From: Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN),Justice Walter  Onnoghen will, next Monday, administer oath on  the brother to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Akinlolu, Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo and 28 others as the new Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN).

Also to be sworn-in is the Alliance for Democracy’s candidate in the last governorship election in Ondo State, and a former National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olusola Oke, who was among the the 30 successful candidates announced by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC).

 A former Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, Prof. Adebambo Adewepo, and the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Prof. Adedeji Adekunle, will also be sworn in as members of the inner bar.

The event which is intended to flag-off the new legal year of the Supreme Court, would witnesses the swearing-in of the only female among the successful applicants, Oluwatoyin Bashorun.

Others are Chibuike Nwokeukwu, Johnnie Egwuonwu, Bert Igwilo, Sylvester Enema, Ikenna Egbuna and Wilcox Aberton.

The rest are  Michael Alliyu, Francis Egele, Olusola Oke, Nasser Dangiri, Emeka Okpoko, Sani Garun-Gabbas, Abdul Ibrahim, John Odubela, Gboyega Oyewole and Joshua Musa.

They also include, Ibrahim Mohammed, Ekemejero Ohwovorile, Oyetola Oshobi, Sulaiman Usman, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, Chiesonu Okpoko and Kamaldeen Ajibade.

The successful candidates picked under the academic category are Profs Enefiok Essien, Sadiq Shikyl, Adebambo Adewepo, and Adedeji Adekunle.

A statement by the Director of Press and Information, Dr. Festus Akande, said the ceremony would commence by 10: am at the Supreme Court complex, Abuja.

The successful candidates emerged after three days of final interview in which 72 shortlisted candidates participated.

The rank confers certain privileges on the holder, among which are sitting in the front row of any court in Nigeria and judges ensuring that cases involving SANs are called up first.

However, Paragraph 22(1) of the LPPC guidelines permits the withdrawal of the rank from its holder, if such person is adjudged by the LPPC to have conducted himself in a manner incompatible with the dignity and honour of the rank.

Likewise, if the person is found guilty of professional misconduct by the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee, or convicted by a court of law for any offence, which in the opinion of the LPPC is incompatible with the honour and dignity of the holder of the rank, such as an offence relating to breach of trust, theft or other offences involving fraud or dishonesty, the rank can be withdrawn.