GOODWILL MESSAGE BY CHIEF WOLE OLANIPEKUN, CFR, OFR, SAN, LL.D, D.LITT, FCIArb., FNIALS, TO ẸGBÉ AMÒFIN ÒÒDU’Á WOMEN’S INAUGURAL SUMMIT IBADAN, OYO STATE, ON 5TH-7TH DECEMBER, 2025.

PROLOGUE
May I heartily congratulate the Organizing Committee of this Women’s Inaugural Summit
of Ẹgbé Amòfin Òòdu’á, for this thoughtful, auspicious, and historic convergence. This
gathering is not merely a meeting of minds; it is a convocation of conscience, a
renaissance of purpose, and a celebration of the indomitable spirit of the Yoruba woman
in the legal profession. I behold this epochal summit with the symbolic gaze of a patriarch
appreciating the flowering of a seed long sown, and I make bold to reiterate that today’s
event is not merely ceremonial; it is an eloquent testament to the vision conceived,
forged, and birthed some years ago, which has now matured into structures, birthing
even greater visions.

THE TRAJECTORY OF ẸGBÉ AMÒFIN ÒÒDU’Á
Before going further, and for obvious reasons, particularly the fact that a good number
of us do not know how Ẹgbé Amòfin Òòdu’á came into being, or pretend not to know
how it came about, its aims and objectives, and its pristine vision and mission, particularly
as conceived by the founding elders. It is apt for me to beckon at the past and use this
propitious occasion to apprise us (or do I say awaken us?) of this very fundamental
narrative on the noble heritage that anchors our collective identity.
The formation of Ẹgbé Amòfin Òòdu’á was a spontaneous reaction to the then
compelling need to create an umbrella for the harmonization and protection of the
collective interests of Yoruba lawyers in Nigeria, against the prevailing background of
what was becoming the fading and dwindling fate of Yoruba lawyers in the legal
profession, a profession that Yoruba people proudly produced the first pioneers, starting
from Christopher Alexander Sapara Williams, who was the first Nigerian Lawyer to enroll
as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1888.

It was at a fortuitous meeting of some leaders of the Bar from the South-West at Bekadims
Hotel, Ilorin, Kwara State in August 1999, during the Annual General Conference of the
NBA, held at Ilorin that year. Those leaders were, late Chief Debo Akande, SAN, late Idowu
Sofola, SAN, late Chief Dele Aiku, SAN, late Chief Adigun Ogunseitan, Chief Wole
Olanipekun, SAN and Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN. The idea kickstarted at a
dinner-meeting between the six leaders of the Bar in the course of the Conference, and
it was unanimously conceived that it was high time a body was formed for Yoruba sons
and daughters in the Legal Profession, outside the Bench, to come together, exchange
ideas, map out plans and strategies on ways and manners at enhancing their common
interests within the Legal Profession.

The first meetings of the Group were severally held at Ilorin, Ibadan, Lagos and Ikeja, while
subsequent meetings were held at Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode, Ilawe, Ikere, Ado, Ijebu-Jesa,
amongst others. At the early stage, arriving at an acceptable name or acronym to be
given to the Group was a bit challenging, but later on, the idea of ‘Ẹgbé Amòfin’, which
in English simply translates to ‘Group of Lawyers’ was arrived at, and approved, with a
rider that the word ‘Òòdu’á’ should be added. It was also unanimously agreed that
Ibadan, being the political Headquarters of the old Western Region should serve as the
Headquarters of the Egbe. Immediately the Egbe came into being, it started its
intervention on a number of issues and challenges concerning the Yoruba lawyers, and
got most of them resolved. Through unity, consultation, sacrifice, and unwavering
commitment to the ‘Omoluabi’ ethos, the Egbe continues to serve, not just as the umbrella
body for Yoruba lawyers in Nigeria, particularly from the South-West, but also the unifying
voice for all of them. Within the Nigerian Bar Association today, we have the Eastern Bar
Forum, the
Mid-Western Bar Forum, the Arewa Bar Forum, and the Ẹgbé Amòfin Òòdu’á’. While the
first three respectively represent and stand for the Eastern, Mid-Western, and Northern
Fora, Ẹgbé Amòfin Òòdu’á’ represents the Yoruba nucleus of the profession.

RECOGNIZING THE YORUBA AMAZONS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION
Today’s Women Summit, therefore, stands proudly on the shoulders of the effervescent
Yoruba legacy in the legal profession; a legacy of vision, dignity, and service. Without any
equivocation, an occasion like this also calls for celebration and appreciation of the
women-elders in the profession who have not only reached the top, but in doing so, have,
at every juncture, characteristically striven to lay good and impeccable examples for
others, including their teeming followers and successors. Within the context of this goodwill
message, and considering the space and time available, permit me to restrict myself to
just a few of them who, in the popular parlance, are used as a point of contact for others,
too numerous to mention.

