The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee has announced the elevation of 62 lawyers to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Among them are three lawyers engaged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, although two of them – Sylvanus Tahir and Rotimi Oyedepo – are employees of the EFCC.
But the other lawyer, Wahab Shittu, is engaged by the EFCC for specific cases.
The LPPC, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, released the list of the new SANs in a statement issued on Thursday by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the LPPC, Hajo Bello.
Among the successful candidates, 53 of them belong to the advocacy category while the other nine are of the academic category.
The statement said all the 62 lawyers would be inaugurated on November 21.
The inauguration of new SANs usually takes place at the Supreme Court during the ceremony marking the commencement of the court’s new legal year.
The SAN rank is awarded as a mark of excellence to members of the legal profession who have distinguished themselves as advocates and academics.
Those to be sworn in as SANs from the advocacy category are Mohammed Abubakar, Johnson Omophe, Lawrence Oko-Jaja, Christopher Oshomegie, Sanusi Sai’d, Wahab Shittu, Emmanuel Idemudia, Diri Mohammed, Oladipo Tolani, Ayodeji Omotoso, Chijioke Erondu, Ajoku Obinna, Yakubu Maikasuwa and Henry Omu among others.
The academics are Prof. Kathleen Okafor, Prof. Muhammed Abdulrazaq, Prof. Amokaye Gabriel, Prof. Ismail Olatunbosun, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, former Dean, Faculty of Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, Ass/Prof. Theodore Maiyaki, Prof. Olaide Gbadamosi and Ass/Prof. Chimezie Okorie.
“The meeting further approved new guidelines for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and all matters about the rank to guide future exercises”, the statement added.
