It was a free flow of commendations, accolades and glowing tributes in honour of Professor Akinola Ibidapo-Obe of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos as he hits the septuagenarian age which also marks his formal exit from active service to the University.
Speaker after speaker, at a Special Retirement Session which held on Thursday, October 5, 2023, at the Faculty of Law Boardroom showered encomiums on the retiring Professor of Law, adjudging him a genius, an exemplary leader, an encourager, a mentor of mentors and an astute role model who made indelible marks in the growth and development of Nigerian and African Law Education.
Other attributes of the honouree, according to members of the faculty, include generosity, discipline, fairness, accessibility, selflessness, and forthrightness, hallmarks which they said, endeared him to many, culminated in the birth of many giants in the Nigerian Legal Profession and made Prof. Ibidapo-Obe an enigma all through his thirty-four (34) years of service to the Faculty.
In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola OON, FAS, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), Professor Ayodele Atesnuwa applauded Prof. Ibidapo-Obe for his laudable contributions to Nigerian and African Law as well as the development and teaching of Human Rights Law in UNILAG.
Prof. Atsenuwa who also spoke as a member of the faculty said the retiring Law Professor deserved his flowers for his thoughtful and exemplary leadership which inspired and geared many faculty members into intellectual giants that they are today.
Apart from building human capacities and imparting knowledge in Human Rights, African Laws, Criminology, Law and Religion studies among other areas, Prof Atsenuwa identified the “Justice and Culture Statue” at the UNILAG Faculty of Law Complex as another legacy of Professor Akinola Ibidapo-Obe.
Highpoint of the event which was also graced by the wife of the honoree was the ceremonial signing-out of the Faculty Register by Professor Akinola Ibidapo-Obe to mark his last official attendance at the Faculty of Law meeting as well as his last day at work in the faculty having clocked 70 years today.
In his remarks, Professor Akinola Ibidapo-Obe was full of gratitude to the rank and file of the faculty for the love, support and kind words showered on him.
He described his thirty seven (37) years of sojourn in the teaching of Law which began at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife before he moved to the UNILAG Faculty of Law in 1989 as one laced with fulfilment and satisfaction.
Prof. Ibidapo-Obe re-assured of his love and passion for the University of Lagos and appealed to faculty members to keep the good works going.
Born on Monday, October 5, 1953, Professor Akinola Ibidapo-Obe obtained his LL.B Degree from the University of Lagos in 1977 and LL. M. with Distinction from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State in 1980. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1978. His areas of interest include African Law, Law and Religion, Human Rights, Criminology and Constitutional Law.
Prof. Akinola Ibidapo-Obe began his university teaching career at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria in January, 1986 as Lecturer Grade II. He joined the Department of Public Law, University of Lagos in January 1989 as Lecturer Grade I. He taught Human Rights and Criminology in the LL.B. Degree programme while at the LL.M level, he taught Sentencing and Treatment of Offenders as well as Criminological Foundations.
Prof. Ibidapo-Obe was Head of Department of Public Law in 2013 and served as Dean of Law from 2014 to 2016.
