On September 19, in Abuja, the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) of the Body of Benchers will confer the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on 22 lawyers, including three academics. Legal Editor, JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU, profiles some of them.
The full list
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ON September 19, 22 lawyers will be conferred with the rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs). They are Nigerian Law School (NLS) Director-General Olanrewaju Onadeko, Nnamonso Eminem, Prof. Muhammed Tabiu, Dr. Valerie-Janette Azinge, Olufunke Agbor, Olusola Ojutalayo, Richard Akintunde, Oyesoji Oyeleke, James Njeze Ikeyi and Elisha Kurah.
Others are: Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Olatubosun Olanipekun, Chief Kalu Umeh, Adewale Adesokan, Andrew Igboekwe, Fredson Okoli, Olaseni Adio, Olasheni Ibiwoye, Abdulhakeem Mustapha, Mba Ukweni, Edward Gyang Pwajok and Prof. Chukwu Omaka.
Olanrewajo Onadeko
He was Secretary to the Council of Legal Education (CLE) and Director of Administration of the institution. He teaches Criminal Procedure and Advocacy, which is his specialty. He wrote the book “The Nigerian Criminal Trial Procedure” and many articles in journals. He is the first Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Nigerian Law and Practice Journal (1997-2001). He served as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of The Republic of Gambia (1989-1994). Onadeko is a former Deputy Director-General, Lagos Campus of the Law School and rose to become the Director-General of the institution.
Dr. Valerie Azinge
Dr. Valerie Azinge obtained her Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B) from the University of Jos in 1980 and finished at the Law School in 1981.
She obtained a Master of Laws Degree (LL.M) in 1984 from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and in 1990, she obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in Law (Ph. D) from the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma.
Dr. Azinge, the Managing Partner of Azinge and Azinge, an Abuja-based law firm, is a member of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chairman, Committee on Family and Child’s Rights, Member, NBA Section on Legal Practice (SLP), International Bar Association (IBA) and World Jurists Association. She is the author of the Jurisprudence of Failed Banks Tribunal and the Law of Broking in Nigeria.
Mrs Azinge has held several political offices, including Commissioner, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) 1996 -2000, Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial killing, NHRC.
Umeh Kalu
Chief Umeh Kalu was born in Okagwe-Ohafia in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State.
He bagged his Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B) from the Abia State University in 1981 in 1985 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986.
Umeh Kalu set up his law Firm, Umeh Kalu & Associates in Surulere, Lagos State in 1986.
In 2007, he obtained a Masters Degree in Law (LL.M) from the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS).
Kalu has at various times held the following positions, including Senior Special Assistant on Legal Matters to the Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji; member, Body of Benchers from 2009 till date; member, Council of Legal Education from 2009 till date; member, Abia State Security Council; Chairman, Abia State Council on Prerogative of Mercy, founder, the Umeh Kalu Foundation.
He is the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Abia State.
Andrew Chukwuemeka Igboekwe
Andrew Chukwuemeka Igboekwe obtained his first degree in law (LL.B) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1987. He won several faculty prizes for being the best student in Law of Banking and Insurance, Law of Taxation, Family Law e.t.c., graduating with a second class upper. He was also the best all round graduating student in the faculty and won the Dean of the Faculty of Law’s annual prize for the best all round graduating student in 1987.
He attended Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos where he passed the bar final exams in 1988 with second class honours upper division. He was called to the Nigerian Bar on November 3, 1988. He cut his teeth at the Chambers of Chief Afe Babalola SAN in Ibadan. He later moved to Lagos and set up his own law firm Andy Igboekwe & Co. In 1993, Igboekwe obtained a Masters in law (LL.M) from the University of Lagos. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).
Chijioke Okoli
Chijioke Okoli holds a Masters (LLM) in Sports Law and Practice from De Montfort University, Leicester, England.
He is a pioneer of sports law in Nigeria, and specialises in commercial litigation, including white collar crime matters in the commercial/corporate environment.
Okoli was the pioneer General Counsel for Team Nigeria over a decade ago and continues to advise sports clubs and other sports entities.
A founding partner of Lagos-based commercial law firm of Ilo & Okoli, Okoli is a former Chairman of NBA Lagos Branch. Active in the Section on Business Law (SBL) the NBA, he was in addition member the National Executive Committee of the NBA, for over two years a prosecutor for the Association in the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee of the Body of Benchers.
Mba E. Ukweni
Mr. Mba E. Ukweni graduated from the University of Calabar in 1992 with a Bachelor of Laws, (L L. B). He was admitted into the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos in 1992 and qualified the following year, with Barrister at Law, BL. He was called to the Nigerian Bar on December 15, 1993.
Ukweni did his National Youth Service Corp in Enugu between 1993 and 1994 in the Chambers of Johnny C. Okonkwo (SAN), Legal Practitioners in Enugu. After his National Youth Service, Mr. J. C. Okonkwo (SAN) retained Ukweni and he practised from December 1993 to July 1998.
He joined Kanu G. Agabi& Associates in July 1998. Ukweni set up Mba E. Ukweni & Associates on March 16, 2005. He has since been the Principal partner of the firm.
Ukweni is a member of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR).
He was a member of the Enugu Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), 1993 -1998 and that of Calabar Barnch since 1998. Ukweni was Legal Adviser, Nigerian Bar Association, Calabar Branch, from October 2006 to October 2008 and Chairman, NBA Calabar Branch from April 2009 to April 2011
Ukweni is an Associate Editor of Legal Text Publishing Company Ltd., the Publishers Weekly Report of Nigeria (WRN), June 2000 till date. He is Chairman, Cross River State Law Reforms Commission.
Source: Nation
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