Chinedu Raheem Ayodeji
Online and offline, the last one week has been about Chief Wole Olanipekun’s 70th year birthday and I understand why. On Thursday 18th of this month, which was Chief Olanipekun’s birthday, Nigerians woke up to various celebratory advertorial messages in honour of this Senior of Advocate of Nigeria in almost all the major newspapers. Those of us who are close to Chief Olanipekun and his life of hard work, service to humanity and love for Christ were not in any way surprised that Chief was being celebrated by all.
Talk of any Nigerian today, whose life revolves around giving his best to Nigeria, humanity and the Church of God and Chief Olanipekun’s name will come to mind. Of course, Chief is not the first Lawyer in Nigeria to become a SAN or the first Lawyer to lead the Nigerian Bar Association but he is perhaps the only Lawyer whose contribution to humanity, education, health sector and other areas of human endeavour attracts almost the same attention as his commitment to Law.
Whether as a Lawyer or not, Chief Olanipekun has not for any moment put anybody in doubt that his watchwords are ‘excellence’ and ‘integrity’. These two attributes constantly follow him like a northern star and they have become the cornerstone of his success story. No wonder, today, this legal icon is often mentioned in the same breath as other forensic advocates and titans like Chief F. R. A. Williams, SAN and Chief G. O. K. Ajayi, SAN, both of blessed memories.
In a recent interview, Chief Olanipekun confirmed this when he stated emphatically that for a lawyer, what matters most is integrity: “Of the five courses being taught at the Nigerian Law School, there is no such course as “integrity”, although a discerning aspirant to the Bar will be able to decipher that it is the common vein that runs through all the learning that takes place there, to the effect that you must maintain your integrity; do not compromise your clients; and do not compromise the Judiciary.
I do not believe in ‘talking’ to Judges in whatever context except talking to Judges through the instrumentality of robust and forensic advocacy. I believe in research; stay in your office; work! Woo them with your submissions!! That is your product, that is your brand, but it is unfortunate that in Nigeria today, corruption has crept into the profession. It is so regrettable.” Olanipekun had stated.
Like many Nigerians, of course I cherish Chief Olanipekun’s exploits in Law but beyond Law, I cannot but marvel at his contribution to humanity, his commitment to human empowerment and his service to the body of Christ. It will interest many Nigerians that even as a Lawyer; Chief Olanipekun uses his Law to serve God and humanity.
Looking back at how he started and where he is today, one can clearly see the hand of God in all his doings. This is a man, who at the beginning, because of parental influence, tried to run away from Law but God as the Author put His agents in place and His will was done. The rest, as they say, is history.
Of course, Chief Olanipekun has told the story and retold it countless times; the story of how he veered into Law. It’s obvious there is a spiritual dimension, nay, a God-factor to his choosing the path of Law. It started as a tug of war between reading Law or Mass Communication, and a lot of factors militate against his decision to study Law.
Now, as this elder statesman clocks 70, it is easy to note that Chief Olanipekun is perhaps one of the leading lights in the Law profession, who has not only raised the bar but has opened new chapters for practice. As admitted by many people who have come across Chief Olanipekun, more than any other person, he has set the pace in many areas in the legal field and unraveled unimaginable legal difficulties by cutting the Gordian nuts in many areas of the law. His exploits in election petitions, especially in the popular case of Inakoju v. Adeleke is often referred to as pacesetting.
In the case which made it possible for Rasidi Ladoja to return to power after he was illegally impeached by the politicians loyal to the then Chief Lamidi Adedibu, now late, Chief Olanipekun became a Lawyer to watch. For the first time in Nigeria, the court agreed that the issue of impeachment of a governor can be looked at and overturned if it failed to strictly comply with the law as regards procedure. Former Oyo State Governor, Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja was a beneficiary of that legal breakthrough.
He also led the team of lawyers who retrieved the mandate of former Governor Adams Oshiomole in Edo state, Olusegun Mimiko in Ondo and has led the legal team for three presidential election petitions and won in all. No lawyer in Nigeria has had such a rare opportunity or privilege. Besides, he played a vital role in the retrieval of Fayemi’s mandate by constituting a solid legal team and acting in advisory capacity to them.
Chief Olanipekun also did the unthinkable in 2007, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo unilaterally announced the sacking of the then Vice President, Abubakar Atiku, this Law titan challenged what he called a coup on the Constitution and got the Supreme Court to nullify such arbitrary use of power by saying Atiku couldn’t be sacked so casually without recourse to the Constitution.
