By Kayode Adeoti with agency report
Safiya Umar Badamasi, is the first Hausa/Fulani Muslim woman to become Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and first lawyer from Katsina State that will attain the exalted Bar position.
Badamasi is among the 38 lawyers to be conferred with the title in September.
Solicitor-General of the Federation (SGF) and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Adedayo Apata, wife of Supreme Court Justice, Mrs. Adedoyin Rhodes-Vivour, human rights activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, among others were on Friday announced for the title.
The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) also named Olusegun Jolaawo, Prof Alphonsus Alubo Okoh, Prof Maman Lawan, Prof Uchefula Chukwumaeze, Abdullahi Haruna, Manga Nurudeen and John Asoluka.
Others are Adedokun Makinde, Daniel Enwelum, Emmanuel Oyebanji, Tuduru Ede, Abdul Ajana, Ama Etuwewe, Oladipo Olasope, Leslie Nylander, Olusegun Fowowe, Andrew Hutton, Olukayode Enitan, Paul Harris Ogbole, Olaniyi Olopade, Samuel Agweh, Ayo Asala, Abiodun Olatunji.
In a recent interview, Mrs Badamasi expressed joy for blazing a new trail in girl-child education in the Muslim North.
She said: “My guidance and counselling teacher was the one who motivated me. I was good in History and Literature in secondary school, so they advised me to study Law.”
Born on June 12, 1968 at Malumfashi town of Katsina State, the erudite lawyer rose through the rank to become the Solicitor General/Permanent Secretary of the Katsina State Ministry of Justice in November 2018.
She began her primary education at Aya Primary School, Funtua and obtained Primary School Leaving Certificate in 1980. She proceeded to FGCC Bakori, Katsina State between 1981 to 1985.
In 1985 she commenced the study of law in the then Kaduna State College of Legal and Islamic Studies, now Hassan Usman Katsina State Polytechnic and obtained a Diploma in Law in 1987.
Before becoming the Solicitor-General, she was Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Katsina State between 2007 and 2018.
She has to her credit four Supreme Court judgments as well as may Court of Appeal and High Court judgments.
In the same vein, Oyetola Muyiwa Atoyebi, the Kwara born legal practitioner, who hails from Igosun, Oyun Local Government has made an exceptional history in the legal profession following his appointment as the Senior Advocate of Nigeria at 34.
He becomes the youngest Nigerian to be admitted into the inner Bar which was established in 1975.
The emergence of Atoyebi as the youngest SAN in the country has continued to generate a lot of reactions from far and near including the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
The Governor applauded Atoyebi and members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch for the feat.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the Governor congratulated the learned silk praying for God’s protection.
Abdulrazaq, who personally spoke with the young legal practitioner at the weekend on the telephone charged youths in the state to emulate Atoyebi’s excellent performance.
He added that the youth should endeavour to be the best in whatever they are doing in order to make Kwara proud.
The Chairman of the NBA, Ilorin branch, Barrister Mohammed Idowu Akande revealed how Atoyebi rose to the peak of his career 11 years after his graduation from the University of Ilorin.
Akande, who described Atoyebi’s elevation as a stroke of God’s providence added that the latter did not go through any legal training after being called to the Bar.
He added that Atoyebi is the first SAN to be produced by the Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin, the young SAN is a rare gem whose influence and affluence has made ways for him.
“He is well known to me, I didn’t meet him at the Ilorin Bar but I know him well. He’s a wonderful man. He did not go for any pupilage and he had no principal or worked in any law firm, yet he owns a multi million naira law firm. He’s very influential but extremely humble.
“Unlike some other lawyers, Atoyebi is not from a very rich background. He rose to the top on his own and made use of every opportunity in life. He is the first product of the Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin to become a SAN. He’s indeed a star.”
Speaking on the criteria for the appointment of a SAN, an Ilorin-based learned silk, Kehinde Kolawole Eleja, maintained that many people in Kwara State applied for the noble seat but only Atoyebi was picked.
Eleja said Atoyebi’s appointment confirms that he’s the most qualified among the legal practitioners from Kwara who applied for elevation.
Eleja stressed that age is not part of the requirements considered for the elevation of legal practitioners to SAN.
He said, “Any lawyer who has practised for at least 10 years, with an office or a partner in a law firm, qualifies. The office must maintain a minimum of five lawyers who are on salary. The office must also have library with provision of medical assistance. The fellow must have been handling certain number of cases in all the superior courts of Nigeria.
“The fellow must have paid his practising fee up to 10 years and must have been recommended by judges and lawyers. His age is irrelevant as long as the person can meet up with all the requirements.
Reacting to the elevation of Atoyebi, the Head of Corporate Affairs, University of Ilorin, Kunle Akogun said, “Atoyebi is our product and he graduated in 2005. His elevation confirms our ‘Better by far’ status. It is apparent that we produce quality graduates, not only in the Law Faculty but in all disciplines and we’re very proud of him.”
