The Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG), in collaboration with the Prof. Adedokun Adebayo Akanni Adeyemi Foundation (PAAAF), on Monday, November 2, 2026, held the 10th Commemorative Memorial Anniversary and 2nd PAAAF Lecture Series in honour of Emeritus Professor Adedokun Adebayo Akanni Adeyemi, a renowned scholar of Criminal Law, Criminology and Criminal Justice. The event, held at the Ayo Ajomo Auditorium of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), UNILAG, celebrated his enduring contributions to legal scholarship, criminal justice reform and mentorship.
Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Tolulope Ogunsola, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development Services, Professor Afolabi Lesi, urged students to draw inspiration from the achievements of distinguished legal scholars such as Professor Adeyemi, emphasising the importance of academic excellence, integrity and service. The Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Joke Oyewunmi, and the Head of the Department of Public Law, Professor Iyabode Ogunniran, also paid tribute to the late scholar’s intellectual rigour, humility, mentorship and commitment to institutional development. Chairman of the event, Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, CFR, a former student of Professor Adeyemi, described him as a brilliant legal mind who regarded law as a vocation dedicated to serving humanity.
Governance Failures and Insecurity
Delivering the lecture, Professor Etannibi Alemika identified governance failures and weakened educational, economic, and political institutions as major drivers of insecurity in Nigeria. Drawing on criminological theories, he explained how limited legitimate opportunities, the excessive pursuit of wealth, and the erosion of societal values could fuel corruption and criminal behaviour. He called for the effective implementation of Chapter Two of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, stressing that addressing insecurity requires stronger social welfare systems, accountable governance and justice institutions rather than merely enacting additional laws.
A Legacy of Legal Scholarship and Criminal Justice Reform
Professor Adeyemi’s distinguished academic career spanned more than five decades. A graduate of the University of Hull, England, he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1964 and subsequently obtained an LL.M. with Distinction from the London School of Economics and a Doctor of Criminology with Distinction from the University of Cambridge. He joined UNILAG’s Faculty of Law in 1967, became a professor in 1979, and served as Head of Department, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies. Although he retired in 2005, he continued teaching and supervising doctoral research until 2010. He was conferred the title of Emeritus Professor of Law in 2011.
Beyond academia, Professor Adeyemi contributed to criminal justice reform and legal development in Nigeria and internationally, including the development of United Nations criminal justice standards, African Union policy documents, the Child’s Rights Act 2003 and the Immigration Act 2015. He also worked with international organisations, including UNICEF, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the International Labour Organization, and the United Nations Development Programme. From 1993 to 1995, he served as Director of Justice in Somalia under the United Nations Operation in Somalia.
A leading authority on human trafficking and the rights of women and children, Professor Adeyemi authored approximately 100 publications, including his seminal work, Nigerian Criminal Process (1977).
Report: Oluwatoyin Ojo-Alo
Photograph: Samuel Dosumu
