IKENNE REMO

Professor Yemi Osibajo, SAN

Oluyemi Oluleke Osibajo was born on March 8, 1957 at Creek Hospital, Lagos. He is a professor of law, a member of Nigeria's inner bar (a Senior Advocate of Nigeria being the equivalent of the United Kingdom's Queen's Counsel) He is married to Oludolapo Osibajo and they have three children.

Yemi is a senior lawyer and participates in Nigeria's civic life in various capacities where he leads up social justice efforts targeted at Nigeria's poor. As a lawyer, he has conducted very important constitutional and precedential cases before the Nigerian Supreme Court. Some of these include fiscal disputes between the federating units and the federal government; disputes regarding the ownership and control of oil and gas resources; town and physical planning disputes between the federating units and the federal government; an international territorial jurisdictional dispute in the West African sub-regional court; shareholder disputes involving a multinational, private investors and state-owned investment corporations and energy disputes arising from multinational participation in power projects in Nigeria. In other cases, Yemi has advised and represented clients in a broad range of commercial and corporate issues including securities litigation, investments and divestments, joint ventures, oil block acquisitions, product liability, fiduciary duties of directors, intellectual property, and corporate valuations. He is also involved in statutory and regulatory appraisal representation before the legislature and federal and state agencies.^[1]

While in public office as attorney general, Yemi is credited with undertaking far-reaching significant judicial reform in Lagos State, addressing critical areas as judges' recruitment, remuneration, training and discipline. In addition, he addressed access to justice for the poor by establishing appropriate institutions in the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) and the Citizens Mediation Centre (CMC). He also instituted the famous law suit alongside a non-governmental organisation, Environmental Rights Action (ERA) against British -American Tobacco (Nig) Limited (BAT), International Tobacco Limited and four others for surreptitiously and fraudulently targeting young and underage persons in their advertising and marketing in spite of the obvious knowledge of the adverse effect and severe health implications of their products.^[2]

In honour of his contributions to legal reform and the development of law in Nigeria, a compendium of essays on Nigerian constitutional law was compiled. The authors of these essays were senior lawyers and law professors with a foreword provided by a past chief justice of Nigeria.

Yemi is a member of the International Bar Association and the British Institute of International and Comparative Law and has served in the Nigerian Body of Benchers and the Council for Legal Education of Nigeria. He is currently an independent director of CitiBank Nigeria ^[3] and an ethics adviser to the board of the Africa Development Bank . He has also served in various capacities within the United Nations Organisation. Yemi speaks frequently at several commercial litigation events locally and internationally. He is actively involved in the pursuit of legal education reform in Nigeria.^[4]

Yemi founded the Orderly Society Trust and is involved in a literacy programme that utilises Jolly Phonics in teaching children in public primary schools how to read through synthetic phonics. Yemi also co-founded Justice Research Institute (Gte), justice sector think tank. Yemi is also the Pastor-in-Charge of Province 48 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. He pastors the Olive Tree Parish, House of Prayer for all Nations of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos.

After the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, Yemi was tasked, with other notable Nigerians, to design and produce a manifesto for the new political party. This culminated in the presentation of the Roadmap to a New Nigeria in March 2014. The highlights of the Roadmap included a free schools meal plan, a conditional cash transfer to the 25 million poorest Nigerians if they enrol children in school and immunise them. There were also a number of programmes designed to create economic opportunities for Nigeria's massive youth population.^[5]

On December 17, 2014, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.)^[6]announced,^[7] Prof. Yemi Osibajo SAN as his running mate and vice-presidential candidate during the 2015 General Elections.^[8]

[hide]

1 Education
2 Professional Life
3 United Nations Role
4 Other Professional Activities
5 Membership of Editorial Boards of Learned Publications
6 Membership of Editorial Boards of Non-Legal Publications
7 Publications
8 Articles Published in Law Journals
9 Books Published/Edited
10 References

Education[edit]

Yemi attended Corona School for his primary school education. Between 1969- 1975, he attended Igbobi College Yaba where he won the following prizes- the winner of the State Merit Award 1971; the School Prize for English Oratory, 1972; Adeoba Prize for English Oratory 1972-1975; Elias Prize for Best Performance in History (WASC) – 1973, School Prize for Literature (HSC), 1975; African Statesman Intercollegiate Best Speaker’s Prize, 1974.

