LAWAL PEDRO: SILK LIKE GOLD

On 14th October 2008, the Supreme Court of Nigeria released the names of 57lawyers short-listed for a final interview on their eligibility to become Senior Advocates of Nigeria. About a week later another list of seven applicants was released. The 7 joined the earlier 57 for the interview of 30th October 2007, making 64 interviewees in all. The 30th October interview took place as scheduled. At the end of the exercise less than half of the interviewees (25) were found worthy to become silks. The lucky 25 are:
Charles Ajuyah, Adetokunbo Okeaya-Inneh, Sagay Omatsoguwa Mogbeye, Andrew Eghobamien, Oladipo Okpeseyi, Charles Adogah, Clement Okwusogu, Donald Denwigwe, Ulasi Obiefuna, Njemaneze Ohir, Eze Duru-Iheoma, Kola Babalola, Karina Tunyan, Eyitayo Jegede, Babajide Kolu, Fagbohunlu Babatunde, Daramola Lucas Olu, Alhaji Olasunkanmi Sanusi, Lawal Pedro, Olabisi Soyebo, Rafiu Lawal-Rabana, Anthony Aondoakaa Ijohor, Abubakar Malami, Suleiman Abdulakadir and Sebastine Tar Tenger.

The list excludes Femi Falana Esq. certainly the best known legal practitioner of the lot, creating shock in legal circles all over the nation. The shock however is cushioned in Lagos State by the inclusion of the name of Lawal Alade Mohammed Pedro on the list. L.A.M Pedro is the incumbent Solicitor General of Lagos State and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice, Lagos and was called to the bar in 1986. Pedro graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1985 with a 2nd Class Upper Degree in Law.

He joined the Lagos State Ministry of Justice in 1988, rose through the ranks on the strength of his heavy capacity for work and penetrating perspicacity of legal issues. This so much that he became and still remains the live-wire of his Ministry’s Civil Litigation Directorate for no less than a decade now. Five years ago the Squib gave Pedro the sobriquet “Mr. Pleadings”. Pedro is so good as an advocate that he is one of the few law officers that private practitioners respect, even fear for their abilities.
Of the 25 selected silk –elects, Pedro has the distinction of being the only civil servant in the group and the first counsel ever from any State’s Ministry of Justice in Nigeria to bag the Senior Advocate of Nigeria Award. In addition, because of his appointment, Lagos State Ministry of Justice becomes the only Justice Ministry in Nigeria with two Senior Advocates of Nigeria. The Honourable Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General Lagos State Supo Sasore, Esq, is already a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Another interesting implication of Pedro’s elevation is that as long as he remains at the Ministry of Justice as Solicitor General, the Attorney-General must always be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria like him and even senior to him to avoid embarrassing conflicts of positions and status.

The Squib gathered that Pedro’s fortune was one of the unplanned fall-outs of the numerous legal battles, Lagos State Government waged up to the Supreme Court, against the Federal Government, and agencies and some big private concerns under the administration of the immediate past governor of the State, Mr. Bola Tinubu (1999-2007). In all those cases, the likes of Professor Yemi Osinbajo Fola Arthir-Worrey and Lawal Pedro from the State’s Ministry of Justice were said to have shone like a million stars and thereby catching the eyes of Supreme Court Judges. One or two of these judges high perch geckos informed the Squib, actually talked Pedro into applying for the silk. Within three years of trying, fortune has smiled on him. As at press time, many Lagos State law officers are still ‘drunk’ with happiness and excitement over Pedro’s success.

CITATION FOR THE 1968 GRADUATES OF THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL

RE-UNION: FROM LEFT GOODIE IBRU (BACKING CAMERA) JAMES OGEBE JCA, PRINCE ADEGOKE ADEMILUYI AND S.A.B OTEJU ESQ. AT THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1968 SET OF THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL

The 1967-68 set of the students of the Nigerian Law School began their legal training in the Nigerian Law School in October 1967 in the middle of the Nigerian Civil War. Consequently our mates from the Eastern part of the country could not join us. The class was therefore, small with a number of about 120 students. The Law School was located at No. 213A Igbosere Road, Lagos Island. The set finished in June, 1968 and the first batch of enrolment to the Bar took place on the 28th of June 1968. The second batch of students who had re-sit examination were enrolled on 21st of October 1968.

