As part of activities marking the 2024 Law Week and 70th Anniversary of the Ibadan Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the incumbent National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, and the 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Sir. Segun Sowunmi, will on Wednesday 18th December, 2024 beam a searchlight on the economic situation of the country.
The duo will engage in discussion on a lecture titled: “State of the Nation: The Tinubu Administration’s Economic Agenda and Policy: How far, so far?”
The session will be chaired by
Chief Charles Akinlolu Olujinmi, SAN, (former Attorney General and Justice Minister), while Dr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, (SAN) will moderate, with the Ondo State governor, Mr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, as the Special Guest of Honour.
While Ajibola Surajudeen, a lawyer, is expected to justify the economic policies of the administration of President Tinubu, Sowunmi
will critique it.
According to the Chairman of the Law Week and 70th Anniversary Committee, Mr. Adebayo Ojo (SAN), “the lecture is dedicated to the memory of the Ibadan NBA Branch’s distinguished Patron, Past President of NBA and former Governor of Ondo state,
Late Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, CON, SAN”.
The week-long programme of the Bar under the chairmanship of Mr. Ibrahim Lawal, which will be declared open and chairmaned by Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, will have Chief Oluwole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN, a past president of the NBA and a former Chairman of the Body of Benchers, present the keynote address.
The programme will also feature series of activities, including an opening address to be delivered by Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, former Governor of Lagos State, on Monday, 16th December, 2024.
The governor of Oyo State, Engr, Oluwaseyi Makinde, and Prince Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN), Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will be the Guest of Honour, while Honourable Justice I.S Yerima, Chief Judge of Oyo State and Ibrahim Lawal, Branch Chairman are the hosts.
Dr Zacheaus Adedeji, Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Services will also on the opening day deliver a lecture on: “Tax and its Administration in Nigeria”. Discussants including: Professor Abiola Sanni, (SAN), Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos; Prince Akinmade Ajibola, Chairman, Tax Appeal Tribunal, South Western
Zone; Mr. Sola Awakan, Chairman, Oyo State Board of Internal Revenue, will illuminate the session. Dr. Wale Akinlabi FCIarb(UK), is expected to moderate it.
Goodwill messages will be given by: Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, CFR ( Patron, NBA, Ibadan Branch), and the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Folake Solanke, SAN, CON (Matriarch of the Bar), as well as, Mr. Abiodun Aikomo, Hon. Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Oyo State.
Others expected to grace the programme are: Mazi Afam Osigwe, President, Nigerian Bar Association; President, Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State; the Presiding Justice of Court of Appeal, Ibadan, the Admin. Judge, Federal High Court, Ibadan Division; the Admin Judge, National Industrial Court, Ibadan Division; other Patrons of NBA, Ibadan Branch, as well as, elders and senior members of the Bar.
The grand finale of the programme is the 70th Anniversary Dinner & Award Nights to be held at the Aare Afe Babalola Bar Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan. The Chairman is Alhaji Ahmed Raji, SAN, Principal Partner, Ahmed Raji & Co., while the dinner Speaker is Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro, SAN, a past General Secretary of NBA and a life Bencher.
To fill the vacuum created by the demise of Arakunrin Akeredolu, Dr. Wale Babalakin, SAN, will be inducted as a new Patron of the Ibadan Bar Branch, while there will be presentation of Award of Excellence to the newly- elevated members to the Bench, as well as those promoted to the higher bench. They include: Hon. Justice L. A Ganiyu, Justice of Court of Appeal; Hon. Justice Olukayode A. Adeniyi, Justice of Court of Appeal (Former Chairman, NBA, Ibadan Branch); Hon. Justice Oyebola Oyewumi, Justice of Court of Appeal; Hon. Justice R.O Ayoola, Justice of Court of Appeal; Hon. Justice, T.M Abdulganiyu, President, Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State; Hon. Justice Oluwatosin Popoola, a Judge of High Court of Lagos State; Hon. Justice M.O Folorunsho, a Judge of High Court of Kwara State.
Also, members of NBA, Ibadan Branch who were elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, will be honoured. They are: Mr. Akinyemi Olujinmi, SAN, and Mr. Yusuff Tunji Ogunrinde, SAN.