Prominent Nigerians including the sitting Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Dr Tanko Muhammad, have hailed a legal icon, Chief Wole Olanipekun(SAN) at an event marking his 70th birthday.
The event was an assemblage of who is who in the Nigerian legal system.
Mr Osinbajo, who chaired the event held in Lagos, described Mr Olanipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as “one of Nigeria’s most consequential Nigerian constitutional lawyers” given his contributions to the nation’s legal jurisprudence.
Osinbajo, himself a Senior Advocate of Nigeria extolled Olanipekun for deploying the proceeds of his sweat to ameliorating the plight of the less-privileged.
“What must give him more satisfaction as much as his accomplishments in the legal profession, is how he has affected the lives of hundreds and may be thousands who cannot repay him for his kindness,” the Vice President said.
“Chief Olanipekun’s great intellect and his mastery of the law, his incredible ability to get to the heart of the matter and let a whole panel of judges see his daring points, his disarming wits and humour, poetic submissions make him one of the most outstanding legal minds in this or another generation,” Mr Osinbajo said.
Also speaking at the event, the incumbent Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad said Mr Olanipekun “bestrides the Nigerian legal landscape with iconic and academic discernment.”
The CJN who was represented by Olukayode Ariwola, a Justice of Supreme Court also described him as a “very unique and nationalistic Nigerian with a radical posture of justice and rule of law.”
In a goodwill message, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said Mr Olanipekun is an erudite scholar, who has contributed to the growth and development of the Nigerian system.
Underscoring Mr Olanipekun’s kindness, Mr Sanwo-Olu recalled the former’s donation of his entire allowances to indigent students of the University of Ibadan while he served as Pro-chancellor of the varsity.
The governor lauded Mr Olanipekun’s wife, Omolara, for her steadfastness and love on reaching out to less privileged people.
