of revenue to be exploited for personal use.

It is my firm conviction that we can get it right by engagements such as this and by continuing the sort of discourse aimed at fashioning a truly federal state where equity and justice prevail.

I am delighted that this discussion is holding at the ‘source’ of the great O’dua heritage and hope the outcome will be the foundation of a true federation.

Jonathan Gunu Taidi, Esq.
Candidate for NBA President

GOODWILL MESSAGE TO NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION KADUNA BRANCH ON HER 2022 LAW WEEK

I felicitate with the Chairman, Law Week Organising Committee and Members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Kaduna Branch on the occasion of the 2022 Law Week on the theme: “Expanding the Frontiers of Legal Practice”.

At independence, legal practice in the Nigerian parlance connotes litigation. However, overtime, other areas of practice of law evolved in response to the emerging dynamics of society.

In the 21st century there abound relatively new areas that are either dominated by expatriates who have no right of audience under our law or where we have very few members with expertise to shine in those areas.

There is therefore the need to equip ourselves with the requisite knowledge on diverse and emerging areas of law so that we put a permanent wedge on incursion from foreigners under whatever guise or shade.

This law week affords us the platform to interrogate the challenges bedevelling our ability to diversify into emerging practice areas and stem the tide of pervasive external incursion into our legal space. I therefore challenge participants to take advantage of this platform to discover solutions for our overall benefit.

I wish distinguished participants a rewarding experience and fruitful outcome.

Jonathan Gunu Taidi, Esq.
Candidate for NBA President

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COPYRIGHT 2022 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.