Wednesday, November 11, 2026, was a memorable day at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as the Faculty of Law and the Department of Public Law rolled out the drums in honour of Distinguished Professor Taiwo Osipitan, SAN, as he concluded his 43-year career in the University.
The ceremony, held at the J. F. Ade. Ajayi (Main) Auditorium, brought together legal luminaries, professional associates, academics, judicial officers, students, mentees, colleagues, family members and well-wishers, including the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Honourable Justice Kazeem Alogba.
A Celebration of Service and Legacy
In her opening remarks, the Dean, Faculty of Law, Professor Adejoke Oyewunmi, paid glowing tribute to Distinguished Professor Osipitan, acknowledging his immense contributions to the growth and advancement of the Faculty over the decades.
According to her, the ceremony offered an opportunity to reflect on the values that defined his career, particularly his humility, generosity, support for colleagues and unwavering loyalty to the University.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS, expressed appreciation to the honouree for his decades of dedicated service, patience and willingness to contribute to the development of the University and legal education in Nigeria.
She commended his professional ethics, sound judgement, commitment to the rule of law, scholarship and wealth of practical legal experience.
Describing him as a man of strong convictions, intellectual confidence and high professional standards, Professor Ogunsola noted that his ability to combine academic responsibilities with legal practice enriched both his teaching and engagement with the law.
Her words: “He is a man of strong convictions, intellectual confidence and high professional standards. He understands the importance of doing things properly and brings seriousness and thoughtfulness to the responsibilities entrusted to him. I also appreciate the way he combined his academic responsibilities with professional legal practice. His courtroom experience has enriched his teaching, while his academic work has strengthened his engagement with the law in practice. This relationship between scholarship and professional experience has undoubtedly benefited generations of students and colleagues.”
The Vice-Chancellor also applauded the establishment of the Distinguished Professor Taiwo Osipitan Legacy Fund for Doctoral Research in Public Law, describing it as a platform to extend his influence through the advancement of doctoral scholarship and mentorship of young researchers.
The Chairman of the occasion and former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rahamon Bello, also celebrated the honouree’s loyalty, commitment and diligence to UNILAG and the advancement of legal education.
He recalled Professor Osipitan’s role in resolving litigations against the University, noting that his intervention significantly reduced pending cases and helped secure favourable outcomes for the institution.
Commemorative Lecture: “The Lawyer We Teach, the Nation We Build”
A major highlight of the celebration was the commemorative lecture titled “The Future of Legal Education in Nigeria: Training Our Legal Minds to Become Catalysts for Nation Building and Transformation,” delivered by former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun, SAN.
Professor Fagbohun examined the challenges confronting the transition from academic legal education to professional practice, while exploring practical reforms required to prepare future lawyers for a changing society.
Paying tribute to the honouree, he observed that Professor Osipitan’s distinguished career successfully connected the classroom, courtroom and public service, underscoring the need for legal education to preserve academic depth while giving students a clearer understanding of how law operates beyond the lecture room.
He argued that future lawyers must be intellectually curious, adaptable and equipped with problem-solving abilities, and advocated structured opportunities for every law student to engage with real-world problems before graduation.
Professor Fagbohun also emphasised interdisciplinary research, encouraging universities to create opportunities for students to acquire knowledge beyond their prescribed curricula. Citing artificial intelligence as an example, he explained that exploring its application in different fields could enrich classroom discussions on legal interpretation, liability, confidentiality and professional responsibility.
He further proposed the establishment of a National Legal Research and Projects Repository through collaboration among universities, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), law firms, corporate legal departments and public institutions. According to him, the repository would provide a central platform for research dissertations, anonymised case studies, model contractual provisions and lessons from major projects.
On curriculum development, he recommended that undergraduate legal education should provide a strong foundation in legal doctrine, while postgraduate studies should build on that through advanced research that engages more closely with professional practice and specialised areas of law.
Addressing the growing influence of technology, Professor Fagbohun stressed that technology should deepen intellectual engagement rather than replace critical thinking. Referencing concerns previously expressed by Professor Osipitan about students’ overdependence on AI tools such as ChatGPT, he noted that the central issue was not whether students used AI, but whether they surrendered the intellectual effort required for genuine learning.
He therefore called for greater awareness of verification, algorithmic bias, confidentiality, cyber-security and professional accountability, while encouraging universities and practitioners to develop reliable Nigerian legal technology grounded in local legislation, judicial decisions and regulatory materials.
Other issues highlighted included the need for integrity across legal education and sustainable remuneration models that recognise research contributions, reward professional expertise and enable academics to undertake legitimate private-sector engagements.
