The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will swear in 58 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria on Monday, November 27, 2023, as part of the programmes lined up to formally herald the 2023/2024 legal year of the court.
No fewer than 114 applications were received by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee for the award of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2023.
The number was pruned down to 69 after a series of screenings which included the Advocates 1st and 2nd Filtration Stages, Academic Pre-qualification, Academic 2nd Filtration Exercise, the Independent Appeals Hearing, and Chambers Inspection Exercises among others.
However, the LPPC conferred the title on 58 successful candidates, out of which 57 are advocates while one is an academic.
Some of the successful applicants are human rights activists, Olukayode Ajulo, Felix Offia, Lawrence Falade, Kingsley Obamogie, Folasade Alli, Abiola Isiaq Oyebanji, Bomo Agbebi, Daniel Uruakpa, and Oseloka Osuigwe among others.
A statement on Sunday by the Supreme Court’s Director of Information, Dr. Festus Akande noted that the swearing-in will be heard at the main Courtroom of the Supreme Court.
The statement partly read, “After conducting the specified screening and filtration exercises which include several appearances in superior courts, recommendations by Hon. Justices of the Supreme Court and Hon. 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, of course, the general public, amongst others, the LPPC came up with 58 successful candidates. Out of this number, 57 are advocates while one is an academic.
He said the CJN, the Attorney General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice, and others will speak on the state of the country’s justice sector at the special court session.
Akande said, “The Supreme Court commenced its annual vacation after a remarkably successful 2022/2023 legal year on Monday, 24th July, 2023. Though the Court had started sitting on Monday, 18th September 2023, the new legal year ceremony is now being formally held in accordance with our tradition.
“All the programmes outlined to mark the formal commencement of the new legal year will start at 10:00 am in the main Courtroom of the Supreme Court
“In line with our age-long tradition, during the special court session, the Chief Justice of Nigeria will deliver a state-of-the Judiciary address, to highlight the performance of the Supreme Court in particular, and the Nigerian Judiciary in general, in the 2022/2023 legal year. In the same vein, other leading stakeholders in the Justice Sector will present speeches bordering on the state of the justice sector of the country.
“These include Hon. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and President of the Nigerian Bar Association among others.”
