The Nation Newspaper

Category: Law

  • Awujale to confer Bamof in title on SAN

    Awujale to confer Bamof in title on SAN

    A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ade Adedeji, will be conferred with the traditional title of Bamofin of Ijebu by the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.

    The installation is billed for June 1, at the Awujale’s Palace on Awujale Street, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

    The title Bamofin, meaning Legal Pillar of the Community, acknowledges Adedeji’s contributions to the legal profession, as well as his steadfast commitment to justice and community development.

    Adedeji is a member of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) and the Tax Appeals Tribunal.

    A reception in his honour will follow at the Ade Adedeji SAN Bar Centre, within the High Court premises in Ijebu Ode.

    The event is expected to attract dignitaries from the legal, traditional, and political spheres in celebration of Adedeji’s distinguished career of service and excellence.

    Read Also: Can Nigeria First policy fire up sluggish manufacturing sector?

    Adedeji holds a degree in Sociology (1982) and a Law degree from the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

    He was called to the Bar in 1988.

    He later obtained a Master’s degree in Civil/Commercial Law, specialising in Company/Commercial Law and Land Law & Securitisation, also from UNILAG.

    Elevated to the rank of SAN in 2015, Adedeji leads his firm’s legal team, serving as its primary contact and coordinating major transactional efforts.

    His experience includes advisory roles in mergers and acquisitions, capital market operations, project finance, private equity, and securities offerings.

    He has played key roles in several landmark transactions, including schemes of external restructuring, bareboat charter agreements, finance transactions, and the securitisation of loans.

  • DSVA sensitises JDPC members on SGBV

    DSVA sensitises JDPC members on SGBV

    By Abiola Ogunlaya

    The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) has engaged over 80 members of Justice, Development and Peace Centre of Holy Cross Cathedral and 35 students on Lagos Island, on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) matters.

    Mr. Damilare Adewusi, head of Community Engagement, represented the Executive Secretary of Lagos State DSVA, delivered a presentation on SGBV.

    He engaged the audience, consisting of men, women, teenagers, and children, on forms of SGBV, effects of SGBV, child abuse, and its adverse effects.

    Adewusi emphasized the critical role of parents in helping combat child abuse, and highlighted the distinction between child discipline and child abuse.

    He stressed that child discipline becomes child abuse when the child is deprived, harmed, or subjected to painful structures.

    Read Also: Can Nigeria First policy fire up sluggish manufacturing sector?

    The presentation led to question-and-answer session, with  Adewusi providing answers to the attendees’ queries.

    The coordinator, Mr. Simeon Fashanu, gave a remark and the Secretary, Mr. Agboola Wesley, concluded the session with a vote of thanks to the DSVA team, expressing appreciation for the Lagos State Government’s initiative in combating SGBV.

    The agency distributed IEC materials to attendees, providing guidance on identifying and reporting SGBV cases. The participants also committed the toll-free helpline number, 08000-333-333, to memory.

    The sensitisation underscored the agency’s dedication to raising awareness and encouraging reporting of SGBV cases, reaffirming its commitment to combating sexual and gender-based violence in Lagos State.

  • Court reverses lawyer’s conviction

    Court reverses lawyer’s conviction

    An Enugu State High Court has set aside the conviction and one-year jail sentence of a legal practitioner, Chidiebere F. Agbo, who was found guilty by a Magistrate Court of giving false information to the police.

    Justice Kenneth Okpe held that His Worship, D. K. Ekoh of Magistrate Court Grade 1 erred in law by relying on the prosecution’s evidence without considering the totality of evidence, including that of the defence.

    The judge also ordered the refund of the N25,000 fine earlier paid by the appellant as an option in place of the custodial sentence.

    Delivering judgment in the appeal marked NO: CM/824C/2017 and Eà/5CA/2021, Justice Okpe held:

    “The Prosecution did not prove the elements of giving false information beyond a reasonable doubt nor prove that there was an intent by the accused to give an information knowing it to be false.

    “The Honourable Court took the wrong view by relying solely on the evidence of the Prosecution rather than evaluating the totality of the evidence before the Court, including the evidence of the defence.”

    The Magistrate Court had on November 18, 2020, convicted Agbo on two counts and sentenced him to one year in prison on each count, with an option of N25,000 fine on each.

