Femi Falana, SANs, dons speak at OAU law conference

Mr Femi Falana SAN, Professor Abiola Sanni SAN, Mr Oluseun Abimbola SAN, Professor Adeniyi Olatunbosun SAN, Justice Yinka Afolabi, and Barr. Adetunji Adegboyega were among the dignitaries who graced the International Conference on Law and Career (ICOLAC ‘25) organised by the Law Students Society (LSS) of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

At the recently held conference, the society unveiled its international journal, The Advocate.

In his lecture, Mr Falana lamented that many international agreements imposed on Africa undermine the continent’s interests and that many of these deals perpetuate neocolonialism.

He called on African legal practitioners to scrutinise those agreements thoroughly and also warned African leaders not to mortgage the future of the continent.

The Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, represented by his deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi, lauded the leadership of the Law Students’ Society of OAU for organising the conference.

During the conference, the 37th edition of The Advocate Journal, a publication of the Law Students’ Society, which was published in honour of Professor Abiola Sanni SAN, the Dean Faculty of Law, UNILAG, who was an alumnus of IFELAW, was officially unveiled.

OAU Vice Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Akanni Akinyemi, and the OAU Dean of Faculty of Law, Professor A. A. Adedeji, represented by Professor Mrs M. Erhun, also commended OAU law students for being good ambassadors of the university.

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Attorney General of Osun State and Commissioner for Justice, Honourable Oluwole Jimi-Bada, represented by Bar. Debo Oladinni also commended the law students for their positive impact.

In his remarks, the president of the Law Students’ Society of OAU, Kayode Taiwo Matthew, remarked that the LSS is not waiting for the future, but is already shaping it. Matthew said the conference was organised to shape the next generation of Nigeria’s legal elite and to ignite a change.

He noted that his administration had recorded over 20 remarkable achievements, which included bringing members of the Law Students’ Society of OAU together to raise an emergency solidarity fund of over N40 million within 72 hours for a fellow student in urgent medical crisis.

Matthew also stated that LSS offered a paid legal internship scheme for its members as a means of economic empowerment and to provide legal training opportunities simultaneously.

Legal luminaries, including Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) who are alumni of OAU’s Faculty of Law, as well as lecturers and students, received the Law Students Society’s awards of excellence at the event.

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