Contrary to reports that an ex-First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mrs Funke Adekoya, SAN is set to be elected as the new Vice Chairman of the Body of Benchers (BoB), Asiwaju Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo, SAN on Thursday 30th March emerged as the chosen one.
Awomolo in his acceptance remarks wherein he expressed gratitude to the incoming Chair of the Body, Hon. Justice Mary Peter-Odili (rtd.), the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola and other distinguished benchers, noted that: “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.”
President of the NBA, Mr Yakubu Maikyau SAN had written to the Body of Benchers notifying it of the nomination of Adekoya by the NBA as its preferred candidate for the post of Vice Chairman.
This is a sequel to the NBA National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held last week at Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State; the home state of the Bar President.
Awomolo, the pioneer Attorney General of Osun state who was elevated to the rank of SAN in 1992 was however full of thanks.
Part of his speech reads:
“I thank everyone present at this meeting for the overwhelming support given to me and the confidence reposed in me. I do not take it for granted, at all.
“It is the doing of the most High God, because about 30 years ago in 1992, I was admitted into the membership of this Body, then as the First Honourable Attorney General of the newly created Osun State.
“I recall the great respect, honour and privilege given to me by this Body when at its July 1996 meeting, the Body approved and mandated its sub-Committee responsible for the management of the affairs of the Nigerian Bar Association (which was in comatose) under the Chairmanship of Chief F.R.A Williams, SAN to authorize and approve me to lead a demonstration of the then 44 Branches of the Nigerian Bar Association under the auspices of the Committee of Chairmen and Secretaries of all the Branches of the Nigerian Bar Association.
“I acknowledge the indefatigable, irrepressible and committed Secretary of the Committee of Chairmen and Secretaries, Chief (Dr) Richard Oma Ahonaruogho, SAN and many of you in this hall, who sacrificed your time, money and risked your lives to bring back the Nigerian Bar Association which some of our colleagues are enjoying today.
“This Body on 25th day of August 1998, led by Chief F.R.A Williams, SAN, CON in the company of Hon Justice, Mustapha Akanbi, President of Court of Appeal, Chief (Dr) Mudiaga Odje, SAN, OFR, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim, SAN, CON (May God rest their soul in peace) and others who graced and gave approval to the Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, the first since 1992.
“At the Conference, the new Constitution of the Nigerian Bar Association was approved. Chief T.J.O Okpoko, SAN and all other officers of the Bar Association were elected by members from all the branches and they were inaugurated by me.
“It is important that this history and sacrifices of the heroes of the Nigerian Bar Association should not be forgotten.
“Every occasion in our lives soon becomes history, every event in our lives has a lesson embedded in it and every act of man, if it comes from God, brings blessings. Today is historic, in the life of this Body and my life in particular.
“I am grateful to the various leaders of this Body since 1992 who meticulously and painstakingly have taught me many lessons on leadership of this great profession of law. They have led us well and it is now our duty to ensure that the glory, honour and respectability of the Body is not under any circumstance, diminished.
“To my dear incoming Chairman, Hon Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili JSC(Rtd), CFR, I wish to pledge my loyalty, support and commitment to make your tenure a huge success and even better than you met it.
“I assure you, my Lord, that your success as the Chairman of the Body of Benchers shall be my primary concern.
“To the entire members of the Body of Benchers, I promise to promote the objectives of the Body, and uphold the honour, integrity and ethics of the Body. I promise to do what is right, at all times, to all men in my capacity as the Vice Chairman of the Body…”
Come 8th July 2022, Asiwaju Awomolo, SAN a fellow of both the Nigeria Institute of Advance Legal Studies and the Chartered Institute of Arbitration will clock 45 years at the bar and 30 years at the inner bar.
In 2014, then President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan appointed him as Constitutional and Legal Consultant to the National Conference convened by his administration.
A former Chairman of NBA, Ilorin Branch (1990-1992), member of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), member of the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Bar Association, life bencher, consummate family man, Asiwaju Awomolo is married to Chief Mrs Victoria Olufunmilayo Awomolo, the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, produced by the University of Ibadan.
Chief Mrs Awomolo, SAN was also a former Regional Vice President (West & North Africa) of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