    The sentences were to run concurrently.

    Read Also: Can Nigeria First policy fire up sluggish manufacturing sector?

    Dissatisfied, Agbo filed a notice of appeal on two grounds: that the decision was erroneous in law and that it was unreasonable based on the evidence presented.

    With the court’s permission, he later filed an amended notice, introducing an additional ground, among others.

    The appeal was delayed due to a judicial strike, which affected the timely compilation of the record by the Magistrate Court Registrar. The High Court later granted leave to amend the appellant’s brief and extend the time for filing.

    Agbo, who held a Power of Attorney from Dr. Kevin Ochin regarding a parcel of land at Airport Road, Enugu, had deployed workers to the land, which led to a dispute.

    Then Enugu East Local Government Chairman, Prince Cornelius Nnaji, halted the workers’ activities, claiming the land was part of a community lease agreement dating back to 1976.

    Agbo subsequently petitioned the Commissioner of Police, accusing Nnaji of harassment and abuse of office. The police dismissed the allegations as unfounded and charged Agbo with giving false information.

    At the trial, the prosecution presented three witnesses, while the defence called five. He was convicted, prompting the appeal.

    Though the respondent’s counsel argued that one of the grounds of appeal was vague and that issues on sentencing were not raised in the lower court, Justice Okpe held otherwise.

    “The court erred in law in finding the Appellant guilty in all the counts of the charge even when the Prosecution did not prove his case beyond a reasonable doubt as required by law.”

    He further stated: “The view of this Court is that this is a valid ground of appeal and the law is trite that one valid ground of appeal can sustain an appeal.

    “This court will therefore resolve this issue in favour of the appellant. With this resolution, the conviction and sentences of the appellant are liable to be set aside.

    “But before I do that, let me determine the issue of whether the lower court was correct in its failure to take into consideration the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Enugu State 2017 in the matter of sentencing.”

    Justice Okpe agreed with the appellant’s counsel that a custodial sentence was inappropriate for a non-violent offence.

    He cited relevant sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Enugu State 2017, including Sections 391, 392, 420, 455, 469, and 489, which provide for alternatives to imprisonment.

    In response to the respondent’s argument that the fine option constituted a non-custodial sentence, Justice Okpe clarified: “Let me correct a misconception by counsel for the respondent that the issue of sentence passed must have been canvassed and determined in the judgment before it can be raised as an issue on appeal.

    “It is not clear to this court the stage of the proceedings at the lower court when the issue of sentence will be canvassed.

    “This is because the sentence will be pronounced after allocutus, which is the last contribution by counsel for the accused person. And once a sentence is passed, the court becomes functus officio.”

    Concluding, Justice Okpe held: “Overall, I believe that the appeal is partially successful; therefore, the conviction and sentences imposed by the trial court on the Appellant on November 18, 2020, are hereby set aside.

    “In their place, I enter a verdict of not guilty in Charge No. CME/824C/2017. Consequently, the accused, now Appellant, Chidiebere F. Agbo, is hereby discharged and acquitted. Finally, I order that any money paid by the Appellant as an option for his custodial sentences be refunded to him.”

  • Legal profession crumbling under corruption, ethical breach — Osinbajo

    Legal profession crumbling under corruption, ethical breach — Osinbajo

    …seeks integration of AI into legal curriculum

    Former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has expressed concerns over the state of the legal profession in Nigeria, warning that it is collapsing under the weight of corruption, ethical breaches, and declining standards.

    Speaking at the 2025 Law Week Plenary Session of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa Branch, held at the Nigerian Content Tower in Bayelsa State on Friday, Osinbajo decried the growing perception that the nation’s justice system is corrupt, with both the bar and the bench implicated.

    He said, “The legal profession is crumbling under the weight of corruption, ethical violations, and poor standings. Stories of counsel acting as conduits for bribing judicial officers are rife. The perception that our system of justice is corrupt and that both the bar and bench are culpable is damaging enough.”

    Addressing the sub-theme, “The Legal Profession: A Vision for a New Era,” Osinbajo noted that the legal field is navigating an era shaped by unprecedented technological advances and societal turbulence, demanding urgent reforms and visionary leadership within the profession.