Between 1975-1978, he proceeded to the University of Lagos where we was awarded an LLB. In obtaining a Second Class Upper Degree, he received the Graham-Douglas Prize for Commercial Law. In 1979, he undertook the mandatory one year professional training at the Nigerian Law School prior to being admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of Nigeria's Supreme Court. In 1980, he attended the London School of Economics & Political Science, where he obtained a Master of Laws

Professional Life[edit]

While at the Law School, he interned with the law firm of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. From late 1979- 1980, he did his National Youth Service with the Bendel Development and Planning Authority (BDPA) as a legal officer. He was engaged by the University of Lagos in 1981 as Lecturer a position he occupied until 1988, when he was appointed as Special Adviser to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, (legal advice and litigation), Prince Bola Ajibola SAN. He was an adviser to the Attorney-General of the Federation until 1992, when he went back to lecturing. He became a Professor of Law in 1990 at the age of 33 (thirty three). Thereafter, he established a law practice (Osinbajo, Kukoyi & Adokpaye) as a partnership, while he concurrently was a Professor of Law and Head of Department of Public Law (1997–1999).

In 1999, he was appointed a member and secretary of a Think Tank and Transition Work Group that deliberated on strategies to transition from Military rule to democratic government in Lagos State. Bola Ahmed Tinubu had just been elected as Governor of the State. Owing to his reform-minded contributions to the justice sector, he was appointed into the Cabinet after the inauguration of the Government in May 1999. Thus, he served as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice from 1999- 2007.

From June 2007, he became Senior Partner at the law firm of SimmonsCooper Partners. He was also a visiting Professor of Law, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos

United Nations Role[edit]

Yemi has served on the United Nations Secretary General’s Committee of Experts on Conduct and Discipline of UN Peacekeeping Personnel (2006); United Nations Operations in Somalia, Staff Member, Justice Division, UNOSOM II (1997–1999);

Other Professional Activities[edit]

Counsel International Criminal Court
Citibank (Nigeria), Independent Director, appointed in 2008
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, 2002
African Development Bank, Ethics Adviser, Advisory Board
Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria, Consultant, analysis of Legislation on Universal Basic Education, 2010.
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Consultant, Assessing the Efficiency and Impact of African Anti-Corruption Commissions, 2009.
International Bar Association delegation to South Africa to consider the issue of the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law, Member, 2008.
National Committee on the Review of Solid Mineral Laws, Member, 1996.
National Committee on the Reform and Unification of the Nigerian Criminal Laws and Procedure Codes, Member, 1988-1991.
National Committee on Prison Reform, Member, 1991.
Task Force on the Revision of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, Member, Compilation and Editorial Committee of Nigeria’s Treaties in Force (1970–1990) (Published in 10 volumes); Coordinated the Revision and Publication of Laws of Lagos State,2003.
Senate of Lagos State University, Member.
Senate of the University of Lagos, Member.
Convention on Business Integrity.
Co-founder & Board Member, Justice Research Institute Ltd. Gte.,
Board Member , THE ORDERLY SOCIETY TRUST.
United Nations Development Programme/United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations/Training Programmes in Negotiating International Commercial/Financial Agreements for senior Government and Private Sector Officials; and Providing An Enabling Environment for Foreign Investment in Nigeria
Coordinator; United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations/United Nations Development Programme, Consultant;
Commonwealth Working Party on the Commonwealth Advisory Service on Arbitration,
Member; United Nations African Institute for Crime Prevention (UNAFRI), Consultant, (1991);
Expert advisory team to Ethiopia to advise parliament on Legal aspects of Democratisation, Member (1992);
Nigerian Delegation to Negotiation of ECOWAS Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties, Gambia, Leader.
Leader, Delegation to the Meeting of Senior Officials of Commonwealth Law Ministries, Singapore, Leader, (1990);
Commonwealth Ad-Hoc Working Committee on the Protection of Cultural Property, Member, (1990);
Ministerial Committee for Review of Minerals Laws and Regulations, Member, (1996);
ECOWAS, Eminent person group for the Harmonisation of the Commercial Laws of ECOWAS States, Member (1996);
Governing Board of Legal Research and Resource Development Centre (LRRDC),
Member ; Governing Board of Empowerment and Action Research Centre (EMPARC)
Member ; Human Rights Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, Member (1999)
International Bar Association, Member
Justice Committee of the Transitional Work Groups of the Governor-Elect Lagos State, Secretary
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Arusha on training of Prosecutors, Consultant (2004);
British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Member;
Body of Benchers, Member
Council of Legal Education, Member
Board of Studies of the Council for Legal Education, Member.

