SAN

‘SAN RANK HAS BEEN DEVALUED, UNDERMINED,’ SAYS OKUTEPA

Against the backdrop of the raging debate over the quality of lawyers being conferred with the coveted rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), senior lawyer, MR. JIBRIN OKUTEPA SAN insists, in a post he made on CITY LAWYER platform, that “the (SAN) Rank is being devalued and its dignity undermined.”

There have been many reactions to the issues raised by my learned friend of the Inner Bar Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN and my support for his stand of a need to review the award of the Rank of SAN to our learned colleagues in the academics.

Many in the academics and some of legal practitioners see the arguments as needless and have held the views that myself and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN and others are generating needless controversies. Unfortunately, we are being misunderstood.

But is Adegboruwa SAN and myself wrong in the concerns we raised. I do not think so. Let us go to the place where we borrowed the concept of this Rank from. It is from UK. It is called QC there and now KC. Are academics and lawyers not in practice as Advocates awarded the Rank in Uk.

Yes. What name does UK call them. Let us see the 2022 UK Guidelines on this issue. In the Gazette, the Official Publication of UK in 2022 which you can Google and see, the following are decernable.

Those who are not Advocates in courts are awarded the Queen’s Counsel Honoris Causa. Let me quote the Gazette in extensio.

It reads: “Nominations open for the Queen’s Counsel Honoris Causa
The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) is inviting nominations for the Queen’s Counsel Honoris Causa award. The honorary award recognises those in the legal profession who have made a major contribution to the law of England and Wales outside the courtroom. Queen’s Counsel Honoris Causa Award”

“What is the Queen’s Counsel Honoris Causa? The Queen’s Counsel Honoris Causa (QC Honoris Causa) is an honorary award unique to the legal profession. Made by royal prerogative, the award recognises those in the profession who have made a major contribution to, and impact on, the law of England and Wales outside the courtroom. The award is not a working rank and is separate to substantive QC appointments administered by Queen’s Counsel Appointments.

Where someone is eligible to apply for substantive QC in their role, the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) would not normally consider them for an Honorary QC award.

What is the QC Honoris Causa for? The QC Honoris Causa is awarded to those in the legal profession who have had a significant, positive impact outside the courtroom either on the shape of the law of England and Wales, or on the profession. According to the MOJ, this criterion can be interpreted broadly, either as: a major contribution to the development of the law of England and Wales – for example, by dedicated research, influencing case law/legislation and promoting initiatives to how it is advanced – for example, by positively impacting the shape of the profession. Examples Influencing legislation Making an impact on the law by influencing legislation or case law – for example, through outcome of research, creating awareness or campaigning, pro bono work or other advocacy outside the courtroom.

Social mobility and Diversity

Making a considerable impact on the legal profession – for example, through initiatives that have an impact on social mobility or diversity and increase the competitiveness of the sector.

Innovation: Making an impact through a standout achievement or through innovation – for example, by breaking through into new territory, such as making an impact through work on Lawtech, innovation in legal education, or that promote UK legal services overseas.

Academic work: Making an impact through outstanding academic work that makes a positive contribution to the law and/or legal system. You can see examples of previous successful nominees by viewing their case studies.

Who is eligible for the QC Honoris Causa award? To be eligible for the award, the individual must be a qualified lawyer or legal academic and the nomination must be for achievement outside practice in the courts. In other words, an award would be made for non-advocacy work. The award is open to foreign qualified professionals. There is no residency requirement. Examples of those eligible may include (but are not limited to): solicitors without higher rights of audience. legal executives in-house lawyers, including Counsel
non-practising lawyers, legal academics

Holding a fee-paid judicial office in addition to normal practice would not exclude lawyers who meet the eligibility criteria above. However, it should be noted that someone who has been honoured in the main honours system within the last two years, or who has been nominated for such an honour this year, would not be eligible to receive an Honorary QC award.

How are awards made? Nominations are considered against the criterion by a panel of representatives from the legal profession, civil service, judiciary, and academia, which is chaired by MOJ.

The panel of representatives provide the Lord Chancellor with recommendations of appointable nominees. The Lord Chancellor, whose role is to ensure that the process has been carried out in a fair, open and transparent way, will then consider and decide the final recommendations.