    He stated: “The pace of technological advancement today, rise of globalization, the democratization of information has already transformed every profession. Yet the legal profession, we are bound by precedents and traditions and some bad habits have remained stubbornly resistant to change.

    “Our profession needs a new vision, a new set of tools in a new era and that is so whether we like it or not. We are in a vastly different era, that when the tools we used today were designed will not work.”

    On what the legal practice looks like today and what it would look like in the next five years, Osinbajo stated that it was scary that a lot of the work lawyers do or used to do could now be done much faster and much more accurately by technology.

    He noted: “The systems don’t get tired, don’t go on leave, and do not ask for extra pay, these tools are becoming much cheaper and like mobile phones they will be available everywhere and to everyone very soon.

    “Technology is fast replacing basic legal analysis and opinion writing, a big part of our cake has been bitten off by technology and more will be bitten off very soon and very quickly.

    “Globalisation has made legal expertise easily available in real time anywhere — what is happening now before our very eyes is the most profound revolution that our profession has ever experienced, a revolution that will radically change the delivery of legal services and even adjudication forever.

    “We are no longer the gatekeepers and custodians of basic legal knowledge; that is all gone, but more importantly, we are no longer the custodians of legal reasoning and legal opinions.

    Read Also: Obasanjo, Osinbajo, govs, others bid Ayo Adebanjo farewell

    “What we should be looking at now is an enhanced curriculum for legal training if students have to be competitive in the years to come.”

    He advocated the integration of legal technology and AI into the curriculum, learning how to critically assess inputs from systems like ChatGPT and other AI tools.

    He said there was the urgent need to have more cross disciplinary trainings for lawyers to include law, data science and design thinking, data privacy, algorithm bias and designs of legal tech systems.

    Osinbajo stated: “And because AI systems will increasingly take over legal tasks, like legal research, drafting, and even basic reasoning, the true value of human lawyers will no longer lie in our ability to find the law or to summarize it; machines can already do that faster and more accurately.

    “Lawyers must now focus on the aspect of legal practice that machines cannot properly do or are not able to replicate yet, so we must now develop skills in determining what ought to be done in the clients’ best interest, ethical reasoning, and interpretation skills.”

    Declaring the plenary session open, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri said most people are threatened by AI, noting that if it goes a lot of way, it is perceived, a lot of people will lose out on jobs.

    “But that is also good for us, as society is dynamic. These are already used to all of us,” he said.

    Diri stated: “I want to appreciate the organisers of this Law Week. Yenagoa Branch has been so vocal. This is almost becoming an international event.

    “I am one person who will always acknowledge the rule of law and the big role lawyers play. You all know the history of how this governor (referring to himself) and his deputy came about. Each time the master of ceremonies say ‘miracle governor’, the miracle didn’t come from heaven. The miracle was through you (lawyers and judges). 

    “This is an organ of government that we must all work towards guarding because if the judiciary fails, we will all fail.”

    Diri said that for him and his administration, the principal thing about them is the rule of law.

    He said his government would continue to respect the rule of law and guard very jealously the independence of the judiciary.

    The governor said: “The Chief Judge of Bayelsa State seated here will attest to it that we have not unduly at any time influenced the judiciary.

    “We will always continue to work in the rule of law, where justice will prevail and where justice will be served in an impartial manner and form. I want to appreciate you all for gathering today and dissecting the issues that affect us. “If this country must survive, you have to make it survive. If you stand by the truth and by the rule of law, I’m sure that this country will survive, as you know, you are the last hope of the common man.

    “If not for you, I would not be standing here today as Governor of Bayelsa State. So be ready that anytime we gather like this, we must look at our own interest and the interest of our country, the interest of the children, and the interest of generations yet unborn.”

    In his welcome address, Chairman, NBA, Yenagoa Branch, Mr. Somina Johnbull, thanked the former Vice President, Bayelsa Governor, and many attendees who comprised members of the Bar and the Bench for honouring the lawyers in the state during their Week.

    He said that the discourse during the celebration would raise the bar in the practice of the legal profession across the country.

  • ICPC chairman: how digitalisation can enhance transparency, accountability

    ICPC chairman: how digitalisation can enhance transparency, accountability

    The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), has called for innovative strategies for enhancing transparency and accountability in Nigeria. 