James Ogebe JCA

God has blessed this set with a lot of talented lawyers who have contributed immensely to the development of the Nation, in the Judiciary, Legal Practice, business and other spheres of life.

As we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of our call to the Nigerian Bar, we pay tribute to our colleagues numbering 32 who did not live to witness this occasion. May God comfort the families they left behind.

Out of the set, 17 served as High Court Judges. They are:
1. Umaru Abdullahi,
2. Ibrahim Gambari,
3. James Ogebe,
4. Dahiru Musdapher,
5. Ayo Salami,
6. Olufemi Rowland,
7. Aloysius Katsina-Alu,
8. Olufunlola Adekeye,
9. Eniola Longe,
10.Moshood Olugbani,
11. Emmanuel Adegbite,
12. Akinkumi Holloway,
13. James Oduneye,
14. Ruth Oyetunde,
15. Emmanuel Akpomudjere,
16. Lawal Abdullahi,
17. Joshua Omoluabi.

OUT OF THESE SEVENTEEN (17), TWO (2) WERE Chief Judges, they are:-
1. Dahiru Musdapher in Kano State
2. Umaru Abdullahi in Katsina State.

Three (3) acted as Chief Judges, they are:
1. James Ogebe in Benue State
2. Ruth Oyetunde in Oyo State
3. Emmanuel Akpomudjere in Delta State.

Out of these, eight (8) were elevated to the Court of Appeal; they are:
1. Umaru Abdullahi
2. Ibrahim Gambari
3. Dahiru Musdapher
4. Aloysius Katsina-Alu
5. Ayo Salami;
6. James Ogebe;
7. Olufemi Rowland, and
8. Olufunlola Adekeye.

These all served as Presiding Justices in various Divisions of the Court of Appeal. One of them UmaruAbdullahi is currently the President of the Court of Appeal and has been in that office for nearly ten (10) years since February 1999. From the set, three (3) are currently Justices of the Supreme Court. They are:-
1. Aloysius Katsina-Alu,
2. Dahiru Musdapher
3. James Ogebe.

You can imagine what contribution these Judges from the set have made and are making to the development of the law and the Judiciary in Nigeria.

Out of the set we produced two (2) Senior Advocates of Nigeria. They are:
1. Aliyu Salman and
2. Babashola Rhodes of blessed memory.

Some Attorneys-General emerged from the set. They are:
1. Umaru Abdullahi from Kaduna State;
2. Dahiru Musdapher also from Kaduna State;
3. Aliyu Salman from Kwara State;
4. Charles Okolo from the defunct Bendel State;
5. LawalAbdullahi from Plateau State
6. Eniola Longe from Kaduna State.

The set has produced six Life Benchers. They are:
1. Umaru Abdullahi,
2. Dahiru Musdapher;
3. Aloysius Katsina-Alu,
4. Ayo Salami,
5. James Ogebe and
6. Aliyu Salman.

Umaru Abdullahi is the immediate past chairman of the Body of Benchers while Aloysius Katsina-Alu is presently the Vice-Chairman. Olu Adekeye is a Bencher by virtue other office as a Presiding Justice and Badru Olaogun is a life Bencher of the Honurable Society of the Inner Temple, U.K.


In the business world, we produced icons like:
1. Goodie Ibru and
2. Shafiu Alade Bashua

Virtually all those who went into legal practice have successful legal practice; one of them Abel Akpedeye of blessed memory produced a son -Dafe Akpedeye, SAN who is currently the Attorney-General of Delta State.

In politics and traditional rulership we are not left out. Mrs. Alice Osomo was the Minister of Housing under the Obasanjo civilian regime. The present Emir of Ilorin Ibrahim Gambari is one of us. Martin Ade Olubayo of blessed memory was an Oba. It is difficult to chronicle the achievements of all members of the set, especially as we do not have information on some of them.