The recommendations are then referred to the Queen for agreement, who grants the awards under the royal prerogative.

How to nominate someone for the QC Honoris Causa award. Anyone can make a nomination. You do not need to have a legal background or reside in the UK and you may nominate as many people as you like”.

Find out more about the Honorary Queen’s Counsel Nomination Form (GOV.UK). Publication date: 29 June 2022.

The arguments or suggestions by myself and my learned friend of the Inner Bar, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN and others are not intended to undermine, denigrate, rubbish, abuse or belittle those Nigerian academics who had been awarded the Rank of SAN.

But we as well meaning legal practitioners are interrogating the appropriateness of awarding the Rank of SAN to law teachers who strictly speaking are not Advocates in the Court rooms.

My concern and others is that the present mode of giving the award to academics in some cases, is in not line with the provisions of the Guidelines for giving the award.

The Guidelines only empowers Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee ((LPPC) to confer the rank on academics in exceptional cases on academics who have made “substantial contributions to the practice of Law, through teaching, research and publications that have become major source of reference by Legal Practitioners’, Judges, Law Teachers and Law Students”.

Not only are most of the academics on whom the rank is conferred largely unknown, their publications are neither not well known nor have become major source of reference by Legal Practitioners’, Judges, Law Teachers and Law Students.

In violation of the provisions of the Guidelines, academics are appointed based on Point system. The points are given based on the quantity of publications submitted by the Applicant rather than on the requirement that the publications must be major reference material by legal practitioners, judges law teachers and students. So all an academic needs to do to qualify is to bring a bagful of publications and score more points than other Apolicants. This is totally unacceptable.

This explains why many of the academics as well as their publications are largely unknown. Of equal importance is the fact that even though the academics do not go through rigorous process advocates go through to take silk, they utilize the rank in court. If the LPPC must continue to approve the award of the rank on academics then it must be done honoris causa as done in UK as shown above.

I concede that there are great academics who met the criteria for the award. For instance, when we speak of great academics like Professor Ben Nwabueze SAN, Prof Sagey SAN, Prof Omotola SAN and such other Iconic legal giants, their books are not only used by all, they and their books remained living encyclopaedia of unquestionable authorities nationally and internationally.

Therefore, let no one feel that those of us who are Advocates in court rooms are jealous or angry that the Rank is being given to academics. No we are not. Let the right thing be done. Let the prestige and the dignity of the Rank be maintained and upheld by following strictly the Guidelines for the award.

Let those of us who have been privileged to be conferred with this Rank of distinction show leadership in courts as Senior Advocates of Nigeria. But to get the Rank and not use it as Advocates in Court in aid of undilute and purity of justice is the concerns I have expressed. That is the points we are struggling to convey. I read the concerns raised by an eminent silk Mr Olatunde Adejuigbe SAN where the learned silk was of the view that the points myself and Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN raised were needless controversies. This is what he was qouted on social media as saying: “It is bewildering that precious time and energy have been dissipated on a banal topic that leads nowhere. A cart-pusher on the streets knows that the rank of SAN is in the same league of devaluation like the Naira. In Nigeria, distinction just like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. These days anyone who is well trained in the art of Rankadede can get the rank. It’s a pity that Late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister never applied for the coveted rank.

It is only in this our own dear native land that those who should be behind bars are celebrated as leaders of the Bar. It is an open secret that many of those who have been conferred with the rank as Advocates either snatched, borrowed or purchased cases in the Appellate Courts in the bid to meet the requirements. Many of those who took up some criminal cases pro bono before their elevation to the inner bar abandoned such cases thereafter.

The fault is not in the guidelines but in us. Many Advocates who have gained mastery in circumventing the guidelines are following the footprints of their seniors in the inner bar. In the days of yore, a good Maths teacher was interested in the workings that led to an answer and not just the correct answer. But that’s not what we do. Just pile up your cases, do your runs and you’ll get a boarding pass.

When you read pleadings, written addresses and briefs of arguments authored by some ” giants” in the inner bar you will come to terms with our prevailing Ichabod and seek solace in the Book of Lamentations.