Membership of Editorial Boards of Learned Publications[edit]

Gravitas Review of Business and Property Law,
Nigerian Supreme Court Cases – DSC Publications (Published in 35 volumes),
Justice (Journal of Contemporary Legal Problems),
Contemporary Law Journal, (Faculty of Law, UNILAG),
All Nigeria Law Reports (Published in 31 volumes),
LASU Law Journal,
Lawyers Bi-Annual, Journal of Finance and Investment Law;
National Correspondent Bulletin of Legal Developments,
Editorial Director Justice Now legal newspaper.

Membership of Editorial Boards of Non-Legal Publications[edit]

Member, Editorial Advisory Board of the News/Tempo,
Editor/Consultant, Human Dignity (Journal of the Human Rights Club),
Member, Editorial Board of Scrutiny (Advocacy Bulletin of Integrity)

Publications[edit]

Chapters contributed to Books:

The Common Law, The Evidence Act and The Interpretation of Section 5(a) in Essays in Honour of Judge Elias (1986) (J.A. Omotola, ed) pgs. 165-18;
Some Reforms in The Nigerian Law of Evidence Chapter in Law and Development (1986), (J.A. Omotola and A.A. Adeogun eds.) pgs. 282-311;
Rules of Evidence in Criminal Trials in the Nigerian Special Military Tribunals Chapter 2 in Essays on Nigerian Law, Vol ... 1, Pgs. 28-42. (J.A. Omotola ed),
Some Public Law Considerations in Environmental Protection. Chapter in “Environmental Laws in Nigeria”, (J.A. Omotola ed.) 1990 pgs 128-149,
Domestic and International Protection for Women: “Landmarks on the Journey so far” in Women and Children under Nigerian Law”. (Awa U. Kalu & Yemi Osinbajo eds.) 1990. pgs. 231-241
Some Problems of Proof of Bank Frauds and Other Financial Malpractices in Bank Frauds and Other Financial Malpractices in Nigeria (Awa Kalu ed.)
FMJL Review Series, Modalities For The Implementation of The Transition Provisions in The New Constitution in Law Development and Administration (Yemi Osinbajo & Awa Kalu eds.) (1990).
FMJL Review Series, Legal and Institutional Framework For The Eradication of Drug Trafficking in Nigeria – Narcotics: Laws and Policy in Nigeria (Awa Kalu & Yemi Osinbajo eds.) 1990
Proof of Customary Law in non-Customary Courts, - Towards a Restatement of Nigerian Customary Laws, (Osinbajo & Awa Kalu eds.) 1991,
External Debt Management: Case Study of Nigeria – International Finance and External Debt Management, UNDP/UNCTC, 1991,
Judicial and Quasi-judicial Processing of Economic and organized Crimes: Experiences, Problems etc. Essays in Honour of Judge Bola Ajibola, (Prof. C.O. Okonkwo ed.) 1992,
Human Rights, Economic Development and the Corruption Factor in Human Rights and the Rule of Law and Development in Africa (Paul T. Zeleza et al eds) 2004

Articles Published in Law Journals[edit]