We are grateful to the Almighty God for enabling us to make our contributions to the
society. May He continue to bless this set, their children and grand children. In the next few years virtually all of us will have retired from public life for reason of age. May God bless the Nigerian Law School that produced us, the Nigerian Bar and Judiciary that sustained us and Federal Republic of Nigeria that gave us the enabling environment within which to operate.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Those concerned are listed hereunder:

1. Jackson, Norman Ethlynde Friday, January 19th 1968.
2. Oki, Sulaiman Isola Adewusi Friday, June 8th, 1968.
3. Olajide, Joachim Opeyemi Friday, June 8th, 1968.
4. Olubay Martin Ade Friday, June 8th, 1968.
5. Olatoye, Ebenezer Olujare Friday, June 28th,. 1968.
6. Adenipekun Timothy Albert Bankole Friday, June 28th,. 1968.
7. Amoda, Fasasi Adewale Friday, June 28th,. 1968.
8. Olubunmi, Raphael Adeoye Friday, June 28th,. 1968.
9 Okolo, Charles Nwafor Friday, June 28th,. 1968.
10. Obozuwa, Augustine kiomogbe Friday, June 28th,. 1968.
11. Dosunmu, Waheed Jinadu Friday, June 28th,. 1968.
13. Sanyaolu, Solomon Olufunsho Friday, June 28th,. 1968.
14. Fabunmi, Jonathan Olufunsho Friday, June 28th,. 1968.
15. Irinoye, Timothy Akinrodola Friday, June 28th,. 1968.
16. Adesalu, Thompson M Ibikunle Friday, June 28th,. 1968.
17. Osofodunrin, Olatunde Osofolake Friday, June 28th, 1968.
18. Katsina, Aloyasius Iyorgyer Friday, June 28th, 1968.
19. Abdullahi, Umaru Friday, June 28th, 1968.
20. Okuyemi, Simeon Olukayode Friday, June 28th, 1968.
21. Osidipe, Oyewole Friday, June 28th, 1968.
22. Awomolo, Jeremy Olayinka Adekanbi Friday, June 28th, 1968.
23. Awe, Lawrence Sunday Friday, June 28th, 1968.
24. Adeniji Adele, Muilikar Abiola (Miss) Friday, June 28th, 1968.
27. Ohimor, Paul Eruoda Friday, June 28th, 1968.
28. Adeyemi, Adedapo Ishola Friday, June 28th, 1968.
29. Adeoye, Adedapo Friday, June 28th, 1968.
30. Adewale Adisa Friday, June 28th, 1968.
31. Adekunle, Samuel Adeoye Abimbola Friday, June 28th, 1968.
32. Ademiluyi, Adegoke Friday, June 28th, 1968.
33. Thomas, Adeniyi Peter Johil Cladius Friday-; June 28th, 1968
34. Aje, Zacchaeus Oluwole Friday, June 28th, 1968
35. Ajimotokan, Abdul Ganiyu Olatunde Friday, June 28th, 1968
36. Akinboro, Gabriel Otenwyiwa Friday, June 28th, 1968
37. Akinriosola, Babafemi Olatunji Friday, June 28th, 1968
38. Akintola, Olaniyi Olalekan Friday, June 28th, l968
39. Alatishe, Abdul Ganiyu Adekunle Friday, June 28th, 1968.
40. Ameen, Moyosore. Friday, June 28th, 1968
41. Apata, Ibukunola Ayodele Friday, June 28th, 1968
42. Ayoade, Murana Akanmu Friday, June 28th, 1968
44. Atewogboye, Nathaniel Oloyede Friday, June 28th, 1968
45. Basfaua, Shafiu Alade Friday, June 28th, 1968
46. Dugbo, Thompson Kasuoma Friday, June 28th, 1968
47. Emakpor, Akonu Omo Friday, June 28th. 1968
48. Balogun, Obayomi Abosode (Miss) Friday, June 28th, 1968
49. Ezemo, Joab Udugbai Friday, June 28th, l968
50. Aburime, Andrew Okoedo Friday, June 28th, 1968