    Dr. Aliyu stated this at a 3-Day National Anti-Corruption Conference (TAC’25) organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption.

    The theme was “Fostering Collaboration in Enhancing Transparency Within MDAs”.

    The ICPC Chairman, who was represented by the commission’s spokesperson, Mr. Demola Bakare, stated that digital platforms that augment human discretion and promote open access must be fully embraced.

    “Investment in digital transformation for anti-corruption and effective service delivery purposes will go a long way to enhance development and spread national prosperity,” he said.

    He further stated that transparency and accountability erre not distant ideals, but were actionable principles.

    “By embracing innovation, empowering institutions, and involving every Nigerian in the fight against corruption, we can have a generation that did not just talk about change but made it happen,” he said.

    House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Anti-Corruption, Rt. Hon. Kayode Moshood Akiolu emphasised the importance of collaboration in combating corruption. He stated that “no single entity or agency can tackle the pervasive nature of corruption alone.

    “It calls for synergy between government agencies, civil society, the private sector, and the citizenry to create a cohesive strategy that places transparency at the forefront of our public administration.”

    He further emphasised that there must be a steadfast commitment to ensuring that the processes of governing public service delivery were not just efficient but also open and transparent.

    Read Also: Depoliticise, equip EFCC, ICPC, CBN to fight corruption, Ozekhome tells FG

    In his keynote address, the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Dr. Mainasara Umar Kogo, said transparency fosters accountability, deters malfeasance, and empowers citizens to hold leaders to account.

    The use of technology, he said, must be underpinned by a culture of integrity, nurtured through training, and leadership by example, while he also advocated for punitive measures when there are violations.

    The conference brought together stakeholders from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and the private sector, with active participation from attendees, engaging in thought-provoking questions and discussions during the panel sessions.

  • Man jailed seven years for N43m fraud

    Man jailed seven years for N43m fraud

    Justice Mojisola Dada of an Ikeja Special Offences Court has sentenced one Stanley Amaogo to seven years imprisonment for N43 million fraud.

    Justice Dada held that the prosecution clearly proved its case against the convict beyond reasonable doubts.

    The judge, therefore, convicted and sentenced Amaogo to seven years imprisonment on count one.

    The judge also convicted and  ordered the second defendant to pay a fine in the sum of N500,000 within 30 days.

    The defendants were also ordered to restitute the sum of N43m in favour of the complainants.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos had arraigned Amaogo and his company, Double Miracle Ventures on January 13, 2022 on a two-count amended charge bordering on stealing, contrary to Section 285(9)(b) Criminal Law of Lagos 2011 and obtaining money under false pretence, contrary to Section 1(a) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud.

    Read Also: Man jailed 14 years for attempted sexual assault

    He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.

    During trial, the prosecution counsel of the EFCC, B.O.A Sonoiki and U.S. Kyari, had called two witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence by the court.

    The defence also called three witnesses before the parties adopted their final written addresses and closed their cases.

    One of the counts reads: “That you, Stanley Amaogo and Double Miracles Ventures, sometime in April 2018 in Lagos, within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, stole by fraudulently converting to your own use the sum of N43,080,000, property of Mr. Francis Okoye, Managing Director of Fontek Crystal Resources Limited…”

  • Alleged Lexus theft: Court adjourns trial of businessmen

    Alleged Lexus theft: Court adjourns trial of businessmen

    A Chief Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos, has adjourned till July 28, the trial of Lawrence Ogbechie (60) and Arinze Chinonso (43) over the theft of three Lexus cars worth N37.5 million.

    The Magistrate, Mrs. E. Kubeinje, adjourned to enable the prosecution to serve the defence counsel with the proof of evidence and other processes needed to prepare their defence.

    The Police Legal Unit, Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, in charge of A/09/2025, arraigned the defendants in February.

    Prosecuting counsel, Rita Momah, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), stated in the five-count charge that the defendants on January 27 at Ijesa Market in Lagos conspired to commit felony by stealing, an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 280 and 411 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2015.

    Read Also: Court orders EFCC to return $20,000 collected as condition for bail to owner

    The prosecution alleged that Ogbechie and Chinonso stole three Lexus ES 350 2008 models valued at N37.5million, property of Nnochiri Sunday.

