Council Members

The NBA-SBL has at its apex, a Council which is currently chaired by Dr. Adeoye Adefulu and consists of 12 other members all of whom are seasoned Commercial Law Practitioners drawn from diverse legal backgrounds.

Dr. Adeoye Adefulu

Adeoye is a partner in the Law firm of Odujinrin and Adefulu with almost 20 years of professional experience spanning the fields of petroleum law & policy, electricity law & policy, environmental law, corporate & project finance. He has acquired significant experience through his involvement in various projects for public and private sector clients and has advised on a number of Nigerian energy reform initiative programmes.

Through his research work and professional experience, Adeoye Adefulu has developed a keen understanding of the policy, legal and regulatory frameworks for the Nigerian energy industry. He takes a particular interest in oil and gas regulatory reform, gas utilisation, energy reform, renewable energy and environmental law issues.

Adeoye has published extensively on his research interests and regularly speaks at local and international fora on Nigerian energy matters. He has advised members of the National Assembly, through the DFID-sponsored FOSTER project, on elements of the Petroleum Industry Bill.

Dr. Adeoye Adefulu

Chairman

Aisha Rimi

Ms. Rimi is a partner in the Corporate Commercial and Private Client practice group. She is a leading transaction lawyer, versed in general corporate commercial law with expertise in foreign investment, regulatory compliance, and business advisory for ‘doing business in Africa’.

Her areas of specialisation and experience include project finance, corporate and operational joint ventures, all manners of commercial structures and advisory services such as joint ventures, shareholder arrangements, manufacturing, licensing and distribution agreements, divestments, mergers and acquisitions; corporate restructuring and government and regulatory compliance. She also manages the firm Private Client department which offers services in Trusts, Wealth and Estate Planning, Wills and personal investment and advisory services.

She has significant local and international experience as a project finance attorney at Chadbourne & Parke, (now Norton Rose Fulbright New York, US) where she worked on infrastructure projects across sectors.

In recent times, she has led teams that advised DFI’s on multi-million dollar investments in large infrastructure development projects; the restructuring of a multi-billion naira facility; conducted value for money and legal audits; rendered business advisory and transaction structuring advice to corporate and government agencies in areas of acquisitions, mergers and private equity investments. With responsibility for growing the firms evolving Private Client group, she has overseen the organic expansion of this service to include, wealth management and personal investment services.

She holds an LL.b and an LL.M from the University of Buckingham and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1991.

Aisha Rimi

Vice Chairman

Baba Alokolaro

Baba is the Managing Partner at The New Practice (TNP) and leads its Corporate Finance and Business Advisory Group.

He has a peculiar focus on Private Equity, and in this light, has acted for both Investor and Investee companies in capital raising transactions. Baba is regarded as a solution-oriented business lawyer and has been responsible for the firm’s reputation in the capital markets, e-Commerce and tech space in a series of deals across several industries.

He lends his expertise across areas of Project Finance, Corporate Finance, M & A, Infrastructure and Power. Between 2007 and 2011, Baba garnered some public sector experience as General Counsel to the Governor of Lagos State, Nigeria.

He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Capital Market Solicitors Association.

Baba Alokolaro

Secretary

Adeleke Alex-Adedipe

Adeleke Alex-Adedipe is the Managing Partner at Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe. He leads the Banking and Finance and Telecommunications, Media & Technology (TMT) practices at the law firm. He specializes and has a depth of experience in Telecommunication, Media and Technology, Banking and Finance, Capital Market, Real Estate, Business Advisory and other
corporate commercial practice areas.

Adeleke has advised on several landmark and award-winning transactions locally and internationally in TMT, Banking and Finance and Capital Market transactions.

He is a member of the Nigeria Bar Association and the International Bar Association. In addition, he is an Associate member of the African Philanthropic Forum. He was appointed a member of the Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council and is a member of the NBA Section on Business Law Council.

He was the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law Conference Planning Committee (CPC) for the 15th Annual Business Law Conference of 2021 by the NBA-SBL. He was the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the recently concluded Annual Business luncheon 2022 of the Capital Markets Solicitors Association.