51. Adeleke, Rafiu Adegboyega Friday, June 28th, 1968
52. Adegbite, Emmanuel Adebisi Friday, June 28th, 1968
53. Esangbedo, Felix Okonofua Friday, June 28th, 1968
54. Fafowora, Olukayode Abimbola Friday, June 28th, 1968
55. Fawole, Jones Oyesomi Friday, June 28th, 1968
56. Fubara, Tuboinengi Friday. June 28th, 1968
57. Gambari, Ibrahim Kolapo Friday, June 28th, 1968
58. Giwa-Amu Ikpefuan Friday, June 28th, 1968
59. Holloway, Akinkumi Omoniyi Friday, June 28th, l968
60. Ibim, Clifford Friday. June 28th, 1968
61. Ibironke, Adejuyigbe Friday, June 28th. 1968
62. Ibru, Goodie Minaborae Friday, June 28th, 1968
63. Iluyomade, Babatunde Oloyede Friday, June 28th, 1968
64. James, Effiong Ballantyne Friday, June 28th, 1968
65. Keji, Joseph Adewole Friday, June 28th, 1968
66. Koleoso, Oladipo Friday, June 28th, 1968
67. Johnson, Olufemi Friday, June 28th, 1968
68. Koleoso, Alfred Olusegun Friday, June 28th, 1968
69. Lawyer, Tom Tigege Friday, June 28th, 1968
70. Longe, Eniota Folorunso Friday, June 28th, 1968
71. Lucas, Afolabi Oladeinde Friday, June 28th, 1968
72. Mabo, Michael Olusegun Friday, June 28th, 1968
73. Musdapher, Dabiru Babura Friday, June 28th, 1968
74. Nyamali, Patrick Wozili Giwah Friday, June 28th, 1968
75. Ogunrinde, Oladeinde Friday, June 28th, 1968
76. Ojo, Adebisi Adeyoola (Mrs) Friday, June 28th, 1968
77. Ojosipe, Titus Agbolade Friday, June 28th, 1968
78. Olaogun, Badru Atanda Friday, June 28th, 1968
79. Omitola, Samsom Agboola Friday, June 28th, 1968
80, Omonijo, Thomas Taiye Friday, June 28th, 1968
81. Omotayo, Bandele Friday, June 28th, 1968
82. Onadele, Samuel Adetayo Friday, June 28th, 1968
83. Onafeko, Ayodipupo Friday, June 28th, 1968
84. Oteju, Stephen Afolabi Babalola Friday, June 28th, 1968
85. Otesile, Olawale Friday, June 28th, 1968
86. Omoluabi, Joshua Adeleke Friday, June 28th, 1968
87, Oduneye, James Adegbuyi Friday, June 28th, 1968
88. Ogebe, James Ogeniyi Friday, June 28th, 1968
90. Oluwasanmi, Oyekunle Friday, June 28th, 1968
91. Olugbani, Moshood Akanni Friday, June 28th, 1968
92. Rowland, Rapheael Olufemi Friday, June 28th, 1968
93. Salami, Isa Ayo Friday, June 28th, 1968
94. Salman, Aliyu Atarape Olarenwaju Friday, June 28th, 1968
95. Somolu, Olufemi Friday, June 28th, 1968
96. Aruna, Rafiu Sule Friday, June 28th, 1968
97. Sofolohan, Micheal Olarenwaju Friday, June 28th, 1968
98. Oshodi, Jalleel Adewale Friday, June 28th, 1968
99. Osomo, Alice Mobolaji Friday, June 28th, 1968
100. Neil, Brain Thomas Tuesday, July 2nd, 1968
101. Makama, Walter Wednesday, July 10th, 1968
102. Adebayo, Micheal Otalere Wednesday, July l0th, 1968
103. Adekeye, Olufunlola (Mrs) Monday, October 21st, 1968
104. Adeshoye, ligali Aderemi Monday, October 21st. 1968
105. Jegede, Ladipo Monday, October 21st, 1968
106. Seriki, Mustaeen Ishola Rasheed Monday, October 21st, 1968
107. Oyetunde, Ruth Gbemisola Monday, Octb&er21st, 1968
108. Wabili, Muhammed Monday, October 21st, 1968
109. Marinho, Joseph Joaquim Friday, November 15th, 1968

