Nigerian Bar Association
Encyclopedia
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is the umbrella body of all lawyers admitted to practice law in Nigeria.
Any lawyer who satisfies the members of the Body of Benchers that they have good character and proficiency in the Bar Final Examination from the Nigerian Law School
is automatically admitted.
The NBA was officially recognized by law in 1933. The association has a National Secretariat and 88 branches in the 36 states of Nigeria, with about 55,000 members as of 2010. Fourteen National Officers are appointed every two years. The National Executive Committee (NEC) manages the affairs of the association. The NEC is made up of the National Officers and representatives of all branches.
The NBA holds annual general conferences and publishes various journals and newsletters reporting the work of its sections and committees.
As of 2009, the president of the Nigerian Bar Association was Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu
, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria
(SAN).
Presidents of the Bar Association, who had the same authority as the former Chairmen, were:
Between 1992 and 1998 the NBA had no president, functioning only in branches. After the crisis, presidents were:
Any lawyer who satisfies the members of the Body of Benchers that they have good character and proficiency in the Bar Final Examination from the Nigerian Law School
Nigerian Law School
The Nigerian Law School was set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1962 to provide a Nigerian legal education to foreign-trained lawyers, and to provide practical training for aspiring Legal Practitioners in Nigeria....
is automatically admitted.
The NBA was officially recognized by law in 1933. The association has a National Secretariat and 88 branches in the 36 states of Nigeria, with about 55,000 members as of 2010. Fourteen National Officers are appointed every two years. The National Executive Committee (NEC) manages the affairs of the association. The NEC is made up of the National Officers and representatives of all branches.
The NBA holds annual general conferences and publishes various journals and newsletters reporting the work of its sections and committees.
As of 2009, the president of the Nigerian Bar Association was Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu
Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu
Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, or Rotimi Akeredolu, is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who became president of the Nigerian Bar Association in 2008.-Birth and education:Akeredolu was born on 21 July 1956 in Owo, Ondo State....
, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria
Senior Advocate of Nigeria
Senior Advocate of Nigeria is a title that may be conferred on legal practitioners in Nigeria of not less than ten years' standing and who have distinguished themselves in the legal profession...
(SAN).
Former chairmen or presidents
Chairmen of the Bar Association were:- Christopher Sapara Williams (1900 - 1915)
- Sir Kitoyi Ajasa (1915 - 1937)
- Eric Olawale Moore (1937 - 1944)
- E.J. Alex Taylor (1944 - 1950)
- Sir Adeyemo AlakijaAdeyemo AlakijaAdeyemo Alakija, KBE was a Nigerian lawyer, politician and businessman. He was a newspaper entrepreneur who co-founded the Daily Times of Nigeria. He was also a member of the governor's executive council, the legislative council of Nigeria and was president of the Nigerian Youth Movement.He was...
(1950 - 1952) - Jubril Martin (1952 - 1959)
Presidents of the Bar Association, who had the same authority as the former Chairmen, were:
- Frederick Rotimi WilliamsFrederick Rotimi WilliamsFrederick Rotimi Alade Williams, QC, SAN was a prominent Nigerian lawyer who was the first Nigerian to become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. In the 1950s, he was a member of the Action Group and subsequently became the minister for local government and Justice...
(1960 - 1968) - Peter ThomasPeter ThomasPeter John Mitchell Thomas, Baron Thomas of Gwydir, PC, QC was a Welsh Conservative politician. He was the first Welshman to become Chairman of the Conservative Party, serving from 1970 to 1972, and the first Conservative politician to serve as Secretary of State for Wales, holding that office...
(1968 - 1969) - Chief B.M. Boyo (1969 - 1970)
- Chief Richard AkinjideRichard AkinjideOsuolale Abimbola Richard Akinjide is a Nigerian lawyer, politician and tribal nobleman. Born in the ancient city of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State in the southwest of the country in the early 1930s to an influential family of warriors, he exhibited extraordinary brilliance while in school and...
(1970 – 1973) - Chief Adebayo Ogunsanya (1973 – 1974)
- Dr. Mudiaga Odge (1974 – 1975)
- Dr. Nwakanma Okoro (1976-1978)
- Chief B.O. Benson (1978 – 1980)
- Chief Adetunji Fadairo (1980 - 1982)
- A.N. Anyamene (1982 – 1984)
- Prince Bola AjibolaBola AjibolaBolasodun Adesumbo Ajibola KBE was a former Attorney General and the Minister of Justice of Nigeria from 1985 to 1991 and a former Judge of the International Court of Justice from 1991 to 1994...
, former (1984 – 1985) - Ebele Nwokoye (1985 – 1987)
- Alao Aka-Bashorun (1987 - 1989)
- Charles Idehen (1989-1991)
- Chief Clement Akpamgbo (1991 - 1992)
- Priscilla Kuye (1991 – 1992)
Between 1992 and 1998 the NBA had no president, functioning only in branches. After the crisis, presidents were:
- Chief T.J.O. Okpoko, SAN (1998 - 2000)
- O.C.J. Okocha, SAN (2000 - 2002)
- Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN (2002 – 2004)
- Chief Bayo OjoBayo OjoChristopher Adebayo Ojo is a former Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As such, he is also a past head of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Justice. He is a legal practitioner and is licensed to practice in Nigeria, England and Wales. He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.-Early life...
, SAN (2004 - 2005) - Prince Lanke Odogiyo (2005 - 2006)
- Olisa AgbakobaOlisa AgbakobaOlisa Agbakoba born 29 May 1953, to Chief Justice Godfrey Ubaka and Mrs. Phina Agbakoba in Jos and later moved to Onitsha in 1965, two years before the Nigerian civil war...
(2006 – 2008) - Chief Olurotimi Akeredolu, SAN (2008 – 2010)
- Joseph Bodurin Daudu, SAN (2010 - )