As the turbulent tenure of erstwhile Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN comes to an end, the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Bar Association unanimously nominated Mrs. Funke Adekoya, SAN to represent the Bar as the Vice Chairperson of the August body.
The BoB quarterly meeting which is scheduled to hold on the 30th March, 2023 at its headquarters in Abuja will be the valedictory meeting for outgoing Chairman of the body, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN who will be replaced by current Vice Chairman, retired Justice Mary Ukaego Odili.
Regulations 3 (1), (2) and (3) of the Body of Benchers Regulations, which regulate the establishment, tenure and term of the office of the Chairman and Vice Chairman, stipulate that either office is to be held for a term of one year (beginning in April of the one year and ending in March of the next) and upon the Chairman ceasing to be Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall succeed him/her as Chairman for the next following year. The alternating nominations are to the office of the Vice Chairman are made by the Bar and the Bench.
On the 23rd March, 2023, Mrs. Adekoya, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, life-bencher and former 1st Vice President of the NBA secured the nomination of the Bar at the quarterly meeting of the National Executive Council of the NBA which held in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State. In line with the NEC directive, the NBA President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau SAN in a letter dated 27th March, 2023, wrote to the Body of Benchers informing it of the nomination of Adekoya by NBA as its preferred candidate for the post of Vice Chairman. Adekoya who is renowned for her work as an Arbitrator and Mediator is considered by many in both the outer and inner bar to be a unifying factor within the legal profession and her nomination came amidst concerns raised at the NEC of attempts by certain members of the Body of Benchers to cause division within the legal profession and usurp the efficacy and vibrancy of the Bar.
According to reliable sources, Chief Olanipekun’s anointed candidate is foremost Yoruba lawyer Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, a move many believe would place the BoB at logger heads with the Bar. Chief Awomolo’s infamous letter to former NBA President, Chief J.T. Okpoko SAN in 2020 had sparked a divisive supremacy battle between the Outer and the Inner bar. Chief Awomolo had raised the alarm of an alleged “unannounced but powerful and potent revolutionary move by our junior colleagues who are very much in larger numbers to wrestle the office of the NBA from the rank of SAN”.
Chief Awomolo, SAN also championed the Body of Benchers Bill which was alleged by past NBA President Olumide Akpata to be an attempt to hijack the legal profession and impose the Body of Benchers, a government institution, as the paramount regulatory body over Nigeria’s legal profession.
Chief Olanipekun’s tenure as the Chairman of the Body has been enmeshed in controversy since his law firm was accused of “influence peddling” by Odein Ajumogobia, SAN. It was reported that Olanipekun’s Partner Adekunbi Ogunde informed a prospective client, Saipem Contracting Nigeria Limited, that the presence of Mr Olanipekun in a case “will significantly switch things in favour of Sapiem”.
This led to the filing of a petition for professional misconduct by the NBA against Ms. Ogunde. This move led to calls for Olanipekun to step down as Chairman of the BoB made by then President of the NBA, Olumide Akpata and other leaders of the Bar. This call was renewed by current NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, SAN in December, 2022.
The Body passed a passed a vote of confidence on Olanipekun at its emergency meeting on January 24th, 2023.