(i). Chief (Mrs.) Folake Solanke, CON, SAN; who has inscribed her name in history by
scoring numerous firsts, both within our municipal legal landscape and on the
international stage. She became the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and the
Yeye Mofin of Ile-Ife. She stands as a matriarch of our noble profession, an exemplary
leader of uncommon distinction, a quintessential figure whose presence commands
reverence, a role model whose path illuminates the way for generations, a sage whose
wisdom enriches the Bar, a senior citizen whose dignity ennobles her station, and indeed,
a paragon of beauty in character, intellect, and poise.

(ii). Chief (Mrs.) Priscilla Kuye, who, till date, remains the only female President produced
by the Nigerian Bar Association. A mother figure in every conceivable ramification, she
rises with stately grace among her peers, distinguished not only by her towering
achievements at the Bar, but also by the nobility of her character, the breadth of her
tolerance, and the refinement of her carriage, she is a Life Bencher.

(iii). Mrs. Hairat A. Balogun, OON; she was the first female General Secretary of the
Nigerian Bar Association, and later doubled as the first female Chairman of the Body of
Benchers. She is a mentor to several successful lawyers across board, and let me make
an open confession that she recruited me as one of the rapporteurs who reported to her
during the Sixth Commonwealth Law Conference, held in Lagos, Nigeria, from 17th to 23rd
August, 1980. In the aftermath of that historic gathering, she was elected General
Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association.

UNITY AMONG YORUBA WOMEN AT THE BAR: AN IMPERATIVE TO ALL

The narratives of these matriarchs remind us that leadership is not merely a contest of
ambitions but a testament to character, integrity, fairness, and the collective good. I urge
our women at the Bar to remain united, to resist divisive external influences, and to stand
as torchbearers of the values that define Ẹgbé Amòfin Òòdu’á: justice, equity, integrity,
honesty, courage, honour, service, etc.

ZONING OF NATIONAL OFFICES WITHIN THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION (NBA)

Just as a good number of us do not know, or do not care to know how Ẹgbé Amòfin came
into being, it is also a truism that several Nigerian lawyers, particularly of the Yoruba
extraction, and more specifically from the South-West, do not know, and care less to know
how the zoning arrangement for national offices in the NBA started. It is important to
apprise all of us of this background so that we can be more sober and reflective in our
approach and quest to contest national offices by all means, irrespective of exigencies,
contingencies, and imperatives.

The positions of the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third
Vice President, and General Secretary shall rotate among the three zones. In
determining eligibility, regard shall be had to a candidate’s geographical zone of
origin and not the zone where he/she practices.

The geographical zone that produces the President shall also produce the First
Vice President.

Where a position is zoned to any particular geographical zone, the position shall be
rotated and held in turn by the different groups and/or sections in that zone.

It would appear as if some people have not taken cognizance of the binding nature and
effect of paragraph (3) supra, particularly as it relates to, and concerns, the South-West
which, in the wisdom of the Chairmen of the Branches in 2019, was divided into three
zones as follows: Ondo/Ekiti as Zone 1; Oyo/Osun as Zone 2; and Lagos/Ogun as Zone 3.
It was in the build-up to the Presidential Election of 2020; where two candidates from the
South-West showed interest in the presidential ticket; and as customary with the Ẹgbé,
that a committee of Branch Chairmen was set up to interface with them and recommend
one candidate to the Ẹgbé for adoption. Chief Niyi Akintola, CON, SAN, was mandated
to superintend and guide the Committee.

It was in the course of their deliberations that the Committee came up with the idea of
dividing the South-West into the above three zones, with a further recommendation that
whenever it was/is the turn of the South-West to present a candidate for the position of
the NBA President, the position shall be rotated between the zones seriatim; and that
since the two candidates who showed interest in the NBA Presidency in 2020 were/are
from Zone 1 (Ondo/Ekiti), when next it comes to the turn of the South-West in the future,
the candidate(s) shall be restricted to Zone 2 (Oyo/Osun), and thereafter, whenever it
comes again to the turn of the South-West, Zone 3 (Lagos/Ogun) shall produce the
candidate(s).
In supporting their recommendation and presentation, a breakdown of past Presidents of
the NBA from the South-West was given, indicating the Zones they came/come from, as
follows:

Zone 1 (Ondo/Ekiti)
i. Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN (2002–2004)
ii. Prince Lanke Odogiyan (2005–2006)
iii. Late Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN (2008–2010)

Had any of Dele Adesina, SAN or Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, won the 2020 election, Zone
1 would have produced four NBA Presidents.

Zone 2 (Oyo/Osun)
i. Chief Richard Akinjide, CON, SAN (1970–1973). He remains the only NBA
President produced by the zone till date.

Zone 3 (Lagos/Ogun)
i. Jibril Martin (1952-1959)
ii. Chief F. R. A. Williams, SAN (1960–1968)
iii. Peter Thomas (1968 -1969)
iv. Chief Adebayo Ogunsanya, SAN (1973–1974)
v. Chief Adetunji Fadairo, SAN (1980–1982)
vi. Prince Bola Ajibola, CON, SAN (1984–1985)
vii. Alao Aka-Bashorun (1987–1989)
viii. Chief Mrs. Priscilla Kuye (1992)
Zone 3 has produced nine NBA Presidents.