There was no issue at all when Professors of Law who are worth their weight in gold were conferred with the rank. They maintained fidelity with academia which is their first love and rebuffed the seduction of another mistress. But times have changed.

What should be of concern to those who mean well for our nation and the legal profession is the reform of our moribund and dysfunctional justice system. The sterile discourse on the award of the rank to academics is not helpful in any way. All resources should be geared towards the attainment of a virile justice mechanism. Regardless of the route a lawyer took to the inner bar our nation is still afflicted with a system that serves anything but justice. No sane lawyer should be proud of what goes on here. Let’s stop this meaningless squabble over fish and turkey, beans and porridge. There are more serious issues which deserve urgent attention”

I think with respect that the learned silk is on the same page with the concerns we raised. It is just in the manner of expressions. If the Rank is being devalued and its dignity undermined as he rightly pointed out, then any suggestion to restore the value of the Rank and its dignity by strictly following the guidelines should not be viewed as needless controversies. I say no more. Let me rest my case here so that I should not be accused of talking too much. Just that I am concerned as other well meaning legal practitioners.

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  • EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Oct 24, 2021
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  • Comments Off on SAN AWARDS: ‘PROF. TORIOLA OYEWO IS A CEREBRAL LAWYER,’ SAYS EX A-G

SAN AWARDS: ‘PROF. TORIOLA OYEWO IS A CEREBRAL LAWYER,’ SAYS EX A-G

In this moving tribute, former Oyo State Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo goes down memory lane and submits that the coveted rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) could not have been bestowed on a more endearing and deserving person than 91-year-old Professor (Chief) Toriola Ajagbe Oyewo 

In my early years at the Bar, precisely in 1995, I was doing my pupillage in the commercial law firm of Dele Akinmusuti & Co, then situated at 23, Mogaji Are Street, Off Ring Road , Ibadan, Oyo State of Nigeria.

A notable client of the law firm referred a brief to me and I was paid a very handsome professional fee which was then the equivalent of my 7 (seven) months salary . I put in my very best into the drafting of the certorari process that I filed before the High Court of Justice, Ibadan.

The person who referred the case and the client to me is a very wealthy client who had confided in me that the client was a very dear side-kick of his and that I must do all within my capacity to render useless and ineffectual the kangaroo customary court judgement obtained by her landlord to eject her from a coded property he got for the pretty damsel at Iyaganku GRA in Ibadan. The case financier also warned me that my Principal who is his friend must not know about the relationship between him and the beautiful client. That I so much understood because Mr. Dele Akinmusuti is a born-again Christian who will not tolerate such unholy escapade.

Faithfully, I kept that secret pact because the brief was very fat.

Professor Toriola Oyewo represented the party interested/respondent, the landlord in the case which was assigned to Hon. Justice John Olagoke Ige, of blessed memory. My Lord Ige was one of the finest Judges that had presided on the very rich and resourceful judiciary of Oyo State which bench is unarguably the best in the whole federation till date.

After we were granted leave to quash the judgement of the inferior court and the order of court together with the motion on notice was served on the landlord, the services of Professor Oyewo was retained to represent my Client’s adversary .

We were served with a counter-affidavit and we promptly responded by way of further affidavit.

On the 14th day that the matter was to be heard, Professor Oyewo applied to withdraw his counter-affidavit and same was struck out without any opposition by me. The court asked me to move my certiorari application , which I did and I also addressed the court extensively by citing several decided authorities in support of client’s case. That period was good years of oral advocacy because the present front-loading system of written addresses were not in use then.

“Besides being a cerebral and brilliant legal practitioner, he is an erudite teacher and a repository of political history, economics, localities, events and people. Professor Oyewo is also a first class Socialite who, till today, enjoys life to the fullest. The grace of God in his life is manifest in his good look and his good health. At 91 years of age, he still drives himself around till date. His memory of cases, history and anything under the sun is superb and second to none.”

When it got to the turn of Professor Oyewo, the learned Senior counsel informed the court, expectedly, that he was replying on points of law only. He attacked my case from the angle that the judgement of the inferior court could not be quashed by the high court on the ground of lack of jurisdiction upon which our case was not apparent on the face of the record of the customary court. The erudite Professor submitted further that the court could not take judicial notice that Iyaganku GRA is within the 10km radius of Mapo in the absence of expert evidence to that effect and that it is not a matter of assumption or conjecture by the court.

