Professor Yemi Osinbajo, San

PROFESSOR YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN

Personal Data:

Other Names: Oluyemi Oluleke Date of Birth: March 8, 1957 Place of Birth: Creek Hospital, Lagos Home Address: 4, Osinbajo Close, Obanikoro, Ikorodu Road, Lagos, Nigeria Nationality: Nigerian Marital Status: Married

Education:

 London School of Economics & Political Science • Master of Laws – 1980,  Nigerian Law School - 1979, Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria • Winner of Graham-Douglas Prize for Commercial Law University of Lagos, 1975-78, • LLB, Second Class Upper, • Winner State Merit Award -,  Igbobi College Yaba - 1969-75, • School Prize for English Oratory, 1971, 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.

Work Experience:

 Simmons Cooper Partners (Barristers and Solicitors), Senior Partner, 2007 till date;  University of Lagos, Professor of Law, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, 2007 to 2013;  Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; Member of Cabinet, Lagos State, 1999 to May 2007;  United Nations Secretary General’s Committee of Experts on Conduct and Discipline of UN Peacekeeping Personnel around the globe,  Member (2006); United Nations Operations in Somalia,  Staff Member, Justice Division, UNOSOM II;  Law Firm of Osinbajo, Kukoyi & Adokpaye,  Partner; University of Lagos, Professor of Law and Head of Department of Public Law (1997-1999),  Federal Government of Nigeria, Special Adviser to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, (legal advice and litigation), 1988- 1992;  University of Lagos, Senior Lecturer I (1983-86), Lecturer II (1981-1983),  Bendel Development and Planning Authority, Legal Officer (Youth Service),1979-1980

Professional Activities:

 International Criminal Court,  Counsel, 2012 Citibank (Nigeria), Independent Director, appointed in 2008;  Senior Advocate of Nigeria, 2002;  African Development Bank, Ethics Adviser, Advisory Board;  Asset and Resource Management Company Limited (ARM),  Board Member, 2011 Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria,  Consultant, analysis of Legislation on Universal Basic Education, 2010;  United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Assessing the Efficiency and Impact of African Anti-Corruption Commissions, Consultant, 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;  Board of Studies of the Council for Legal Education,  Member, 2003-2007; Body of Benchers, Member, 1999-2007;  Council of Legal Education, Member,1997-2007;  International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Arusha on training of Prosecutors, Consultant (2004);  Revision and Publication of Laws of Lagos State,  Coordinator, 2003; Human Rights Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association,  Member (1999); 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); National Committee on the Review of Solid Mineral Laws, Member, 1996;  Expert advisory team to Ethiopia to advice parliament on Legal aspects of Democratisation,  Member (1992); 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; Compilation and Editorial Committee of Nigeria’s Treaties in Force (1970-1990) (Published in 10 volumes)  Coordinator, 1991; United Nations African Institute for Crime Prevention (UNAFRI), Consultant, (1991);  Delegation to the Meeting of Senior Officials of Commonwealth Law Ministries, Singapore, Leader, (1990);  Task Force on the Revision of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,  Member, 1990; Commonwealth Ad-Hoc Working Committee on the Protection of Cultural Property,  Member, (1990); Senate of Lagos State University,  Member; Convention on Business Integrity,  Co-founder & Chairman, Justice Research Institute Ltd. Gte.,  Board Member, THE ORDERLY SOCIETY TRUST,  Executive Director Negotiation and Conflict Management International  Board Member, 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; Nigerian Delegation to Negotiation of ECOWAS Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties, Gambia,  Leader; Governing Board of Legal Research and Resource Development Centre (LRRDC),  Member; Governing Board of Empowerment and Action Research Centre (EMPARC),  Member; International Bar Association,  Member; Justice Committee of the Transitional Work Groups of the Governor-Elect Lagos State,  Secretary; British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Member.

Membership of Editorial Boards of Learned Publications:

 Editorial Advisory Board of the Appellate Review Journal (Published by The Emmanuel Ayoola Foundation);  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: - 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 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.)  Modalities For The Implementation of The Transition Provisions in The New Constitution in Law Development and Administration, (Yemi Osinbajo & Awa Kalu eds.) FMJL Review Series, (1990).  Legal and Institutional Framework For The Eradication of Drug Trafficking in Nigeria – Narcotics: Laws and Policy in Nigeria (Awa Kalu & Yemi Osinbajo eds.) FMJL Review Series, 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 Learned Journals:  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 Authored/Edited:

 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)  Women and Children under Nigerian Law with (Awa kalu Co. Ed.) FMJL Review Series  The Unification and Reform of the Nigerian Criminal Law and Procedure Codes with (Awa Kalu Co. Ed.) – (Malthouse Press), 1990, FMJL Review Series  Law Development and Administration (Malthouse Press), 1990  Narcotics: Law and Policy in Nigeria, FMJL Review Series 1990  Nigerian Media Law, with (Prof. PK Fogam) GRAVITAS Publishers 1991  Perspectives on Human Rights in Nigeria with (Awa Kalu, Co.Ed) FMJL Review Series 1991  Democracy and the Law, FMJL Review Series, 1991  Perspectives on Corruption in Nigeria, FMJL Review Series 1992  Cases and Materials on Nigerian Law of Evidence, Macmillan, 1996  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,) Legal Research and Resource Development Centre, 1998  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