He also saved Atiku like many others in the hands of the Code of Conduct in what appeared like mere persecution and victimisation. Succinctly speaking, Chief Olanipekun is a lawyer’s lawyer any day because he is believed to be at home with law, its technical procedure and implications for the improvement of his teeming clients’ cases.
But like I have always said, Law is not the only thing that defines Chief Olanipekun. Olanipekun is a philanthropist and he is a man of God. In the last 10 years, he has been in the forefront of humanitarian services and philantropism. He has consistently invested in humanity through interventional projects in education, health, information technology and the Law Profession.
This background is necessary to establish the bond between Chief Olanipekun and humanity, especially services in the course of God and His Church. Before and after his call to the Bar, Olanipekun hasn’t only kept to his promise to always stand with Christ; he has remained steadfast in his determination to keep up the tempo in the Anglican family like his father.
In practical terms, it is unlikely if there is any individual who has given back to community development than Chief Olanipekun in Nigeria. The first seed he sowed in this direction was at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Ikere in 2012, where Chief Olanipekun built, furnished and donated a modern vicarage named after Pa Isaac Olanipekun. In March 2014, he, in continuation and furtherance of his philanthropic initiatives and gestures, built and donated to the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikere Branch, a 350-capacity Bar Centre.
He was back in the same church last year when he led the incumbent Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, the then Primate and Archbishop Metropolitan of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Revd. (Dr.) Nicholas Okoh and six state governors to the inauguration and handing over of an ultramodern church auditorium, with world class facilities that can accommodate at least 1,700 worshipers, to complement the existing structure in the church.
Today, the ancient church has suddenly become ‘the bride’ of the community. Earlier, in 2015, this legal luminary had built, equipped and donated to the State Specialist Hospital, Ikere, in November, 2015, an ultra-modern and state-of-the-art Amenity Ward (the Iya Aafin Bosede Olanipekun Amenity Ward), in memory of his beloved late mother, Bosede Olanipekun.
He also procured for the Amenity Ward, a modern and fully equipped ambulance. Beyond the Church, Chief Olanipekun has in the last 13 years, intervened and contributed to Ikere Ekiti development, through various other legacy projects. They include New Cruise 92.7 FM, an ICT Centre within the premises of Amoye Grammar School, which was built to mark the school’s 50th anniversary in 2009.
In 1996, he instituted the Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme for the purpose of awarding scholarships to brilliant, but indigent students and since then, the Scheme has, true to the intention of its primogenitor, produced numerous talented beneficiaries, some of whom are now doctors, lawyers, engineers, pharmacists, accountants, educationists and professionals in other fields. As Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Ibadan, he initiated and established another Scholarship Scheme to assist five students per session from each of the faculties of Law, Technology (Computer) and the College of Medicine.
As part of his contributions to the provision of an enabling environment for learning, he built, equipped, furnished and donated a 420-seater Auditorium to the Faculty of Law of the University of Ibadan. In July 2011, he initiated an Endowment Fund for junior lawyers, particularly in the Lagos and Ilorin Branches of the NBA. Seven Junior Lawyers from the NBA, Ilorin Branch were beneficiaries of cars given to them by the Branch from the proceeds of the Endowment Fund, while over one hundred (100) Young Lawyers from the Lagos Branch were beneficiaries of lap-tops and flash drives distributed to them from the proceeds of the Endowment.
In Oyo, Chief Wole Olanipekun and his dear wife, Princess Omolara, built, furnished and donated an ultra-modern Vice-Chancellor’s Lodge to Ajayi Crowther University. Also, on 20th August, 2019, he donated a 16-seater brand new Nissan Bus to the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikere Branch, Ekiti State. As the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Ajayi Crowther University, he paid in September, 2019, the full tuition/fees of fifteen seminarians from affiliate seminaries of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) to pursue postgraduate studies at the University.
Chief Wole Olanipekun, through his Foundation (Wole Olanipekun Foundation), at the occasion of its maiden award ceremony on 24th April, 2021, financially empowered 100 Widows/Aged persons (Widows and Aged Empowerment Programme) and 100 youths (SMEs/Youth Empowerment Programme) at his hometown, Ikere, Ekiti State. At the second edition of the Wole Olanipekun Foundation Award Ceremony, which took place on 9th October, 2021, Chief Wole Olanipekun, again, financially empowered 100 Widows/Aged persons and 100 youths at his nativity, Ikere, Ekiti State. A total of 400 beneficiaries have so far benefited from the Foundation.
He was the Pro-Chancellor & Chairman of the Council, University of Ibadan between 2009 and 2013, and during which time he also doubled as the Chairman, Court of Governors of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. Throughout his tenure in these two positions, he did not receive or collect a dime as allowance or even for transport reimbursement, rather, he not only gave all the allowances due to him back to the University, but also made available more funds to the University for the purpose of awarding scholarships to students.
