By Uche Amunike
The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC), has confirmed the approval of the appointments of 58 lawyers to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)
Speaking, through a statement released by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the LLPC, Ms ,Hajo Sarki-Bello, she stated that the LLPC approved the elevation of the 58 lawyers during their 159th plenary session, held on Thursday, as a result of the excellence they have shown in the law profession while also adhering to the Code of Ethics of the law profession.
The plenary session was attended by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who was also the chairman of the LLPC.
According to Bello, after due consideration, four petitions that were written against some of the applicants were dismissed, on the grounds that they lacked merit.
One of the applicants earlier shortlisted for the position, Benedicta Daudu already had a history of examination malpractice. This caused a question mark on her qualification for the SAN position. Daudu, who is a law professor and Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Taraba State University was shortlisted alongside 68 other lawyers for the same position. But she was part of those initial nominees whose names were dropped from the final list on Thursday.
Out of the 58 successful candidates, 57 of them belong to the advocacy category, while one is of the academia.
She also confirmed that the swearing in ceremony of the 58 successful applicants will take place on Monday, the 27th day of November 2023. Recall that the inauguration was new SANs usually occurs at the Supreme Court during the ceremony marking the beginning of the court’s new legal year.
The rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria is one that is conferred on legal practitioners in the country, who have carved out a niche for themselves in the legal profession.
The full lists include the following members: ‘Funmi Falana, Felix Offia, Lawrence Falade, Kingsley Obamogie, Folashade Alli, Abiola Oyebanji, Bomo Agbebi, Daniel Uruakpa, Oseloka Osuigwe, Babatunde Adeoye, Babaseyi Joseph, Emmanuel Enoidem, Kehinde Aina, Ngozi Olehi, Aaron Okoroma, Ibrahim Angulu, Olayiwola Afolabi, Sule Shu’aibu, Abiodun Olaleru, Kazeem Sobaloju and Shehu Abdullahi.’
They also anclude the following lawyers: ‘Bamidele Ibironke, Oluwaseyilayo Akinkunmi, Felix Okorotie, Seun Ajayi, Friday Onoja, Agada Elachi, Bola Gold, Paul Maduemene, Rafiu Balogun, Oluwole Aladedoye, Paulyn Adhulimen, Jonathan Taidi, Tochukwu Onyiuke, Olukayode Ajulo, Christopher Umar, Chibueze Ogbonna, Yemi Adeshina, Omoyemi Akangbe, Olumide Olujinmi, Musa Aliyu.’
The rest of the lucky legal practitioners are: ‘Fidelis Mbadugha, Onyemaechi Adikwu, Ikechukwu Onuoma, Yakubu Philemon, Johnny Agim, Aliyu Ibrahim, Isaiah Bozimo, Prisca Ozoilesike, Hahaha Santana, Adedayo Adedeji, Adeola Adedipe, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, Musa Attah, Ayotunde Ogunleye, Olayemi Badewole and Babatunde Adetunji, Alfred Atteh.’
SANs, who are fondly called Members of the Inner Bar, usually enjoy certain privileges, which include having seats reserved for them in the front rows of every court. Their cases are also accorded priority in court. One of the things that distinguishes them from other lawyers is their attire, which is styled differently from the one worn by others. This is called ‘silk’.