FROM OUR RECORDS THE UNDER LISTED GRADUANTS HAVE PASSED ON TO THE GREAT BEYOND.
MAY THEIR SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE

1. Akpedeye, Abel Okowe Friday, June 28th, 1968
2. Akpomudjere, Emmanuel Friday, June 28th, 1968
3. Bello, Umaru Friday, June 28th, 1968
4. Minjibir, Adamu Friday, June 28th, 1968
5. Ojeh, Jonathan Iworieokpuru Friday, June 28th, 1968
6. Shantali, Yahaya Friday, June 28th, 1968
7. Rhodes, Babasola Orobiyi Friday, June 28th, 1968
8. Abdullahi, Lawal danyaya Friday, June 28th, 1968

CULLED FROM THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER OF FRIDAY JUNE 13TH 2008

TWISTS IN CJ LAGOS, WORKERS UNION LEADERS CASE

Come 18th November 2008, all other things being equal, the following suits ID/1216/06 ADELENU VS C.J. LAGOS & ORS, ID/1217/06 S.M. JAGUN VS C.J. LAGOS & ORS., ID/1218/06 ALHAJA F. OSHODI VS C.J. LAGOS & ORS., ID/1219/06 SEGUN OMOBOYE VS C.J. LAGOS & ORS., ID/1220/06 B.A. LAWAL VS C.J. LAGOS & ORS. will come up for hearing in Honourable Justice Oyefeso's court at the Ikeja High Court. All the claimants in the above mentioned suits are leaders of the Lagos State Branch of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria who were relieved of their jobs by the administration of the first defendant after being accused of calling out workers in protest against the invasion of the court premises by certain security and paramilitary men said to be on a mission to detect certain fraud and apprehend touts in the open Registry of the Ikeja High Court.
The five cases, we learnt are in different stages of progress before Oyefeso J. For example while the claimant in suit no ID/1216/06 is yet to even open his case in suit no ID/1218/06, the case has reached the final address stage.
In suits no ID/1219/06 and ID/1220/06 the claimants have opened their cases while the claimant in suit no ID/1218/06 has closed her case, making it ripe for the defendants to open their case. The Squib reliably gathered further progress in the hearing of the cases was stalled by the action of the 1st defendant of recalling the case files from the trial judge around August 2008.
Thus in September 2008, when the cases came up there were no files for the trial court to work with and so the cases were adjourned to the 18 November 2008. If the accounts of certain upper layer geckos are anything to go by, then new counsel different from the chambers of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Lagos State will henceforth represent the 1st defendant in the cases.
According to the geckos, the defendant had become uncomfortable with the Attorney-General's Chambers when counsel from the Ministry opined that in the circumstances of the case, it might be better for the parties to explore amicable settlement of the dispute; a situation the 1st defendant found highly unpalatable.
The first defendant, to wit, the Chief Judge of Lagos State is said to be considering the service of the chambers of the legal firm of Afe Babalola &Co, as an alternative to the Ministry of Justice, Alausa, Lagos State.
The claimants on the other hand said to be are sticking with their own counsel and are desirous of speedy determinations of their suits, preferably before the 1st quarter of next year.

