ARE AFE BABALOLA: THE PRODUCER
ARE AFE BABALOLA: THE PRODUCER
Our focus is on one of
the best legal luminary in Nigeria who is not tired of contributing his best to
the growth of the country at 88. We thought it wise to celebrate this living
legend who has not only produce himself in the legal profession but has went
ahead to produce others in the profession to the peak of their careers. He had a very modest beginning he stopped his education at Primary Six
and every other thing he did thereafter was by private studies. He was going to
farm like most other children in his time. The children of those days derived a
lot of pleasure going to the farm. He enjoyed good food and play. He enjoyed
them and thought that was the end of the world so much so that he did not know
that there was anything outside the farm.
In his words “Chief I.A. Olowu
convinced my father that I should go to school. I did not initially like the
idea as all my attention was concentrated on the farm. I thought that was the
best that could happen to anybody as I saw a lot of food and other things on
the farm. I later went to school at Emmanuel Primary School, Ado-Ekiti. Because
my attention was divided since I always wanted to be in the farm, I did not
concentrate as I should. I however finished my primary school but my parents
could not see me beyond that level of education”.
He started private studies for Cambridge School Certificate, GCE O’
level; A’Level certificate of London University and B.Sc Economics of
London University. He had the opportunity to work in the Central Bank of
Nigeria and Mobil but he turned them down because he still wanted to study. So,
he registered for external degree in Law at the London University, also through
private studies. After passing through all that, he travelled to England for the
Call to the Bar in 1963. He is a member of Lincoln’s Inn, London, a registered
member of the Bar of England and Wales and also a distinguished member of the
Nigerian Bar. When he came back home, he started with the chambers of Olu Ayoola
and Co. in Ibadan- a dignified gentleman and one of the greatest litigation
lawyers in the country at that time. He cut his legal teeth there. he was there
till 1965 when he established Afe Babalola and Co. (Emmanuel Chambers) which is
reputed as one of the leading law firms in Nigeria today. He was admitted
into the Inner Bar as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1987.
The
firm which began as a one-man chambers in 1965 is today one of the largest in
Nigeria with over thirty lawyers including two Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
(S.A.N.) The firm’s Head Office is in Ibadan city and it presently maintains
three branch offices in the cities of Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt and two
other correspondence offices in the city of Ado-Ekiti and the city of London in
the United Kingdom
In
1986 the firm’s main office was moved from a rented apartment to a modern three
storey building at No.80, Fajuyi Road, Ekotedo, Ibadan, designed and built
purposely by the founder for legal practice. This building presently hosts the
firm’s Head Office.
The
Chambers of Afe Babalola & Co. (also known as Emmanuel Chambers) is one of
the leading firms of Barristers and Solicitors in Nigeria and its Principal,
Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, has been noted in reported cases as industrious and
masterful in conduct of his clients’ cases by the Supreme Court of Nigeria. The
firm has produced several judges and fourteen (14) Senior Advocates of Nigeria,
(Nigeria’s equivalent of Queens Counsel in England) which is the largest number
produced by any law firm in the country. Emmanuel Chambers is a composite firm
of legal practitioners engaged in providing a wide range of legal services to
persons and corporate bodies that may require same. The firm’s legal practice
areas and services are extensive and all-encompassing. The firm also renders
consultancy services to other law firms based in Europe and America.
In 2001, he was appointed, Pro-Chancellor of
the University of Lagos by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the former President of Nigeria. He held the position till 2008 during which he
emerged as best Pro-Chancellor of Nigerian Universities consecutively in 2005
and 2006. In 2009, he established Afe Babalola
University to promote education in Nigeria and the university's
College of law has at different times rated best in Nigeria. In 2013, the
university was ranked the second best private university in Nigeria and 17 of
136 universities in Nigeria.
He also contributes to the growth of
agriculture. He has about 275 fish ponds with about 200,000 fishes.
There are 75 within the campus; there is another 200 at Ajabamdele along Ikare
Road. By the time you go round the farms, you see nature and fingerlings
developing into big fishes. He has mango, tick, manila, palm tree farms.
He was installed as Are Bamofin of Yorubaland by Alaafin of
Oyo not by Elewi of Ado-Ekiti or Ooni of Ife. The day Alafin made him Are, he made
him to know that he is superior to any chief in Yorubaland.
Please join me in celebrating Are Afe Babalola, SAN, CON,
OFR, Are Bamofin of Yorubaland. A man who God has used to produce 14 SANs at
the last count, produce several graduates, a philanthropist of repute and a great
farmer.
REFERENCE:
1.
Jump
up^ "That Afe Babalola University May Truly
Excel, Articles". Thisdaylive.com.
Retrieved June 5, 2015.
2.
Jump
up^ "Aare Afe Babalola reacts to Omirin, APC
lawmakers threat to shun". Daily Post. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
3.
Jump
up^ "I want to live beyond 114 years – Afe
Babalola," The Punch
News, 4 A
5. AUGUST 4, 2013 interview BY SUCCESS NWOGU, ILORIN. punch
newspaper
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