Professor Fagbohun maintained that legal education reform would have limited impact unless policies translate into meaningful changes in classrooms, law firms and student assessment. He advocated reforms supported by concrete actions, clearly assigned responsibilities and measurable outcomes.
He concluded that legal education must prepare lawyers to strengthen constitutionalism, advance justice, improve governance and promote fairness and certainty in public and private institutions.
More Tributes to a Distinguished Legal Mind
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, who attended alongside her mother, Mrs Clara Folasade Abiodun Olumide, a former Registrar of UNILAG, congratulated the celebrant and commended the commemorative lecture.
She, however, drew attention to the gap between the competencies of law graduates and the expectations of the profession, calling for actionable strategies and stronger collaboration between academia and industry.
Former Vice-President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, also paid glowing tribute to Professor Osipitan, commending his exceptional abilities in research and teaching.
Reflecting on their longstanding friendship, Professor Osinbajo celebrated the honouree’s integrity, intellectual energy, discipline, excellence and forensic skills. He challenged the Faculty of Law to preserve and celebrate the contributions of inspirational teachers, including distinguished scholars such as Professor Akin Oyebode.
Celebrating a Legacy Through Scholarship and Discourse
The valedictory ceremony transitioned into a colloquium featuring a fireside chat with Distinguished Professor Osipitan, anchored by Dr Ayodeji Awobiyide. During the session, Professor Osipitan reflected on his journey through the study, practice, teaching and research of law, and shared perspectives on improving the quality of legal education in Nigeria.
The colloquium featured a panel comprising Professor Simeon Igbinedion of the Department of Jurisprudence and International Law; Professor Olomola; and Dr Adekemi Omotubora, Senior Lecturer, Department of Commercial and Industrial Law, UNILAG.
Speaking as Chairman of the session, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, commended the honouree for his exemplary leadership, resourcefulness and intellectual depth.
A major highlight was the unveiling and presentation of the book titled Contemporary Issues and Perspectives in Public Law, performed by Chief Olanipekun alongside the Chief Book Presenter, Professor Francis Ayo Ogunye.
Other dignitaries who participated included the NBA President, Mrs Badejo-Okusanya; Professor Akin Oyebode; and the Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Mr Olatokunbo Joseph Talabi, who represented the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
The occasion also witnessed the formal launch of the Distinguished Professor Taiwo Osipitan, SAN, Legacy Fund for Doctoral Research in Public Law, an initiative designed to sustain his legacy through support for advanced research and the next generation of legal scholars.
Professor Osipitan was also presented with a Service Award in recognition of his decades of dedicated service.
In his response, Professor Osipitan expressed profound gratitude to the University and the Faculty of Law for the honour, describing the ceremony as humbling.
About Distinguished Professor Taiwo Adetayo Osipitan
Distinguished Professor Taiwo Adetayo Osipitan, SAN, FCIArb, FNIALS, is a distinguished scholar and legal practitioner whose career spans over four decades of teaching, research, advocacy and public service.
An alumnus of UNILAG, he obtained his LL.B. (Hons.) in 1980 before proceeding to the Nigerian Law School, where he won the Justice Somolu Memorial Prize for Best Student in Civil Procedure. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1981 and subsequently obtained an LL.M. from the London School of Economics in 1982.
He joined the Faculty of Law, UNILAG, in December, 1982 as a Youth Corps member and was employed as Lecturer II in November, 1983. He was appointed Professor of Public Law in 1998.
His areas of teaching and research include Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Evidence, Administrative Law, Environmental Law, Electoral Law, Judicial Independence, Corruption and Administration of Justice. He delivered his inaugural lecture titled “An Autochthonous Constitution for Nigeria: Myth or Reality?” in 2004.
Professor Osipitan was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in September 2002 and conferred the status of Distinguished Professor of Law by the University in May 2018.
He has held several positions within and outside the University, including Head, Department of Public Law; Chairman, Board of Directors, University of Lagos Consultancy Services Limited; and Chairman, Legal Advisory Services Board. He has also served on the Governing Councils of Lagos State University and Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, among others.
Beyond the classroom and courtroom, Professor Osipitan has served in several leadership and advisory capacities, including as Special Adviser on Constitutional and Legal Matters to the late Chief of General Staff, Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe, between 1998 and 1999. He was also a member of the Constitution Debating and Coordinating Committee involved in drafting the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In recognition of his contributions, he was conferred with the Fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators in 2012 and the Fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in February 2022.
Distinguished Professor Taiwo Adetayo Osipitan, SAN, FCIArb, FNIALS is married to Mrs Cecilia Olapeju Osipitan, and their union is blessed with children and grandchildren.
Report: Gbenga Gbelee
Photograph: Ayo Oloyede
