Tinubu to Unveil Olanipekun’s 50-Year Legal Legacy in Six Volumes

•Publication chronicles landmark cases, including election disputes involving four successive presidents

Wale Igbintade

President Bola Tinubu will on November 19 unveil a six-volume legal compendium documenting landmark cases handled by renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun, during his 50-year career in legal practice, including his engagements as lead counsel to four successive Nigerian presidents in election disputes since 2007.

Titled Wole Olanipekun Through the Cases, the publication examines some of the most significant cases handled by the senior lawyer since his call to the Nigerian Bar in 1976, highlighting his contributions to the development of Nigerian law and jurisprudence.

The unveiling, scheduled to take place under the auspices of the WOC Justice Summit, will hold a day after Olanipekun’s 75th birthday.

Born on November 18, 1951, Olanipekun was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1976 and attained the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in July 1991, shortly before his 40th birthday.

He was appointed Attorney-General of the old Ondo State in 1992 and subsequently became President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in 2002.

One of the notable aspects of his distinguished career to be examined in the publication is his successive engagements as lead counsel to four Nigerian presidents in defending legal challenges to their elections since 2007.

These cases reflect his involvement in some of the country’s most consequential electoral and constitutional disputes, many of which have shaped the interpretation of electoral laws, constitutional provisions and the administration of electoral justice in Nigeria.

The six-volume compendium offers an extensive examination of Olanipekun’s legal career through commentaries on landmark cases, illustrating the breadth of his courtroom advocacy and professional engagements.

The publication features forewords by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

Its contributors include retired judicial officers, legal scholars, senior advocates and other distinguished legal practitioners from across the country, who examine the legal significance and broader implications of the cases handled by Olanipekun.

Beyond his courtroom engagements, Olanipekun has occupied several prominent positions within the legal profession and contributed to the development of key legal institutions.

He served as Chairman of the Body of Benchers between 2022 and 2023, having previously led the NBA as president.

He is also actively involved in university administration and legal education.

Currently, he is the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Lagos, his alma mater, having previously served in similar capacities at the University of Ibadan and Ajayi Crowther University.

He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Ajayi Crowther University and Chancellor of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology in his hometown of Ikere-Ekiti.

The presidential unveiling will form part of the activities of the WOC Justice Summit, an initiative of Wole Olanipekun & Co. designed to bring together thought leaders and key stakeholders to deliberate on issues affecting the administration of justice and the development of the legal sector.

This year’s summit is themed: “From Precedent to Possibility: The Lawyer’s Role in Shaping the Next Fifty Years of Justice, Democracy and Public Trust.”

The event is expected to attract prominent figures from the legal profession, government, politics, business and other sectors of the economy.

Beyond celebrating Olanipekun’s professional milestones, the summit will provide a platform for discussions on the role of lawyers in strengthening democratic institutions, advancing the rule of law, restoring public confidence in the justice system and shaping the future of Nigeria’s legal framework.

It will also offer an opportunity to reflect on Olanipekun’s five-decade journey in the legal profession and the significance of his contributions to Nigerian jurisprudence, as documented in the six-volume publication.

Further details regarding the summit, including the full programme and participating personalities, are expected to be announced ahead of the event.