    The charge reads: “That you Lawrence Ogbechie ‘M’, Arinze Umeh Chinoso ‘m’, on 27th January, 2024 at about 1000hrs at Ijesa, Market area Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: stealing and thereby commit an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the criminal cede laws of Lagos State 2015.

    “That you Lawrence Ogbechie ‘m’, Arinze Umehi Chinonso ‘m’ at the same date time and place, did steal three Lexus ES 350 2008 model cars valued at N12,500,000 each, with total value of N37,500,000, property of Nnochiri Sunday and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 280 of criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”

    The accused persons pleaded not guilty.

    Mrs. Kubeinje granted them bail for N5 million each with two sureties in like sum.

  • ECOWAS Court reserves verdict in SERAP, Fed Govt suit

    ECOWAS Court reserves verdict in SERAP, Fed Govt suit

    The ECOWAS Court of Justice sitting in Lagos, Nigeria lastThursday commenced proceedings in a fundamental human rights suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the Federal Government.

    The External Court Session is part of sensitisation outreach of ECOWAS Community Court of Justice sitting in Lagos.

    It held at High Court of Lagos Annex, Osborne Road, Ikoyi.

    SERAP’s case against the Federal Government was heard by the College of Judges led by the President of the Court, Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves. 

    The applicant, SERAP, was represented by Kehinde Oyewunmi while Okoye Princewill was for the Federal Government.

    During proceedings , counsel to the Federal Government, Princewill informed the court of a pending motion seeking an extension of time to respond to the suit.

    The application was not opposed by SERAP’s counsel, Oyewunmi.

    The Presiding Judge, Justice Gonçalves, directed both parties to make oral submissions on their respective applications.

    SERAP’s counsel, Oyewunmi, told the court that the suit was filed on January 9, 2025, in the interest of Nigerian citizens.

    He argued that Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act has been repeatedly abused by Nigerian law enforcement agencies.

    Read Also: ECOWAS court, Lagos Judiciary strengthen regional judicial ties

    He argued that this has resulted in violations of freedom of expression—a fundamental right protected under international human rights standards.

    Oyewunmi urged the court to declare Section 24 inconsistent with such standards, emphasising that SERAP had submitted a narration of facts and a supporting affidavit to substantiate its claims.

    Oyewunmi further maintained that the court had jurisdiction to entertain the matter and that the case was properly admissible before it.

    He said the decision of the government on Cybercrime Act had been  generating significant public interest, given the increasing concerns around digital rights, free speech, and governmental overreach in Nigeria.

    Responding, counsel to the Federal Government, Mr. Okoye, stated that they received the applicant’s processes only on May 7, and were yet to study the details.

    Okoye challenged the jurisdiction of the ECOWAS Court to entertain the suit.

    He argued that it lacked the authority to interpret domestic legislation such as the Nigerian Cybercrime Act.

    Okoye also contended that SERAP had failed to show concrete evidence of human rights violations resulting from the Act’s enforcement.

    He accused the applicant of relying on unverifiable online publications and hearsay, especially in an era dominated by fake news.

    He urged the court to dismiss the application on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction and insufficient evidence to support the claims of abuse under Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act.

    Following the submissions, Justice Gonçalves informed both parties that the court would communicate a date for judgment in due course.

  • Judgment in N550m suit against Army, COAS for June 19

    Judgment in N550m suit against Army, COAS for June 19

    The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 19, for judgment in a N550 million fundamental rights suit against the Army and seven others.

    Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned after adoption of addresses in the suit by a Deputy Director in Command Secondary School, Ipaja, Lagos, Ambrose Akhigbe.

    The court ordered service on the Army and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) via substituted means on March 1.

    The plaintiff, while an Assistant Director, sued the Army, COAS, General Officer Commanding 81 Division; the Commandant of Command Day Secondary School, Lagos; Lieutenant Akabor, Private Sani, Private Ahmed and Private Montero over alleged threat to life, assault, battering and maltreatment.

    Akhigbe alleged that the respondents, particularly the fifth, sixth and seventh, nearly killed him for making videos of inhumane punishment meted out to a female pupil in SSS-3 who was asked to roll in muddy water.