In November 2014, the Proprietor of Ajayi Crowther University, comprising all the Bishops of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in the Supra Diocesan Board West unanimously called upon Chief Wole Olanipekun to ‘come to the Anglican Church’s Macedonia, to help’; to assume office as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the 16-year old Anglican University – Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, with a charge that he should replicate the milestones previously achieved at the University of Ibadan, at the Anglican Church’s coveted University. He has since then assumed office as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council of ACU. To the Glory of God, the University is presently growing in leaps and bounds, to the satisfaction of not only the Proprietor, but also all and sundry.
In February 2021, Chief Wole Olanipekun was appointed as the pioneer Chancellor of the newly established Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere, Ekiti State, in recognition of his noteworthy contribution(s) to the advancement of education in Nigeria.
Chief Wole Olanipekun was called to the Nigerian Bar in July, 1976. He became a Notary Public in 1987, and attained the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in July, 1991 in recognition of his forensic contributions to the advancement of the Legal Profession in Nigeria. Between 1992 and 1993, he served as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the old Ondo State. He was elected the 20th President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in August, 2002.
His tenure as the NBA President has been associated with remarkable success and adjudged one of the best in the annals of things in the NBA. In March, 2021, he was elected as the Vice-Chairman of the Body of Benchers. At different times, he has served as a member of the National Judicial Council (NJC), Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC), Council of Legal Education, Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, General Council of the Bar and the Ondo State Judicial Service Commission. He was also at a point in time, the Acting Chairman of the Council of Legal Education. He became a life member of the Body of Benchers in 2004, and he is also a life member of the National Executive Committee of the NBA. While he is still an active member of the International Bar Association (IBA), Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association (CLA), Pan African Lawyers’ Union (PALU), and West African Bar Association (WABA), he was, between 2002-2005, a member of Council of each of the International Law bodies.
On 28th October, 2016, Chief Wole Olanipekun was appointed the Chairman of the Visitation Panel of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, Oyo State, which was inaugurated on 28th October, 2016 to look into the affairs of the University and recommend solutions to the problems which engulfed the University and crippled its academic activities. His Panel’s all-encompassing Report and recommendations contained therein led to the immediate reopening of the University which had been shut down for over a session.
Chief Wole Olanipekun is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb.), Fellow, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (FICMC), Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (FNIALS) and Fellow, College of Education, Ikere (FCEI). He was awarded with the degree of Doctor of Letters, Honoris Causa (LL.D) by the University of Ibadan, in November, 2014 and on 4th November, 2021, he was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State. He holds the National Honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR).
He has, at different times, been conferred with the distinguished alumnus award of Amoye Grammar School, Ikere; Ilesa Grammar School, Ilesa; and the University of Lagos. When the Federal Government of Nigeria, under the watch of President Goodluck Jonathan, attempted to change the name of the University of Lagos in 2012, he not only led the large team of Senior Advocates and other counsel who challenged the action at the Federal High Court then sitting at Ikeja, but also substantially made funds available for the prosecution of the cases filed by both the Alumni Association and the students. The legal team obtained an injunction against the Federal Government, restraining it from implementing the name change.
A stickler for excellence, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, is the Principal Partner of the Law Firm of Wole Olanipekun & Co., with offices in Lagos and Abuja; with Legal Practice covering diverse areas and fields, both nationally and internationally, including but not limited to Land Law, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Labour Law, Maritime, Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, Admiralty, Banking, Insurance, Election Matters, Aviation, Telecommunications, Chieftaincy and Intellectual Property.
Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, within and outside Nigeria has mentored hundreds of lawyers, who see him as a teacher, counsellor, role model, father and shepherd. Several lawyers have also passed through his Chambers, starting from 1982 to date, and a good number of them occupy high and vintage positions at the Bar, Bench, in politics and the corporate world. Ten distinguished learned colleagues who cut their legal teeth under him, including his two sons, Dr. Dapo Olanipekun and Bode Olanipekun have both attained the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
This legal potentate and respected citizen of Nigeria is happily married to Princess Omolara Olanipekun (Erelu), and the marriage is blessed with four children who are all lawyers; two boys and two girls, all of whom are also happily married, and like their illustrious father, are members of the learned and noble profession of Law. His two sons, like their industrious father, are also Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
*Ayodeji wrote in from Lagos.
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Whether as a Lawyer or not, Chief Olanipekun has not for any moment put anybody in doubt that his watchwords are ‘excellence’ and ‘integrity’. These two attributes constantly follow him like a northern star and they have become the cornerstone of his success story
