President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is scheduled to unveil a six-volume publication documenting the landmark cases and professional contributions of renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun, on November 19, 2026, as part of activities marking the senior lawyer’s 50 years in the Nigerian legal profession.
The publication, titled Wole Olanipekun Through the Cases, examines significant legal matters handled by Olanipekun since his call to the Nigerian Bar in 1976, providing commentaries on cases that have contributed to the development of Nigerian law and jurisprudence.
The unveiling will take place during the WOC Justice Summit, an initiative of Wole Olanipekun & Co., and is scheduled for a day after the legal icon’s 75th birthday on November 18, 2026.
According to information released by the organisers, the six-volume work is designed to document the breadth of Olanipekun’s legal practice through an examination of his courtroom advocacy, professional engagements and involvement in cases with far-reaching implications for the Nigerian legal system.
The publication features contributions from retired judicial officers, legal scholars, senior advocates and other prominent legal practitioners across the country. Its forewords were written by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
One of the major areas covered in the publication is Olanipekun’s involvement in presidential election litigation. Over the years, he has served successively as lead counsel to four Nigerian presidents in legal challenges to their elections since 2007.
The cases provide an opportunity to examine the role of legal practitioners in constitutional interpretation, electoral disputes and the administration of electoral justice in Nigeria. Their inclusion also reflects the significance of election litigation in shaping the country’s democratic and constitutional development.
Born on November 18, 1951, Olanipekun was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1976 and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in July 1991, shortly before his 40th birthday.
His professional career has included several prominent appointments and leadership positions within the Nigerian legal system. In 1992, he was appointed Attorney-General of the old Ondo State, before subsequently serving as President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in 2002.
Between 2022 and 2023, he also served as Chairman of the Body of Benchers, one of the foremost institutions responsible for maintaining professional standards and discipline within the Nigerian legal profession.
Beyond courtroom practice and professional leadership, Olanipekun has maintained significant involvement in university administration and higher education governance.
He currently serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Lagos, his alma mater. He previously held similar positions at the University of Ibadan and Ajayi Crowther University, where he now serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
He is also the Chancellor of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti, his hometown.
The publication therefore documents not only his legal practice but also his contributions to professional institutions and university governance, reflecting the different dimensions of his public and professional engagements.
The November 19 unveiling will form a major highlight of the WOC Justice Summit, which is expected to bring together leading figures from the judiciary, legal profession, government, politics, business and other sectors.
The theme of this year’s summit is “From Precedent to Possibility: The Lawyer’s Role in Shaping the Next Fifty Years of Justice, Democracy and Public Trust.”
Discussions at the summit are expected to focus on the contribution of legal practitioners to justice sector reform, democratic development, the rule of law and the restoration of public confidence in legal institutions.
The event will also provide an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between legal precedents and the future direction of Nigeria’s justice system, particularly the responsibility of lawyers in strengthening democratic institutions and promoting public accountability.
With five decades of legal practice documented across six volumes, Wole Olanipekun Through the Cases is expected to serve as a professional and scholarly record of significant legal engagements and their implications for Nigerian jurisprudence.
The organisers are expected to release further details about the summit programme and participating personalities ahead of the November 19 event.
