Senior Advocates of Nigeria is a title conferred on the best lawyers in Nigeria. It takes years of experience, dedication and passion to get to this stage as a legal practitioner.
SANs are learned legal inspirations who have distinguished themselves in the legal world and have used their achievement as a blessing to society.
These legendaries have also sharpened Nigerian jurisprudence with their brilliant and priceless contribution. Many of them have been awarded prestigious ranks as Senior Advocates of Nigeria. (SAN), to recognize their humanitarian effort towards deepening the understanding of the Nigerian corpus juris and also as an indication that they have gotten to the peak of their career in this field.
In a recent article InlandTown media compiled a list of some exceptional Senior Advocates of Nigeria past and present , Here are some more SANs.
Solomon Asemota SAN
Solomon Adun Asemota SAN (born 8 December 1938) is a Nigerian Lawyer and human rights, activist. He is the founder and principal partner of the law firm Solomon Asemota & co., (since 1970), Barristers and Solicitors, with offices in Benin City, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, and London.
He has written several publications dedicated to effecting a change in the state of the Nation. He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1986. As the Nation Chairman of the National Christian Elders’ Forum (NCEF), he has made a lot of strides regarding Democracy and freedom for Christians in Nigeria.
Solomon Asemota was appointed Secretary to the Nigerian Bar Association, Benin Branch, 1974 – 1978. He became the National Treasurer of, the Nigerian Bar Association. 1978 – 1980 then Secretary, Finance Committee, Sixth Commonwealth Law Conference – 1980.
He was a Member of the General Council of the Bar from 1978 – 1984. He became a Visiting Lecturer for Courses in Civil Procedure at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies – 1985.
Then he was a Member of the Council of Legal Education from 1979 – 1985. He became a Member of the Disciplinary Committee, of the General Council of the Bar, from 1990 to 1995, and a Member, Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee 1991 – 1993 (the committee that confers the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on Lawyers).
He was later conferred with the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1986.
ARTHUR OBI OKAFOR SAN
The story of Chief Arthur Obi Okafor, a core litigation lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is one that reflects the reward for hard work, perseverance, and diligence. Born on the 18th day of July 1965 into the family of late Chief Humphrey Orizu Okafor from Abatete in Idemili North Local Government Area in the present-day Anambra State of Nigeria, he started his educational pursuit.
In 1984 he obtained an Ordinary Certificate in Business Administration at the School of Accountancy and Business Studies, Uyo, Cross River State.
Arthur Obi rose in his career under the umbrella of Chief Ikeazonr as his personal assistant.
A strong believer and product of mentorship, whose firm has produced members of higher and lower Bench, Arthur Obi-Okafor opened the doors of his firms to young lawyers who are ready to learn and has made it a veritable platform for pupillage.
Wole Olanipekun, SAN
Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, OFR, is a Nigerian Lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He was born on the 18th of November 1951, a native of Ikere-Ekiti, he attended Amoye Grammar School in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
He was called to bar in July 1976 after he graduated from the Nigerian Law School and subsequently attained the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in July 1991, the same year in which he was appointed as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Ondo State and served in that capacity for two years. In 2002, he was elected as President of the Nigerian Bar Association and became the vice President of the Pan African Lawyers Union, in 2003. He is currently the chairman of the Body of Benchers, which is the highest ruling body in the Nigerian legal profession.
Wole Olanipekun, is recognized as one of the best lawyers in Nigeria. He is notable for his work advising on government disputes, as well as white-collar and financial crime cases. Olanipekun has many appellations in court, like the ‘Big Masquerade’, ‘The Oracle’, ‘Cicero of Law’ and ‘Legal Wizard’.
In 2007, when Obasanjo in his casual ways of doing certain things, unilaterally announced the sacking of the then Vice President, Abubakar Atiku, Chief Olanipekun challenged what he called a coup on the Constitution and got the Supreme Court to nullify such arbitrary use of power by saying Atiku couldn’t be sacked so casually without recourse to the Constitution. He also saved Atiku like many others in the hands of Code of Conduct in what appeared like mere persecution and victimisation.
He is the founder of Wole Olanipekun & Co, Nigeria’s leading and reputable law which have proven to have the resources and skills necessary to resolve a wide range of complex legal matters for clients.
Within and outside Nigeria, the name, Wole Olanipekun, is massive, especially when the issue at hand is law and on constitutional development.
Safiya Umar Badamasi SAN
Safiya Umar Badamasi SAN, the first Hausa/Fulani Muslim woman to become Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and first lawyer from Katsina State to attain the exalted bar position in 2020.
Born on June 12, 1968 at Malumfashi town of Katsina State, the erudite lawyer rose through the rank to become the Solicitor General/Permanent Secretary of the Katsina State Ministry of Justice in November 2018.
She studies law in 1985 in the then Kaduna State College of Legal and Islamic Studies, now Hassan Usman Katsina State Polytechnic and obtained a Diploma in Law in 1987.
She attended Bayero University Kano between 1991 and 1995, where she obtained LL.B (Hons). She proceeded to Nigerian Law School and was called to the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1998.
Badamasi began her working career with Katsina Ministry of Commerce and Tourism briefly between 1989 and 1990 as Assistant Tourism Officer.
She later transferred her services to Katsina State Ministry of Justice where she rose from Litigation Officer to her current position of Permanent Secretary/Solicitor-General.
Before becoming the Solicitor-General, she was Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Katsina State between 2007 and 2018.
She has to her credit four Supreme Court judgments as well as many Court of Appeal and High Court judgments.
ILOCHI AUGUSTINE OKAFOR
Prof. OKAFOR is a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who has distinguished himself in the Legal Profession. Public Administration and in human and material development.
He has attained Twenty-seven (27) years of conferment with the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Professor Okafor is deeply involved in Development both in leaching in the University and also in the practical assistance to rural dwellers in the Communities. He supervised many Postgraduate theses in the Law faculty and have touched the lives of people at the grassroots with positive policy formulation and implementation as a public administrator with a vision.
Above all, Professor Ilochi Okafor is a seasoned Icon who has used his intellectual gifts and administrative positions to help human beings.
