The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will on Monday confer the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, on 62 lawyers elevated to the rank by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC).
The swearing-in ceremony will kick-start the new legal year of the Supreme Court.
Among the successful legal practitioners are three lawyers prosecuting for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). While two of them – Sylvanus Tahir and Rotimi Oyedepo – are employees of the EFCC, the other, Wahab Shittu, is engaged by the anti-graft agency as a private prosecutor for specific cases.
The Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Hajo Bello, who doubles as the secretary to the LPPC, said the successful candidates comprised 53 in the advocacy category while the other nine are of the academic category.
The rank SAN is awarded as a mark of excellence to members of the legal profession who have distinguished themselves as advocates and academics.
Members of the Inner Bar, as SANs are fondly called, enjoy some privileges including having seats reserved for them in the front rows of all courts with priority accorded their cases in court.
They are also distinguishable from other lawyers by their attire which is styled differently from the gown other lawyers wear. Theirs is called “silk” .
Other successful candidates are Bolarinwa Elijah Aidi, a former Director of Public Prosecution DPP, Federal Ministry of Justice, Diri Said Mohammed and Bankole Joel Akamolafe.
Others are Mohammed Abubakar, Johnson Ugboduma, Lawrence Oko-Jaja, Christopher Oshomegie, Sanusi Sai’d; Oladipo Tolani; Ayodeji Omotoso; Chijiokr Erondu; Ajoku Obinna; Yakubu Maikasuwa; Henry Omu; Dagogo Iboroma; Joseph Akubo; Gozie Obi; Inam Wilson and Abubakar Gambari.
Those from the academia category has Prof. Kathleen Okafor, Prof. Muhammed Andulrazaq, Prof. Amokaye Gabriel, Prof. Ismail Olatunbosun, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, Ass/Prof. Theodore Maiyaki, Prof. Olaide G adamosi and Ass/Prof. Chimezie Okorie.
Credit: The Nigeria Lawyers