MONOGRAPHS

 Problems and Prospects of Development Control 2004  Elections and Electoral Malpractices in Nigeria 2009  The Imperative of Electoral Reforms - A Critical Element of Constitutional Re- engineering of Nigeria 2009  Strengthening The Code Of Conduct Bureau 2009  Building Ethical Institutions: The Experience Of The Lagos State Judiciary 2009  The State Of Criminal Justice In Nigeria: Challenges And Opportunities 2009  Transparency And Ethical Considerations In The Development Of The Nigerian Economy 2009  The Responsibility Of Privilege 2010  Reforming Civil Procedure Rules: The Lagos State Experience 2010  Understanding How The Legal Process Works In Business 2010  The Modern Justice Delivery Technique 2010  Challenges Of Enforcement Of Securities In Nigeria 2010  Political Institutions And Electoral Integrity 2010  Development and Policy Use of Criminal Justice Information and Statistics 2010  The Retreat of the Legal Process 2011  The Rule of Law: The Foundations are Shaking 2011  Structuring Criminal Justice Administration In A Federal State: Priorities For Nigeria 2011  Regulatory Framework for Curbing Internet Crimes and Money Laundering 2014  Leadership and Legacy: The Power of One 2014  Repositioning Nigerian Universities For The 21st Century: Paradigms For Innovation And Change 2014  Delays In Justice Administration: Beyond The Rules And The Law 2014  Towards A More Transparent And Merit‐Based Judicial Recruitment System In States Judicial Service Commissions 2014  The Rule of Law and National Development 2014

AWARDS

 Lagos State Government An award in recognition of invaluable 09/Sept/1999 contribution as member, Justice Committee of Lagos Transition Work Group  Lagos State Government An award in recognition of invaluable 09/Sept/1999 contribution as MEMBER, policy committee of Lagos Transition Work Group  Nigerian Bar Association Merit Award for outstanding Ikeja Branch contributions to the Bench and Bar and 15/June/2001 commitment to the rule of law in Lagos  Lagos State Judiciary Award for invaluable support 06/Dec/2003 towards the upliftment and growth of administration of justice in Lagos State Judiciary  Nigerian Bar Association Outstanding Practitioner award in 2004 recognition of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN)’s contribution to the legal profession and the Nigerian Bar Association  Magistrates Association of Nigeria Award of excellence in recognition of 09/Dec/2005 meritorious and selfless service to magistracy and humanity  Lagos State House of Assembly Outstanding performance award 28/April/2005 (The House Committee on Judiciary Human Rights and Public Petition)  Nigeria Bar Association Award of honour in appreciation of an Ikeja Branch immense contribution to the 26/May/2006 development of constitutionalism in Nigeria  Thisday Newspaper Nomination as Legal Practitioner of the year 2006  Lagos State Ministry of Justice An Award in recognition of an April, 2007 eight year tenure of resourceful motivational and revolutionary leadership of the Justice sector in Lagos state  Nigerian Leadership Initiative Award for exemplary leadership in July 2007 government  Committee for the Distinguished Mediators Award  Defence of Human Rights in recognition of selfless commitment 20/Sept/2010 to peace and development  Lagos State Government Emeritus Ambassador for the Ministry of Environment 2010  Lagos State Government: An Award in recognition of an outstanding 2010 contribution to the development of the Justice Sector of Lagos State  Nigerian Lawyers Association Law and Justice Award: In recognition of December 2011 an exceptional and remarkable service in the academia and the public sector, dedication to advocating for and implementing Judicial Reform in Nigeria.  The Lagos State Judiciary and An Award in recognition of a meritorious The Lagos State Multi-Door service on The Lagos Multi- door Courthouse 2014 Courthouse Governing Council

OSINBAJO: MEET BUHARI’S DEPUTY WHO IS MARRIED TO AWOLOWO’S GRANDDAUGHTER

He is so relatively new to the public eye that we don’t even know his correct surname. We know him as Yemi, quite all right. But is it Yemi Osibajo? Perhaps Osinbajo? Or even Osinbanjo? His name has been misspelt by the media for the past 15 years and there is no indication that he has ever tried to correct it. There you have the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC): self- effacing and relatively new to the political fray. Indeed, there are not many pictures to choose from when you google his name!

To his credit, though, all searches for “Osibajo” and “Osinbajo” lead to him. Some consolation there. The Punch has been alternating between Osibajo and Osinbajo. THISDAY, PMNews, TheCable and Premium Times seem fascinated with Osibajo. Ynaija wrote Osinbajo in one headline and Osibajo towards the end of the story. The Nation, which should know him very well, is sure it is Osinbajo. To know more about him, here are a few facts on the intellectual and public speaker. His name is Yemi Osinbajo (with “n” please) Memorise it – you may need it later. O-S-I-N-B-A-J-O. That is eight letters.