NBA IKEJA STARTS ONCE-A-WEEK FITNESS PROGRAMME

The Nigerian Bar Association Ikeja branch has introduced a new dimension to promoting and protecting the welfare interests of her members – setting up a sport cum keep fit club called the TIGER’ SPORTIF.
At the October 2008 monthly meeting of the branch, Dave Ajetomobi Esq, the chairman explained that idea of setting up a sports club was borrowed from a practice of the Warri Branch to have soccer – loving member play football once a week (Saturdays)
The essence of the Sports Club according to the Tiger Chief is to ensure that Tigers have “sound minds in sound bodies”
On Saturday the 18th October 2008, the idea of a Sports Club in the Tiger branch became a reality as seventeen members of the branch to wit, Dave Ajetomobi, Dare Akande, Okey Ogbu (chairman of the Sports Club) Isa Buhari Muhammed, Adesina Ogunlana, Lateef Abdulsalam, Adesina Adegbite, Tayo Aina, Adesina D. Ismail, Lanre Ajanaku, Ahamiojie Ibhafidon, Bimbo Obaseki, Adejare Kembi, Ese Imonighara, Eker Chux-Okonkwo and Mrs. Roli Craig turned up for the maiden outing of the Tiger Sportif.
At about 8.00a.m, on the said day the Tigers stormed the Vining Field, properly of the famous Archbishop Vinning Memorial Church Cathedral Oba Akinjobi Road, G.R.A Ikeja, armed with two soccer balls, one volley-ball and a length of tug-of-war rope.
Led by Adesina Ogunlana, the Welfare Secretary who is also (an uncertified) Moscow trained fitness buff, the Tigers performed several sweat inducing exercises amidst plenty jokes and laughter. After about thirty minutes of the exercises, which saw instant reduction in the size of the mid-riff section of many of the participants, the group divided into equal parts for a tug of war contest.
The side of Captain Okey Ogbu won the first round, almost effortlessly but the second round was won by Captain Dave Ajetomobi’s side, but only after a lot of huffing and puffing coupled with silent supplications for help to the Almighty!
It was time for the Tigers to turn to football, the King of Sports. Team A led by Dave Ajetomobi was the more skillful side, with star players like Adesina Ogunlana and Ese Imonighara, but over-confidence made them lose their 1-0 lead over their opponents at the tail and of the thrilling encounter.
After about forty-five minutes on the football pitch, the Tigers called it a day and moved to their Secretariat where light refreshment was served.
The Tiger Sportif presumably will meet Saturday next (25 October 2008) between 4.00p.m – 7.00p.m, except as otherwise decided by the Sports Committee, the managers of the Tigers Sportif.

LAZY JUDGES IN TROUBLE

LAZY JUDGES IN TROUBLE
Before now only a particular type of Nigerian Judges was having it tough with the National Judicial Council, the employer of judges in Nigeria. This particular type is the corrupt judge, particularly those prone to bribery. Since 1999, the advent of the so called 4th republic quite a number of judges have been shown the door for corrupt and other closely related vices.
Now another type of judges will soon be having sleepless nights, this type is the lazy drones, who love the pomp, perks and pageantry of the judicial office but not the labour.
The National Judicial Council which has approved mouth watering salaries and allowances for judges nationwide (least paid judge to receive #600,000.00 monthly salary and annual 2million naira for medical trip allowance) is poised to weed out non-performing judicial officers by the creation of a new bench-mark of gauging the productivity of judges.
For a Chief Judge of any High Court to come within the minimum approval range of his employers, he has to deliver at least four judgements in three months, while a judge of the High Court or the Court of Appeal would have to deliver at least seven judgements in same period.
To be in good standing with the NJC, a Chief Judge of the High Court would need to deliver at least six judgements in three months while a High Court Judge and a Court of Appeal would have to deliver at least twelve judgements in three months. (Please see the table below)
To ensure compliance, the NJC is said to have set up an active monitoring team to enforce the new regulation.

VALEDICTORY SPEECH BY ERASMUS BADERINWA

VALEDICTORY SPEECH PRESENTED BY ERASMUS BOLA BADERINWA, CHAIRMAN NBA LAGOS BRANCH, TODAY 9TH OF JUNE, 2008 IN HONOUR OF LATE PROFESSOR JADESOLA AKANDE.

Today is a different day. We are making History as we hold a day of Tribute to one of our own, Professor Jadesola Akande.

This event is novel in this branch because it is a different kind of valedictory from what we are used to. It is not a Court session valedictory for it takes a judge sitting to have a court session but it is a tribute by Lawyers for one of their own. WE NOW KNOW THAT IT IS ONLY A LAWYER THAT CAN KNOW A WORTHY LAWYER

WE ARE HERE TO HONOUR OUR SUBJECT not because she was the daughter of a Lawyer, Late Chief Esan of Ibadan. We are not here to celebrate her as the daughter of Mrs. Wuraola Esan, the first woman Senator in Nigeria. If it were to be for her pedigree, we would have been here because of her late spouse Chief Debo Akande SAN, who was our former National General Secretary and Chairman of the Body of Benchers, a body made up of Lawyers of the highest distinction.

