THe rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) will swell with admission of 21 new silks to the Inner Bar. On September 21, the SANs will be sworn in as part of activities to mark the beginning of the new legal year. The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) received 124 applications this year and it was pruned down to 50, out of which 21 were selected.

At the end of the screening, three academics and 18 advocates, including a woman made the final list. According to the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the Committee, Mr Ahmed Saleh, LPPC took the decision at its 119th General Meeting.

Who are these new silks?  Vanguard Law and Human Rights profiled some of them.

TAHIR Mamman

Dr. Tahir Mamman is the former Director-General of the Nigerian Law School. Until his appointment as the school’s DG, he was the deputy director of the Kano campus of the institution,and also one time Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Maiduguri. The law school celebrated it’s 50th anniversary at the twilight of his tenure as DG in 2013.

Born in Adamawa state,Dr Mamman attended the famous Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and had his second and third degrees in Warwick University,England. He a recipient of the national honour, Order Of the Niger (OON).

Prof. Maxwell M. Gidado

Prof. Maxwell M. Gidado was the former Dean of the Faculty of Law Nasarawa State University, Keffi, before his appointment as the Chief of Staff to the Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri. Born in Sugu, Adamawa State in 1960. A 1983 graduate of the University of Maiduguri , he   was   called to the Bar in 1984. He obtained the Master of Law (LLM) degree and PhD from the University of Warwick in England.

Gidado did his National   Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 1984-85 at the law firm of   A.O. Arulogun & CO in Port Harcourt during which he was engaged in serious law practice and became a Professor of Law in 2011 at Department of Private and Business Law,   Nasarawa State University, Keffi before he was an Associate Professor.

He was a Deputy Dean of Law and was made Dean Faculty of Law in   2009, a position he occupied till his appointment as the Chief of Staff.    Gidado was   Senior Special Assistant Legal and Constitutional Matters,   to the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from 2003 to 2007 and   Senior Special Assistant Legal and Constitutional Matters to former President Olusegun Obasanjo   from 1999 to 2003.

He was Secretary, Presidential Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution from 1999 to 2001,   a former Assistant Director (Academic) at the Nigerian Law School Bwari from January 1999 to June 1999. Gidado was also Special Assistant to the former Chairman Constitutional Debate Co-ordinating Committee Justice Niki Tobi JSC   (rtd) which midwifed the 1999 Constitution   from November 11 to December 31 1998.

Dr. Oladapo Olanipekun

Dr. Oladapo Olanipekun, is the son of former Nigerian Bar Association president,chief Wole Olanipekun SAN. A product of University of Lagos Law Faculty,the younger Olanipekun who attended the Lagos campus of the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Bar in 2003.

He studied for his PhD between 2005 and 2009. He subsequently began his active law practice in his father’s chamber, Wole Olanipekun and Co. He currently the head of chamber. It was in recognition of his invaluable contributions to the advancement of the Legal Profession in the country that his name made the list of the new silk.

Prof. Paul Idornigie

Professor Paul Obo Idornigie, is a University Scholar, holds a doctorate degree in International Commercial Arbitration, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (London), a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Member, London Court of International Arbitration, Member, International Bar Association and Commonwealth Lawyers Association.

He retired as a Senior Lecturer at the Nigerian Law School, Abuja where he taught Company Law & Practice (including Arbitration and ADR Processes) and Law of Evidence and later took up appointment as a Research Professor of Law at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Abuja.

He is a Resource Person to the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) on Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). He is on the Panel of Neutrals at the Abuja and Lagos Multi Door Courthouses, Nigeria and the Panel of Arbitrators at the Lagos Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration, Lagos,and Nigerian Communications Commission, Abuja.

He was formerly at the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE),the National Secretariat of the National Council on Privatisation,where he was a World Bank/Development for International Development Adviser (consultant) and General Counsel/Head of Secretariat. In this capacity,Idornigie was the Legal Adviser to BPE and thus was involved in the drafting and negotiation of the privatisation,commercialisation and concession transactions and conversant with infrastructure regulation.

Kehinde K. Eleja

Kehinde K. Eleja attended the Usman Danfodio University in Sokoto in 1992 and obtained a Second Class (Lower Division) from the Law School, Lagos in 1993. He was called to the Bar in 1993. Mr Eleja was a pupil state counsel at the Benue State Ministry of Justice ,Otukpo from 1993-1994 during his National Youth Service scheme.

He was exposed to acts of criminal prosecution, rendering legal advice on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecution of the State and generally representing the State Government and its agencies in litigations in court. He joined the law firm of Yusuf Ali & Co. in October, 1994 as a junior counsel and rose to become the Head of Chambers. He is currently a partner in the firm.

Eleja, who is a member of International Bar Association, was the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ilorin branch from November 2005 to October, 2007. He was also a member of the Kwara State Criminal Justice Committee from 2005-2007. He has been a member of the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association since 2005. He was the Editor-in-chief of the Ilorin Bar Journal, a publication of the NBA, Ilorin Branch from 2004-2007.