TheCable has been obsessed with “Osibajo” for no known reason, but this erratum should call its editors to order henceforth. The meaning of his name is not easily accessible to the younger Yoruba generation. All they will tell you is that OSIN is a water bird and AJO is a journey. Now to connect the two and make sense out of it is left to the older generation. TheCable refuses to hazard a meaning, but Osinbajo’s well-wishers will certainly hope his journey to Aso Rock will be as smooth as OSIN sailing on water.

In his native Ijebu, one of the oldest and most distinct dialects of the Yoruba language, OSIN could also refer to a “child” and Osinbajo (Osin bo lati ajo) could then be interpreted to mean a child has returned from a journey ─ a good sign that all went well. In that case, his well-wishers would be hoping that his journey into politics will be worth the while and they will have every reason to rejoice when he ends his national service. We hope Osinbajo himself will take time, when he is less busy, to explain the meaning of his name to us for our education.

Everybody who got it wrong should, however, be forgiven: Osinbajo is but a new “kid” on the block. He has been limited to the intellectual and ecclesiastical circles since he left government in 2007. After all, we are still struggling with spelling the names of more visible Nigerians such as Alamieyeseigha, Diezani and Imoukhuede. Even some Igbo would rather call the finance minister Ngozi Okonji-Iweala than Okonjo-Iweala. And the governor of Benue state was called Gabriel Suswan for ages until people finally agreed that even if a swan swam for a million miles, Gabriel’s surname would still be SUSWAM. And Ghaddafi? Oh no, let’s not go there.

He is a “blue blood” No, no. Not what you are thinking. He is married to the house of Obafemi Awolowo, arguably the greatest Yoruba politician ever and a distinguished public administrator described by the late Chukwuemeka Ojukwu as “the best president Nigeria never had”. Oludolapo, his wife and mother of his three children, is a granddaughter of the late sage. What else? Yemi is from Ogun state originally, but he served Lagos as commissioner and is therefore also from Lagos. What more? His brother, Akin, was the attorney-general of Ogun state from 2003-2007, the first and only time two blood brothers known to have held commissionerships in different states at the same time. What again? Akin and Yemi look so much alike, but we must now reveal that one is shorter and has a smaller build than the other. Guess who.

He is a SAN Yes, he is a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), but what do else do you expect a man who has taught and practised law all his adult life? He studied law at the University of Lagos (1978) and got a master’s from the London School of Economics and Political Science (1980). He was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1979. The professor of law was the head of department of public law at the University of Lagos (1997-1999). He 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. I almost forgot to say he is the senior partner at SimmonsCooper Partners, a law firm, where he earns his living. He is an author Aso Rock is not the right place to author books ─ you are too busy to do that. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo just launched a three-part book made up of over 1000 pages, but you have to realise he left office over seven years ago. It has taken seven years to release a book brimming with acid and poison.

Osinbajo has been writing his own intellectual books, not memoirs, which are more difficult. He may be an author but he will not be doing that in the presidential villa for now. Some of the books he has written or contributed to or edited are: “Nigeria’s Treaties in Force”, “Nigerian Media Law”, “The Unification and Reform of the Nigerian Criminal Law and Procedure Codes”, “Law Development and Administration”, “The Annotated Civil Procedure Rules of The Superior Courts in Nigeria”, “Cases and Materials on Nigerian Law of Evidence” and “Cross Examination: A Trial Lawyer’s Most Potent Weapon”. If he decides to write his memoirs after leaving office, be sure you won’t get much of a bile. He is a gentleman. yemi osinbajo Preach it, pastor! He is a pastor There must be something about Buhari and lawyer-pastors. In 2011, he picked Tunde Bakare, founder of the Latter Rain Assembly, as his running mate. Bakare is also a lawyer. This time, he has picked Osinbajo, who pastors the Olive Tree House of Prayer for All Nations, Banana Island, a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. And do we really have to repeat the part that Osinbajo is a lawyer too? He is ermmm… a politician He is no Bola Tinubu or Rotimi Amaechi, so you will be reluctant to call him a politician. And for someone who has never contested an election before, now it is pretty difficult to call him a politician. But he has been very much involved in politics. He was special adviser to Bola Ajibola, the attorney general of Nigeria from 1988-1992, and he himself was appointed attorney-general and commissioner for justice of Lagos state from 1999 to 2007.

He is an “international figure” He circulates frequently on the international scene. I must add: unlike Buhari. He is the ethics advisor to the advisory board of the African Development Bank. He has served in various roles within the United Nations, United Nations Centre on Transnational Corporations, the United Nations African Institute for Crime Prevention, the International Criminal court for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania, the department of Peacekeeping operations and the United Nations Peace Operations in Somalia. osinbajo He spoke at Platform in 2013 He is a ‘public servant’ and public speaker Osinbajo is co-founder and board member of the Convention on Business Integrity and the Justice Research Institute Ltd. In 2007, Prof. and his wife Oludolapo founded The Orderly Society Trust, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the promotion of Christian ethics and orderliness. And, well, he does a lot of things pro-bono. He is also a public speaker and a well-coveted one at that.