Mapo in Ibadan is accepted to be the centre of Ibadan and any property within its 10 kilometres radius is held to be within the urban area of Ibadan. Prof. Oyewo asked the Judge rhetorically if the court would allow me to turn My Lord into a land surveyor overnight. Furthermore, that I did not exhibit my Client’s rent receipt for the court to be satisfied and convinced that the rental value of the property was outside the jurisdiction of the customary court.
The court adjourned the matter for ruling after the addresses of both of us had been taken.

In a well considered ruling delivered by the court, my certiorari application was dismissed as the court agreed entirely with Professor Oyewo. I became devastated the following day when my client and her financier came to meet me in the chambers that the lady had been ejected from the premises by the Bailiffs of the Oke-Are Grade C Customary Court, thus bringing to an abrupt end my fat retainership.

I took the aftermath of the case too personal because I refused to greet or acknowledge the greetings of the eminent Senior counsel whenever we met at any of the numerous clubs that he also frequented. I was always, politely, turning down Prof’s offer, politely though, to pay for my meals and or drinks whenever we met. He was fond of telling me jokingly that my behaviour was strange to both the traditions at the Bar and Ibadanland, yet I didn’t yield my ground due to my youthful exuberance at that time.

There was a thaw in our relationship in 2001 when some colleagues and myself met the learned Professor at a popular restaurant in Basorun, Ibadan. My friends had accompanied me there to woo a lady who had became a nut too hard to crack for me. The lady snubbed us that evening and insulted us to the hearing of Chief. I was more than surprised when Prof beckoned to the lady to come over and told her that she cannot get a better suitor anywhere in Nigeria than this promising and brilliant colleague of his (he referred to me as his colleague). As if we were all dreaming, the lady melted immediately and agreed to follow us to a night club that day. Lo and behold, she did. What followed thereafter is best left for my readers’ imagination.

That singular act endeared me to Professor Oyewo and we became very close thereafter to the extent that he gave me complimentary copies of the numerous books that he wrote and he still does that till date.

Besides being a cerebral and brilliant legal practitioner, he is an erudite teacher and a repository of political history , economics, localities, events and people . Professor Oyewo is also a first class Socialite who, till today, enjoys life to the fullest. The grace of God in his life is manifest in his good look and his good health. At 91 years of age, he still drives himself arround till date. His memory of cases, history and anything under the sun is superb and second to none.

My joy knew no bound when I was asked by Senator Abiola Ajimobi of blessed memory, the former Governor of Oyo to represent him and the state at Prof’s 80th birthday on which occasion that I narrated the story of the case highlighted above for the first time. The learned Professor, his bosom friend, High Chief Akinnola (now of blessed memory), the Lisa of Ondo Kingdom and all the guests at the event rolled in laughter on hearing the account.

Professor has since become a father-figure to me, a mentor, a role model and a great teacher. Chief M.K. Amusan-Awolesu, a big brother to me and one of the bosom friends of Senator Abiola Ajimobi later informed me that Professor Oyewo had been his mentor since his childhood and that no week will pass without Prof personally checking on him and his family till date.

The news of Professor Toriola Oyewo being one of the recipients of the coveted rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria at advanced age of 91 along with my Partner, Kazeem Adekunle Gbadamosi Esq. who, perhaps, was a toddler when Prof was called to the Nigeria Bar, did not come as a surprise to me because Ebenezer Obey had long predicted in one of his evergreen musical albums in the 1970s, https://youtu.be/GOUOJeL4VGI where he sang of Chief that “Eye adaba wa gbe ire wa ko wa o”.

The award to Papa at 91 is the Privileges Committee of giving Prof his due , meritorious and well-deserved honour (ire and eye) in his ripe old age while still alive.

May the good Lord continue to preserve a legal encyclopedia, a quintessential gentleman and a Teacher of Teachers, Professor Toriola Ajagbe Oyewo of the Erunmu fame and a devoted Seventh Day Adventist for us all for many more purposeful years.