Not even the fact that our subject was the mother of one of our Judges, Justice Adenike Coker. However, all the above add up in unveiling the PERSONALITY OF TODAY. If you want to know the secret of a root, find out the soil on which it grew. Professor Jadesola Akande in her about 68 years of earthly life had made. indelible mark on the sand of time.

Born in 1940, she took a degree in Law in 1963 from the prestigious University of London, got called to bar and later capped her career with an Academic Doctorate Degree. She taught at the University of Lagos, for years where she churned out a good percentage of Lawyers in the 70's and 80's, she became the pioneer dean of Law at the Lagos State University, later Vice Chancellor of the University.

She made History as the first Nigerian woman to take a PhD in Law, became the first Nigerian Women Professor in Law, the first Lawyer vice chancellor of a University.

After leaving the Academics she served as Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure. She was also the Chairman for Legal Education of the Nigerian Bar Association for several years.

As lofty as these heights are, it is not the main reason why we are here. We are here because of the common touch of Professor Jadesola Akande with the down trodden Nigerian. Her actions came to the fore after the SOSOLISO air crash that terminated the lives of school children of the Jesuit College in the year 2004 (Interestingly none of these children was Profs distant relation).

In company of other women, she marched on the streets of Lagos, protesting that the Government should make the Nigerian Air Space safer. In spite other age, some government security operatives pumped tear gas on her, she bore all that for the down trodden Nigerian.

Here in our branch, Professor Akande will not only attend our meeting but will regularly phone the Chairman to apologize if there is a likelihood that she will be absent from any of our meetings, in fact just days before her death, she attended our meeting where she contributed to our discussions. She was also tile Chairperson of the ELDERS FORUM of the branch. She would have presented a report of her committee at the May meeting if death had spared her life.

Mrs. Akande ran a Non-Government Organisation which is focused on women's issues. She was a good model of her catholic faith that lays emphasis on charity as a weapon of salvation.

Weep not for Professor Akande because we believe she is resting at the bosom other God in heaven. That is the ultimate prize for doing his will here on earth. However, we pray that her life will be a model for others.

We expect that our humble appreciation of her will encourage the living to emulate her. The greatest legacy a man/woman can live behind after death is to be appreciated by ones peers,

I cannot end this speech without calling for a more cordial relationship between the Bar and the Bench, both arms are the two strong pillars of the judiciary. It is from the Bar that the Bench is recruited; it is also the Bar that pleads before the Bench for the robust development of our case Law.

This becomes necessary because of the peculiar decision of the Lagos State Judiciary that it will only hold valedictory court sessions for Senior Advocates of Nigeria and not other Lawyers however eminent. That may have explained why one of the greatest Presidents of the Nigerian Bar Association Alao Aka Bashorun was buried in November 2005 without a court session

Now, we have a renowned jurist who taught several sets of Senior Advocates being derived same honour. This calls for concern. It is not so in other jurisdiction. Our colleagues outside Lagos State find it difficult to believe when we told them.

We pray our amiable Chief Judge of Lagos State and his brother Judges to have a rethink on this together. The Bar and the Bench will work together for the development of our judicial system.

But for us in the Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, we have decided, come what may, that we will celebrate our members from the date of their call to the bar to the date of their death and that is what we are doing today.

I thank all of you who found time to grace this occasion, especially those of you who traveled long distances from the South East, South-South, and from the Northern part of the country.

I equally thank most especially my brother Chairmen from the Ikeja branch and Ikorodu branch.

Once again thank you.

IS THE NBA DYING?

SQUIB BAR NEWS

On the surface, the Nigerian Bar Association appears to be doing well, very well indeed. For one, the association is prided as the leading and credible professional association in the country, which many presume gets the ear of the government when it decides to speak.

Also, one often reads in newspapers of how certain specialized sections and for a of the NBA are doing wonderfully well.