After athorough review names before it, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee(LPPC) has shortlisted President Bola Tinubu’s counsel, Oluwole Afolabi, and 86other members of the Nigerian Bar for the rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria(SAN).
Aside from the legal practitioners, the LPPC also picked 11 legal academics for the title to be conferred on the 98 individuals.
Afolabi, and others who were shortlisted for the title would be the new legal practitioners and academia to receive the SAN title this year.
The LPPC, under the Supreme Court’s umbrella, bestows this highly coveted honour yearly on Nigerian lawyers and legal teachers who have over the years contributed to the development of the country’s legal sector.
According toa document signed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary, LPPC, Hajo Bello, the counsel to Tinubu and others’ names were released to allow the public to make comments on the integrity, competence, and reputation of the shortlisted individuals.
Afolabi, a Nigerian-born attorney with law licences to practice within the country and in the United States, became famous after he assisted President Bola Tinubu fend off cases in the US.
Before he was shortlisted for SAN, Afolabi, who is a graduate of law from the Edo State University, Ekpoma in 1992 , defended $98 million breach of contract case before the Federal District Court in New York, convincing the court to strikeout Nigeria as a defendant from a case wherein Police Equipment Foundation(PEF) purportedly entered into a contract on behalf of Nigeria with Calvary Security Group for the supply of arms and ammunition for the use of the Nigeria Police Force.
Also, the lawyer was involved in defending his fatherland during the $16 million civil suit brought by the City of New York for back taxes on Nigeria House, in which they got the court to set aside the forfeiture of a $4 million property owned by the Federal Government in the city.
He also recovered over $1 million from the United Nations (UN), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in breach of contract dispute involving the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN concerning Nigeria House. The list contains 87 practicing lawyers and 11 legal academics.
Legal practitioners were: Lateef Olaseinde Karim; Godwin Tagbo Ike; Johnson Odionu; Nnodum Marcellinus Duru; Innocent Adams Ovbagbedia; Soronnadi Anthony Njoku; AdamuAbubakar; Charles Oyaole Musa; Udochi Nunny Iheanacho; David Dare Onietan; EleleChinatu Casmir; Joseph Rapuluchuks Nduka; Godwin Ikechukwu Obeta; Habeeb Orisavbia Ilavbare; Moses Kolade Obafemi; Mathew Echezonam Esonanjor; Baba FikaDala; Babatunde Ademoye Sodipo; Mustapha Ikhegbe Abubakar, and Emmanuel Ibhagbemien Esene.
Others were: Henry Adedayo Bello; Boniface Chinedu Moore; Clement Amechi Ezika; Omokayode Adebayo Dada; Edwin Anikwem; Roy Ogbonnaya Umahi Nwaeze; Olumide Oniyire Olugbenga; Monday Onyekachi Ubani; Ayoola Olufemi Ajayi; Paul Chukwuma Obi; Olasupo Dominic Ati-John; Cole Segun Ololade; Charles Ayodeji Adeogun-Phillips; Okechukwu Kingsley Ajunwa; Jacob Ocheogu Ifere; Emmanuel Aderemi Adekile; Christopher Ehumadu Okeke; Waziristan Yusha’u Mamman; Oluronke Adeyemi; Oluwole OlawaleAfolabi; Toboukebide Kekemeke; Akinbamigbe Adesomoju; Victor Owarienomare Odjemu; Joseph Ojochide Daniel-Ebune; Olukunle Ogheneovo Edun; Abdulaziz EnebiIbrahim; Stanley Chidozie Imo; Charles Oladipo Titiloye; Abduljarim KanaAbubakar and Kingsley Chuku.
Ladeyinka Oluwaseun Aderemi; Olaolu Akintunde Owolabi; Adedeji Sharafadeen Abdulkadir; Idowu Omotunde Benson; Kolawole James Olowookere; Chinasa Thelma Unaegbunam; Ademola Oluwawolemi Esan; Omosanya Atilola Popoola; Taiye Ayotunde Oniyide; Emonye OgaAdekwu; Aderemi Oguntoye and Kashopefoluwa Olawale Balogun.
Abdul Adamu; Theodore Okey Ezeobi; Rilwan Birnin Kebbi Umar; Chinenye Ifeanyichukwu Okafor; KakaShehu Lawan; Abba Muhammed; Wendy Nwenenda Kuku; Ekele Enyinnaya Iheanacho; OkechukwuGeorge Edeze; Akinyemi Oluwole Olujinmi; Gyang Yaya Zi; Idris Abubakar; George Ibrahim; Boonyameen Babajide Lawal.
The legal academicswere Terkaa Jeremiah Aondo; Tochukwu Peter Tochukwu; Uchenna Uzo Njoku; Paul Babatunde Daudu; Chukwudi Kachikwu Enebeli; Yusuf Olatunji Ogunrinde; Tobechukwu Kenechukwu Nweke; Ademola Kamardeen Abimbola; Yunus Abdulsalam; MofesomoAyodeji Tayo-Oyetibo; and Chukwuemeka Agamadodaigwe Nnawuchi.