    He said while they were on their way to the Commandant’s office to resolve the issue, “the sixth, seventh and eighth respondents acting on the instructions of the fifth respondent, battered me from behind with the sole aim of killing me”.

    “They were saying: ‘We will kill you, today, you bastard’ as they continued to assault me, targeting my face and neck using plank, koboko, sticks, pipe canes, irons and their fists,” the plaintiff said. He attached video evidence of the attack.

    Akhigbe said the assault resulted to ceaseless flow of blood from his skull, while academic activities were halted due to a protest by staff members in solidarity.

    Read Also: Tinubu flags off 65km A’Ibom section of Lagos-Calabar coastal highway

    He said the Commandant, who handed over Akabor, Sani, Ahmed and Montero to the military police for investigation, paid N65,000 and N115,000 for his medical bills.

    “Shortly after the incident, my union, Association of Senior Servants Civil of Nigeria, served the respondents with a letter of demand for adequate compensation for me,” he said.

    Despite service of the suit on the respondents, none of them appeared in court and nor were they represented.

    Justice Abdul-Malik fixed judgment for June 19, and directed that a hearing notice be served on the respondents.  

  • Wanted: Strengthening of corporate transparency, accountability mechanisms

    Wanted: Strengthening of corporate transparency, accountability mechanisms

    As corporate Nigeria grapples with the ongoing challenges of corruption and ethical governance, there is a need for regulators to address governance issues at the root.

    There is also a need to create an environment where integrity is embedded into organisational operations.

    These calls were made at a sendforth lecture by the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (SCGN), founded by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof Fabian Ajogwu.

    It was organised in honour of retired SCGN directors Alhaji Tijjani Borodo, Mr. Ibrahim Dikko and Mr. Adetunji Oyebanji.

    Its theme was: “Leadership legacies: Advancing good governance for the next generation.”

    The event drew attention to the vital role of legacy leadership in shaping the future of corporate governance.

    The keynote speaker, Dr. Olusegun Osunkeye, stressed the urgent need to strengthen transparency and accountability mechanisms in Nigerian corporations.

    He made a compelling case for adopting proactive governance strategies, which go beyond compliance, to institutionalise integrity and combat corruption effectively.

    Osunkeye, a corporate statesman and former president of SCGN, urged leaders to build a sustainable future for organisations by integrating ethical practices, accountability, and long-term planning into their corporate DNA.

    “We will not be remembered for how we managed the quarter; we will be remembered for how we stewarded the future,” Osunkeye said.

    Read Also: Oyo Assembly approves LG budget to enhance transparency, acountability

    He underscored the long-term vision and ethical stewardship essential for creating a lasting leadership legacy.

    “Organisations must behave themselves into the future. Corporate culture cannot be constructed from slogans alone; it must be embodied in measurable actions and behaviours that reflect strategic intent,” he said.

    Osunkeye emphasised that legacy building requires leaders to groom successors and ensure that corporate values are passed on to future generations of executives.

    “We are all temporary stewards of something permanent.

    “Our influence may fade, but our impact must echo through the organisations we reform, the people we empower, and the values we embody,” he said.

    He urged leaders to embrace their responsibility as stewards of future generations, emphasising that leadership is a commitment to service and creating value beyond personal gain.

    “Be a transformational leader, have a vision, make an impact of positive impact, and leave a legacy. Lead without compromising your values and ethics,” he said.

    The lecture was more than just an event celebrating the achievements of Borodo, Dikko, and Oyebanji — it was an invitation to current and future leaders to take bold steps in building a culture of governance that will resonate for generations.

    As corporate Nigeria grapples with the ongoing challenges of corruption and ethical governance, Osunkeye’s words acted as a clarion call to both private-sector leaders and regulators to address governance issues at the root and create an environment where integrity is embedded into organisational operations.

    The event was graced by the crème de la crème of Nigeria’s corporate and governance space, including Board Chairperson of Ecobank Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Bola Adesola; Dean of Lagos Business School, Prof. Peter Bamkole; Pro-Chancellor of Pan-Atlantic University, Mr. Henry Ajumogobia (SAN); Founder of SCGN, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN); CEO, NGX Regulation Limited, Mr. Olufemi Shobanjo; SCGN Director, Ms. Rabi Isma, among other dignitaries, captains of industry, and governance professionals.