Legitimacy and Illegitimacy under Nigerian Law Nig. J. Contemp. Law. (1984–87) pgs. 30-45
Unraveling Evidence of Spouses in Nigeria, Legal Practitioners Review Vol. 1 No. 2 1987 pgs. 23-28
Can States Legislate on Rules of Evidence? Nigerian Current Law Review 1985 pgs. 234-242
Problems of Proof in Declaration of Title to Land, Journal of Private and Property Law Vol. 6 & 7, October 1986, pgs. 47-68
Interpretation of Section 131(a) of the Evidence Act. Journal of Private and Property Law Vol. 6 & 7 (1986), pgs. 118-122
Review of Some Decrees of the Structural Adjustment Era (Part 1, 2, 3), (1989) 2 GRBPL No. 2 (Gravitas Review of Business and Property Law) pgs.60-63, (1989) 2 GRBPL No. 3 (Gravitas Review of Business and Property Law) pgs. 51-55, (1989) 2 GRBPL No. 4 (Gravitas Review of Business and Property Law)
Current Issues in Transnational Lending and Debt Restructuring Agreements part 1 and 2, Autonomy, Academic Freedom and the Laws Establishing Universities in Nigeria (1990) Jus. Vol. 1 No. 2, pgs. 53-64, Admissibility of Computer Generated Evidence. (1990) Jus. Vol. 1 No. 1 pgs. 9-12
Allegations of Crime in Civil Proceedings, U.I. Law Review 1987;
Roles, Duties and Liabilities of Collateral Participants and Professional Advisers in Unit Trust Schemes (1991) Jus. Vol. 1 No. 7 pgs. 71-83, Reform of the Criminal Law of Evidence in Nigeria (1991) Jus. 2 No. 4 Pgs. 71-98
Profit and Loss Sharing Banks – (1990) Jus. Vol. 2 No. 8, Juvenile Justice Administration in Nigeria.
A review of the Beijing Rules. (1991) Jus. Vol. 2 No. 6. Pgs. 65-73
Sovereign Immunity in International Commercial Arbitration – The Nigerian experience and emerging state practice- In African Journal of International and Comparative Law, 4 RADIC 1992, page 1-25, Human Rights and Economic Development in The International Lawyer. 1994, Vol. 28, No. 3 pgs. 727-742
Legality in a Collapsed State: The Somalia Experience 45 ICLQ 1996, pgs. 910-924.

Books Published/Edited[edit]

Nigerian Media Law, GRAVITAS Publishers 1991
Cases and Materials on Nigerian Law of Evidence, Macmillan, 1996
Integration of the African Continent Through Law” (Edward Foakes Publishers, 1989, vol. 7, Federal Ministry of Justice Law Review Series)
Towards A Better Administration of Justice System in Nigeria” (Edward Foakes Publishers, 1989)
FMJL Review Series, “Women and Children Under Nigerian Law”
FMJL Review Series, The Unification and Reform of the Nigerian Criminal Law and Procedure Codes – (Malthouse Press), 1990
Law Development and Administration (Malthouse Press), 1990
Narcotics: Law and Policy in Nigeria, FMJL Review Series 1990
Perspectives on Human Rights in Nigeria FMJL Review Series 1991
Perspectives on Corruption in Nigeria, FMJL Review Series 1992
Democracy and the Law, FMJL Review Series, 1991
The Citizens Report Card on Local Governments (with Omayeli Omatsola 1998)
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – A training Agenda for Nigeria (with Bankole Olubamise and Yinka Balogun, 1998) Legal Research and Resource Development Centre
Annotated Rules of the Superior Courts of Nigeria (with Ade Ipaye) Lexis-Nexis Butterworths 2004
Cross Examination: A Trial Lawyer’s Most Potent Weapon (with Fola-Arthur Worrey) Lexis-Nexis Butterworths 2006

References

References[edit]

Jump up^ http://scp-law.com/index.php/Yemi-Osibajo
Jump up^ http://proshareng.com/article/1036.html
Jump up^ http://www.citigroup.com/citi/about/countrypresence/nigeria.html
Jump up^ http://whoswholegal.com/profiles/38398/0/osibajo%20san/yemi-osibajo-san/
Jump up^ http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/156314-apc-unveils-manifesto-code-ethics.html
Jump up^ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammadu_Buhari
Jump up^ http://apc.com.ng/index.php/media-center/latest-news/item/785-meet-buhari%E2%80%99s-running-mate-prof-yemi-osibajo
Jump up^ http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/meet-buharis-running-mate-prof-yemi-osibajo/