Even at 91 years, it is still appropriate for me to greet you Good morning, Professor Toriola Ajagbe Oyewo, SAN-Designate.

Dated this 22nd October, 2021

Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo Esq.
Asiwaju of Ita-Ege & Idi-Aro, Ibadan,
Hon. Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oyo State of Nigeria 2011 -2015

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  • EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Oct 21, 2021
  • 0
  • Comments Off on HISTORY, AS LPPC SHUNS BOSAN, APPOINTS 72 SANS

HISTORY, AS LPPC SHUNS BOSAN, APPOINTS 72 SANS

• PROMISES TO REFORM SAN RANK

• NEW GUIDELINES FOR 2023 AWARDS

The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) has brushed aside a strident call by the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) to appoint 72 senior lawyers as Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

History was made today following release of list of newly appointed senior advocates of Nigeria by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC).

The committee bestowed the coveted rank on the first clergy man as well as a serving senior police officer. These are Rev. (Dr.) Edwin Sunday Chukwujekwu Obiora (Anambra State) and Simon Asember Lough (Benue State), a Deputy Commissioner of Police serving at Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Meanwhile, the LPPC which has the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tank Muhammad as its chairman, has set up a sub-committee to review the guidelines for the award of the rank. This may not be unconnected with the damning indictment of the award process by the influential Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) as reported exclusively by CITY LAWYER.

According to the press release issued today by Hajo Sarki Bello Esquire, Acting Chief Registrar of Supreme Court and LPPC Secretary, 72 lawyers were elevated to the new rank, comprising 62 advocates and 10 academics. The appointees would be sworn-in on December 8, 2021 at the Supreme Court premises, Abuja.

The application for the 2022 exercise would open in January, said the committee, adding: “In the meantime, the Legal Practitioners Privileges committee wishes to notify the general public that it has set up a sub-committee to review the 2018 Guidelines for the award of the rank effective from 2023 award year.”

It is recalled that BOSAN had expressed worry over the huge number of applicants recently shortlisted for award of the rank, warning that unless a holistic review of the award process is undertaken by the LPPC, the rank risked losing its prestige and standing among stakeholders.

Saying that it was gladdened by the receipt of a letter from the LPPC to its earlier complaint, BOSAN however expressed disappointment at the recent turn of events, saying: “However, following the recent announcement of the shortlisting of 130 candidates shortlisted in the process for conferment with the rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, we are of the considered opinion that the concerns raised in our earlier referenced letter have not been addressed.”

Pledging its support of the reform process “in any way possible” and as a “dominant stakeholder” in the entire exercise, the body advised that the review process “should re-evaluate the criteria, guidelines and administrative processes leading to the selection, including the personnel at the SAN/LPPC Administrative Secretariat/Department, proper pre-screening of applicants, competitive processes and independent assessment free of lobbying, all geared towards attaining and sustaining continuous improvements and retaining the dignity, respect and reverence of the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the legal profession in general.”

Below is the list of the SANs-designate.

ACADEMIC appointees:

1. Prof Bankole Akintoye Sodipo

2. Prof Christian Chizundu Wigwe

3. Prof Ajagbe Toriola Oyewo

4. Prof Rasheed Jimoh Ijaodola

5. Prof Oluyinka Osayame Omorogbe

6. Dr Josephine Aladi Achor Agbonika

7. Dr Ibrahim Abdullahi

8. Prof Edoba Bright Omoregie

9. Prof Abiola Olaitan Sanni

10. Dr Anthony Ojukwu Okechukwu

ADVOCATES appointees

11. George Audu Anuga

12. Simon Asember Lough

13. Eko Ejembi Eko

14. Ayo Abraham Olorunfemi

15. Reuben Okpanachi Atabo

16. John Ogwu Adele

17. Shaibu Enejoh Aruwa

18. Eyitayo Ayokunle Fatogun

19. Jacob Johnson Usman

20. Tajudeen Olaseni Oladoja

21. Salman Jawando Ayinla

22. Adeola Rasaq Omotunde

23. Mathew Gwar Bukka

24. Mohammed Ndayako

25. Hassan Usman El-Yakub

26. Ishaq Magaji Hussaini

27. Samuel Atung

28. Mohammed Abdulhamid

29. Kabiru Aliyu

30. Mohammed Abdulaziz Sani

31. Uche Sunday Awa

32. Uchenna Chinyere Ihediwa

33. Philip Ndubuisi Umeh

34. Peter Aguigom Afuba

35. Felix Anayo Onuzulike

36. Benjamin Chukwudi Uzuegbu

37. Benjamin Nworah Osaka

38. Ikenna Okoli

39. Edwin Sunday Chukwujekwu Obiora

40. Emeka Jude-Philip Obegolu

41. Clement Onwuenwunor

42. Chijioke Ogugua Precious Emeka

43. Anthony Obinna Mogboh

44. Victor Ugwuezumba Opara

45. Kamasuode Wodu

46. Charles Udoka Ihua-Maduenyi

47. Sammie Abiye Somiari

48. Ogaga Ovrawah

49. Charles Dumbiri Mekwunye

50. Ikeazor Ajovi Akaraiwe

51. Marcellous Eguvwe Oru

52. Mark Okebuinor Mordi

53. Ehiogie West-Idahosa

54. Fredricks Ebos Itula

55. Ibrahim Idris Agbomere

56. Anthony Ademuyiwa Adeniyi

57. Bolarinwa Olotu

58. Adekola Olawale Fapohunda

59. Adekunle Akanbi Ojo

60. Olaotan Olusegun Ajose-Adeogun

61. Rotimi Sheriff Seriki

62. Olukayode Oluwole Adeluola

63. Adeyinka Moyosore Kotoye

64. Oluwasina Olanrewaju Ogungbade 65. Afolabi Fatai Kuti

66. Francis Omotosho

67. Ayodeji Adedipe

68. Adeleke Olaniyi Agbola

69. James Akingbola Akinola

70. Muritala Oladimeji Abdul-Rasheed

71. Dauda Adekola Mustapha

72. Kazeem Adekunle Gbadamosi

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  • EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Sep 09, 2021
  • 1
  • Comments Off on BREAKING: LPPC RESTORES NWOFOR’S SAN RANK

BREAKING: LPPC RESTORES NWOFOR’S SAN RANK

The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) has restored the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria to leading Port Harcourt lawyer, Mr. Beluolisa Nwofor, CITY LAWYER can authoritatively report. The decision was taken at the meeting of the committee held last Tuesday.

CITY LAWYER gathered that the LPPC made the decision after considering an application by Nwofor for a review of its earlier resolution withdrawing the rank. The restoration is to take immediate effect.

Though the Acting Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and LPPC Secretary, Hajo Sarki Bello did not respond to our telephone call, Nwofor told CITY LAWYER that he was “very happy” to hear the news.

His words: “I am very grateful to God who has made it possible for me to be alive to see the restoration of my rank. I thank the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria for restoring my rank. It is a good thing they have done.

“I will continue to pledge my loyalty to the legal profession and continue to play my part in promoting justice delivery and the rule of law. Every one of us has a role to play in the justice system. I will continue to play my own part, show utmost respect to the courts and abide by the ethics of our profession.”

He however told CITY LAWYER that he is yet to receive the letter from the LPPC.

It is recalled that Nwofor had his exalted rank stripped from him at the 126th general meeting of the LPPC held on 22nd June, 2017 following a petition to the committee by the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal. He was accused of being “rude” to the panel of Court of Appeal justices when he appeared before them on November 16, 2016 in Appeal No. CA/A/551c/M/2016 between Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) and Prince Ebiyi Poroye and 10 others in connection with the 2016 Ondo State Governorship Election.

Nwofor was called to the Nigerian Bar on August 22, 1985 and took silk on September 13, 2004. At the peak of his career, Nwofor was reputed for his brilliance and adjudged one of the go-to lawyers in the oil-rich Port Harcourt.

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  • EDITOR'S CHOICE
  • Aug 19, 2021
  • 3
  • Comments Off on BREAKING: ANOTHER SENIOR ADVOCATE DIES, MAY BE BURIED TODAY

BREAKING: ANOTHER SENIOR ADVOCATE DIES, MAY BE BURIED TODAY

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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