CJN Ariwoola Inaugurates 58 New SANs November 27

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Ariwoola will swear-in 58 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria on Monday,  November 27, 2023, at the main Courtroom of the Supreme Court, as part of the programme lined up for the 2023/2024 legal year of the Court.  In line with the age-long tradition, the CJN will during the special court session, deliver a state-of-the Judiciary address that would highlight the performance of the Supreme Court in particular and the Nigerian Judiciary in general in the 2022/2023 legal year.  The Director of Press and Information of the Apex Court, Dr Akande Festus made this known in a press statement he issued on Sunday in Abuja. According to him, other leading stakeholders in the Justice Sector will present speeches bordering on the state of the justice sector of the country at the occasion. They include the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) amongst others. It will be recalled that 114 applications were received by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) for the award of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2023.  Out of the number, 101 are advocates while 13 are academics.  The total number of qualified applicants shortlisted after the Advocates 1st and 2nd Filtration Stages, Academic Pre-qualification, Academic 2nd Filtration Exercise, the Independent Appeals Hearing and Chambers Inspection Exercises was 69 comprising 57 advocates and 12 academics.  After conducting the specified screening and filtration exercises which include a number of appearances in superior courts, recommendations by Justices of the Supreme Court and Judges of superior courts, Chamber inspections; approval on eligibility and integrity of the candidates from the Nigerian Bar Association, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria and the general public, amongst others, the LPPC came up with 58 successful candidates.  Out of the figure, 57 are advocates while one is an academic.  The Supreme Court commenced its annual vacation on Monday, 24th July, 2023.  Though the Court had started sitting since Monday, 18th September, 2023, the new legal year ceremony is to be formally held in accordance with its tradition.  All the programmes outlined to mark the formal commencement of the new legal year will start at 10 am in the main Courtroom of the Supreme Court.

Kayode Ajulo, Falana’s Wife, Funmi, Okoroma 55 Others Get SAN Ranks

Human rights activist and constitutional lawyer, Doctor Olukayode Abraham Ajulo and 57 others were on Thursday, elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee LPPC). The committee headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, after several hours of deliberation confirmed the appointment of the new SAN, which comprised of 57 legal practitioners and one from the academic. A statement by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court / Secretary of the LPPC, Hajo Sarki-Bello, said that the new SANs were appointed as a result of their excellence in the law profession and in the adherence to the Code of Ethics of the profession. The statement said that the LPPC meeting considered four different petitions against some of the applicants and dismissed them for lacking in merit. It further stated that the new senior advocates would on Monday November 27, be inaugurated by the CJN at the Supreme Court complex. Apart from Ajulo, others include, Felix Ota Offia, Lawrence Bankole Falade, Kingsley Obamogie, Folasade Alli, Abiola Isiaq Oyebanji, Bomo Olakunle Agbebi, Daniel Uruakpa, and Oseloka Godwin Osuigwe. Others are Babatunde Adeoye, Babaseyi Joseph, Emmanuel Moses Enoidem, Kehinde Olufemi Aina, Nghozi Oleh, Aaron Chile Okoroma, Ibrahim Angulu and Olayiwola Afolabi among others.