By Muritala Abdul-Rasheed, SAN
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I was rocked with utmost pleasure and elation on Thursday, March 31, 2023, on the occasion of emergence of Chief Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, Life Bencher, as the Vice-Chairman of the Body of Benchers (BOB), a body which is composed of the legal practitioners of the highest distinction in Nigeria. The Body, among other things, is also responsible for the formal call to the Bar of persons seeking to become legal practitioners as well as disciplining of erring lawyers.
Awomolo’s emergence is sequel to the elevation of the immediate-past Vice Chairperson, Honourable Justice Mary Peter Odili (Rtd), to the office of Chairman of the illustrious Body. Justice Peter Odili succeeded Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, whose illustrious tenure as the 50th Chairman ended on Thursday, March 30th, 2023.
My elation over Chief Awomolo’s emergence stemmed from two cogent reasons, the first is that BOB has given due recognition to whom it is due. Secondly, I was happy because the BOB has not allowed perfidious politicking and invidious internal wrangling, which unfortunately seems to be rocking the bar for some time now, to derail its hallowed well-laid procedure of filling the top leadership position of the BOB in accordance with its tradition.
Let me put this briefly in the right perspective. Conventionally, the position of the Chairman of the BOB has been alternated annually between the Bar and the Bench. Furthermore, for the sake of rancor-free, smooth and seamless transition, it is the Vice-Chairman that is automatically elevated to the position of the Chairman of BOB while the most senior person of either the Bar or the Bench (depending on which is applicable for a particular year based on the Bar/Bench alternate policy), is chosen for the position of the Vice-Chairman.
Thus, just as the Immediate Past Chairman, highly revered Chief Wole Olanipekun,CFR,SAN (from the Bar), finished his term, the Vice-Chairman, Justice Mary Odili (from the Bench), automatically became the Chairman. Justice Mary-Odili is a worthy, brilliant ,ethical and respectable jurist and it is a big plus to the legal profession to have a personality like her at the head of affairs BOB.
This is a time-honoured standing tradition of precedence that has served the legal profession well as it has ensured well-ordered and straightforward leadership transition.
Chief Awomolo himself referred to this convention, when in his Acceptance Speech as the Vice-Chairman of the Body last Thursday said, “The seamless and natural transition of leadership of the body of benchers, wherein I was nominated and overwhelmingly elected as the vice chairman, Body of Benchers, (the body of men and women of the highest distinction in the legal profession in Nigeria) is commendable as this is what had been the tradition from its inception 50 years ago and it is worthy of continuation.”
Its worth stating that there were some attempts to derail this ingenious transition arrangement by the inexperienced and ill-advised NBA President Yakubu Maikyau, SAN and some potentates at the Bar which happily, was vehemently rejected by the BOB.But that is a story for another day, for the present moment it suffices to rejoice in the emergence of this legal icon, Chief Adegboyaga Awomolo, as the Vice-Chairman of BOB.
Chief Awomolo has rendered numerous unforgettable services to the legal profession in Nigeria. Notable among these is the role he played in resuscitating the Nigerian Bar Association, which became moribund between 1992 and 1996 as a result of implosive forces of political manipulation that bedeviled the bar at the 1992 NBA Presidential election which held in Port Harcour,t Rivers state. The aftermath of the crisis-ridden and inconclusive election saw the NBA plunged into interregnum for six years.
It is on record that it was Chief Awomolo-led Committee of Chairmen and Secretaries of the Nigerian Bar Association that successfully orchestrated actions that led to the rebirth of the NBA at the national level. The Committee, which had another prominent lawyer, Chief Richard Oma Ahonaruogho,SAN toured the length and breadth of Nigeria towards ensuring reconciliation of all factions and building bridges across all divides to revive the comatose lawyers’ body.
Chief Awomolo, as the Chairman of the Committee, visited most of the then 88 branches of the NBA with the gospel of peace and reconciliatory overtures at a great personal financial cost not to talk of risk to his live, as on occasions he would arrive some of the places in the dead of the night, braving the perils associated with night travels on the ever-dangerous Nigerian roads.
However, God crowned the efforts of Awomolo’s committee with success as two years later, precisely in August 1998, NBA re-emerged at the national level with the newly elected full executives led by Cheif TJO Okpoko,SAN coming into office.Its the same Chief Awomolo, SAN that the NBA infantile leadership was opposing his nomination.
Awomolo’s capacity for reconciling feuding parties and propensity for ensuring peaceful resolution of conflict is not limited to the resolution of the NBA impasse above. As a matter of fact, he has waded in countless number of issues, including nipping in the bud issues that were potentially explosive and discreetly sorting out blossoming crises from becoming aggravated.
Chief Awomolo is also reputed for having mentored countless number of young lawyers most of whom have now become notable legal practitioners in their own right. His philosophy of nurturing the younger generation of lawyers to become adept at law as well as being ethically upright and responsible professionals has goaded him in the way he related with younger lawyers.
He is also known for having always contributed tonnes of great ideas for the progress and development of legal profession in Nigeria – a reason why he is highly respected at the bar, even among his contemporaries.
In the light of little things I have been able to say here, among the countless ones he has done, there is no doubt that Chief Awomolo has paid his dues and he is very deserving of the honourable office of the Vice-Chairman of the Body of Benchers.
His pedigree over the years stands him out as a man of immense maturity and leadership capabilities. He remains a luminary and a beacon for others to follow.
Chief Awomolo is a well-rounded and accomplished professional. Apart from the NBA at which he was a member of the National Executive Council until recently, he has contributed immensely to the development of Law in Nigeria. He is a Life Bencher and also a fellow of both the Nigeria Institute of Advance Legal Studies and Chartered Institute of Arbitration.
He is an active member of the international Bar Association and the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association. He is a former Chairman of NBA, Ilorin Branch (1990-1992 and was also the first Attorney General of Osun State.
In 2014, the then President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him as a Constitutional and Legal Consultant to the National Conference convened by his administration, a responsibility he discharged creditably well, adding another glory to his enviable and peerless pedigree.
CHIEF Awomolo is happily married to the delectable Chief Mrs. Victoria Olufunmilayo Awomolo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a former Regional Vice President (West & North Africa) of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
Chief Awomolo’s ascendancy to the coveted position of the Vice-Chairman of the Body of Bencher is certainly a worthy recognition of his contribution to the bar and the legal profession over the years.
In conclusion, I can confidently say that with the combination of Hon Justice Mary Peter Odili and Chief Adegboyega Awomolo at the apex of leadership of BOB, there is every reason to be optimistic that the Legal Profession would continue to be given the right direction and inspiration take our noble profession to a greater height.
Congratulation to Chief Solomon Adegboyega Awomolo SAN, and congratulation to you M’lord Honourable Justice Mary Peter Odili (Rtd).
Long live the legal profession in Nigeria.
Dated at Osogbo this 2nd day of April,2023.
Mr. Muritala Abdul -Rasheed, SAN (Aka Murray) is the former Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association and a former Chief of Staff to the 28th President of the NBA.
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