The report of the Committee was unanimously adopted by the Ẹgbé at one of our
subsequent meetings in Ibadan. Among the leaders of the Ẹgbé present at the meeting
were Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN; Chief Mrs. Priscilla Kuye; the late Chief Bola
Ajomale; late Chief Emmanuel Abiodun; Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN; Chief Felix
Fagbohungbe, SAN; Dele Adesina, SAN; my humble self; et al. Professor John Oluwole
Akintayo, who was then the Chairman of NBA, Ibadan Branch, was appointed Chairman
and Coordinator of the Committee, and there was a loud applause for him when he
presented the Report which was accepted as a clarion Charter of Ẹgbé Amòfin.

NEED TO HONOUR OUR COLLECTIVE DECISION
Among the comity of nations, none, to my knowledge, has any concept close or
equivalent to the Yoruba ‘Omolúàbí’ ethos. It is a concept that encapsulates honour,
integrity, dignity, fidelity, prudence, honesty, trust, respect, thoughtfulness, good faith,
bona fide, etc. The highest honour a Yoruba can bestow on another is that of Omolúàbí’.
In this wise, I charge this Women’s Summit to engage and interrogate one another on the
need for our womenfolk to respect and honour the agreement earlier reached by the

Ẹgbé as far back as 2019/2020, with the hope and prayer that, one day; God sparing our
lives; whoever desires to be President of the NBA today, but who, by prevailing exigencies,
cannot contest, will or may attain the position in future. Let me make this point clearly
and without any ambiguity: zoning the NBA presidency to the South-West is synonymous
with zoning it to Ẹgbé Amòfin. If Ẹgbé Amòfin, in its wisdom, tradition, and custom, has not
only fixed its internal zoning to Zone 2, but also screened all the four candidates who
expressed interest in the NBA presidency, regardless of internal zoning, and selected one
candidate, then it behoves all of us, as gentlemen and gentlewomen of the noble
profession of law, to respect that collective decision.

That again reminds me of my first NBA Conference in Kano in 1978, where two Yoruba
renowned legal practitioners, Chief B. O. Benson, SAN, and J. B Majiyagbe, SAN, locked
horns for the NBA Presidential ticket, and to a reasonable extent, the support base of both
was fairly substantial. On the eve of the election, the elders met, called both of them, and
advised J. B Majiyagbe, SAN, who was not only a foremost lawyer in Kano then but also
highly popular, to step down for Chief B. O. Benson, SAN, bearing in mind certain
considerations. Without any hesitation, J. B Majiyagbe, SAN, took the elders’ advice and
openly announced that he was stepping down, leaving Chief B. O. Benson, SAN, to
assume the office unopposed. The Yorubas reenacted this precedent in 2008 when the
late Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN became NBA President. Why can’t we do it again this
time?

As lawyers, let us remind ourselves of what Lord Jessel, MR. said as far back as 1882 in the
celebrated case of Walsh v. Lonsdale (1882) 21 Ch D 9, that “an agreement for a lease is
as good as a lease.” Here we are, as far back as 2019, we reached an agreement that
whenever it is the turn of the South-West to present a candidate for the position of the
NBA President, the position shall be rotated between the zones in seriatim, that is, Zone 1
(Ondo/Ekiti), the ticket shall be conceded to Zone 2 which has only produced one
President; and at any further subsequent opening, Zone 3 (Lagos/Ogun) shall take the
shot. Why should we not honour and abide by that agreement in demonstration of our
age-long commitment to integrity, equity, justice, fairness, fair play, unity, cohesion, team
spirit, togetherness, and oneness? If politicians and political parties can respect their
agreements on zoning, how much more should the learned gentlemen of the legal
profession uphold theirs?

APPEAL
My fervent plea to all of us, through our womenfolk, is that we should not allow, either by
any act of omission or commission, advertently or inadvertently, knowingly or unknowingly,

consciously or unconsciously, accidentally or incidentally, any cracks within
our hallowed walls. Neither should we engender any porosity in our frontiers. If and when
we have spoken, we should respect our decision and the counsel of the elders. As a
people, we respect others, and equally extend courtesies to them. Reciprocally, we
expect the same gesture from all our respected colleagues of other Fora within the NBA.
Since we would not, under any condition, poke our noses into their internal affairs or
impose on them who should be their flag-bearers, we expect reciprocity of those
customary gestures from them in the collective interest of the NBA and the legal
profession.

EPILOGUE
Once again, I wish you productive deliberations, ennobling and purposeful interactions,
and a fruitful outing worthy of remembrance. As mothers, we rely and depend on you for
guidance, advice, ennoblement, harmonization, cohesion, integration, crisis
management, and the impartation of lofty and noble ideals of the profession within the
Yoruba race, as well as the consolidation of the exploits of our heroes, heroines, legends,
and pathfinders, both past and present. Therefore, deploy your God-given virtues to
counsel and appeal to any of your/our members who, for one reason or another, do not
share or agree with the collective decision of the Ẹgbé, urging them to have a rethink. For
whatever we do today becomes the history of tomorrow.

Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, OFR, SAN, LL.D, D.LITT., FCIArb., FNIALS