He has in the course of his career represented corporate and individual clients in all the courts of record in the country, Commissions of Inquiry, Arbitration Panels, Election Tribunals, among others. Though he is tested in all aspects of legal practice, he has bias for Administrative Law, Election Petitions, Commercial Law, Corporate Practice, Criminal Prosecution, Arbitration and Real and Property Law.

Uchechukwu Obi

Uchechukwu Obi obtained his bachelors of Law degree from Imo State University, Okigwe in 1991 and was called to the Bar in 1992. He later received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Management in 2001 from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ABTU) Bauchi, and later proceeded to the University of Lagos where he was awarded a Master of Law degree in Corporate and Commercial Law.

He is a partner in Alliance Law Firm and member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators of the United Kingdom (MCIArb), International Bar Association, the Honorary Secretary of the Capital Market Solicitors Association, and a member of the Lagos Country Club.

Obi has deep experience in Corporate and Commercial legal practice, business start-up and combinations (including mergers and acquisitions), corporate restructuring and turnaround, consolidation and capital raising transactions, corporate finance and securities transactions, real estate, oil and gas businesses, and corporate governance.

Goddy Uche

Goddy Uche obtained his LLB with Honours in 1990 at the Imo State University, Uturu and proceeded to Nigeria Law School for his BL (Hons), Law (1990 – 1991). He is the Head of Chambers, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) & Co. He has skills in Arbitration, Alternative Dispute, Dispute Resolution, Corporate Law, Litigation, Commercial Litigation, International Law, Legal Advice, Legal Research, Civil Litigation.

Gordy is also knowledgeable   in Legal Assistance, Legal Writing, Intellectual Property, Joint Ventures, Immigration Law, Corporate Governance, Criminal Law, Mediation, Family Law, Administrative Law and Employment Law.

Olumuyiwa Akinboro

Olumuyiwa Akinboro is the Principal Partner and founder of Akinboro & Co. He was called to the Bar in 1991 and thereafter set up his law firm, he worked in a number of legal establishments including: Plateau State Ministry of Justice, Femi Lanlehin & Co, Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) & Co. He is on the board of several companies and is currently a member of the prestigious Body of Benchers, Nigeria (the highest ruling body in the Nigerian legal profession).

He is a member of the following bodies: Federal Judicial Service Commission; Member Governing Council, University of Benin; Member General Council of the Bar. He was the immediate past General Secretary of the NBA; a past Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association Abuja Branch; former Member FCT Judicial Service Committee and Member FCT Land Use and Allocation Committee.

His principal area of work are litigation and advocacy, arbitration and mediation, receivership and company liquidation.

Emeka Etiaba

Emeka Etiaba is a Legal Practitioner, Capital Market Consultant (Legal) and a Notary Public. He provides multi-specialist company & commercial law services to diverse clientele. He is also known as a politician and one of the sons of former Governor Virgy Etiaba of Anambra State. He aspired to rule Anambra State in 2010 with the initial endorsement of late national leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, but that ambition was frustrated in favour of the former governor, Peter Obi.

Emmanuel C. Aguma

Emmanuel Chinwenwo Aguma is a Rivers State lawyer and People’s Democratic Party politician. He is the current Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice in the state. Between 2000 and 2002 he worked as Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association Port Harcourt Branch, and also chaired the Bar from 2006 to 2008.

Adeniyi Adegbonmire

Adeniyi Adegbonmire is a Lagos based Lawyer. He is a Partner (lagos office) at Aluko & Oyebode & co. He is an experienced legal practitioner and has represented a wide range of clients including;multi-national corporations, banks, financial institutions and overseas law firms. He advises on all aspects of Nigerian litigation practice and procedure. His areas of specialisation include commercial litigation and arbitration, banking, corporate recovery and insolvency, company and partnership disputes.

He is also a core member of the Firm’s real property practice and advises on all aspects of property law with particular emphasis on acquisitions, conveyancing, leases and mortgages.

Ibrahim Bawa

Ibrahim Anyars Bawa is the acting director in charge of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Legal Unit. He was member of INEC Task Force on how to get Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to vote in the 2015 General Election.

Muiz Banire

Muiz Banire holds a doctorate degree in Property Law, from the University of Lagos. He was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Private and Property Law in the same University. He is the National legal adviser of the ruling All Progressive congress APC. Banire was a three time Commissioner in Lagos State under former Governors Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola SAN,he has been active in legal practice for years with books written on different areas of law.

Under the two administrations, he was in charge of transport and environment ministries respectively. In the build-up to the Lagos APC Governorship primaries, his name featured as one of the notable contenders.

Abimbola Akeredolu

Abimbola Akeredolu is the Attorney General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice of Ogun State. She is the first female AG of the State since inception in 1976. Before her appointment, she had a highly successful career in the private sector as a Partner at Banwo and Ighodalo, one of Nigeria’s foremost commercial law firm. Abimbola holds an LLB from the University of Lagos. She is the only female among the 21 new SANs.

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