Adeleke has been a delegate and guest speaker at various seminars, workshops and conferences locally and globally. He was recognized with the 40 under 40 Awards for outstanding achievements in the legal industry at the ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards 2018, won Managing Partner of the Year by African Legal Awards in 2020, and was recognized by Global Law Expert as a recommended TMT attorney in Nigeria in 2020. He is shortlisted as Managing Partner of the Year by African Legal Award 2022.

Adeleke’s hobbies include football, exercising, arts, travelling and politics.

Adeleke Alex-Adedipe

Asst. Secretary

Ayoyinka Olajide-Awosedo

Ayoyinka is a Partner at AARNDALE Solicitors and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK and the International Bar Association.

She has served as the Publicity Secretary for the Capital Markets Solicitors Association and is an active member of the Section on Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association serving on the Conference Planning Committee of the Section.

She has authored several articles including co-authoring the Nigerian Chapter of “Getting the Deal Through – Mergers and Acquisitions” in 2012 and 2013.

Ayoyinka’s main practice areas are corporate/commercial law and corporate finance. She advises clients both local and international regularly on multi-billion Naira transactions. She represents AARNDALE as company secretary and legal advisor on the Boards of various companies both private and public and regularly advises on the incorporation of companies, regulatory compliance, corporate governance and corporate restructuring with regard to shareholding and Board membership.

She is currently advising one of the largest prominent media and entertainment groups in Nigeria on obtaining debt and equity financing from a private equity firm and the corporate restructuring of its various entities. She acts as legal advisor to a corporate real estate development company with respect to the divestment of its US$100 million asset.

She is company secretary and legal adviser to an international fintech company – assisting in the incorporation of its Nigerian entity and advising on running its operations in the Nigerian market. She advised and assisted a foreign mobile communications company in acquiring its communications licence.

She was part of a team that advised a foreign online retail store on its direct investment and entry into Nigeria. Ayoyinka led a due diligence team and advised a Nordic bank with respect to its acquisition of a local microfinance bank. She has also advised a European development bank (as lender) on a 7-year US$20 million Unsecured Subordinated Convertible Facility to a Nigerian Bank.

She was an active member of a team that advised on the acquisition of a US$120million majority stake in Nigeria’s largest switching company. Prior to joining AARNDALE, Ayoyinka worked at a leading law firm in Nigeria in the Corporate and Commercial and Banking and Finance departments and at Linklaters LLP in London with the Project Finance and Capital Market teams.

Ayoyinka Olajide-Awosedo

Treasurer

Oyeyemi Aderibigbe

Yemi is a Senior Associate in the Corporate and Commercial Practice of the law firm of Templars. She obtained her law degree from the University of Lagos. She provides general corporate advisory on the Nigerian law and policy affecting the incorporation and operation of businesses, corporate governance, and tax compliance issues, and is part of the firm’s Labour and Immigration practice. Yemi is currently the Chair of the NBA-SBL Young Lawyers’ Committee.

Oyeyemi Aderibigbe

Financial Secretary

Fatima Kere-Ahmed

Fatima Kere Ahmed is a professional lawyer with over 18 years of experience in litigation, prosecution as well as corporate law. She is currently one of the legal Advisers as well as The Secretary to the Board of Code of Conduct Bureau.

Fatima is very passionate about public sector Policies/Reforms and has a special interest in corporate governance in public institutions, and institutional integrity. she has made contributions and served in various capacities both at the state, Federal and international levels.

Fatima attended Queens College Lagos, Coventry University UK, University of Dundee Scotland, Yale University, International Institute of Sports Lausanne, Nigerian Law School etc.

She is also an NEC member of the Nigerian Bar Association, a member of the IBA, FIDA, Institute of Directors, WIMBIZ Associate, among many other Associations.

She is known for her proven ability to solve problems and is often described as a fantastic people person, and a result-oriented individual.

Fatima Kere-Ahmed

Zonal Officer - North

Jude Ezegwui

JUDE IFECHUKWU EZEGWUI (AICArb,.J.P, N.P)

Jude is a lawyer from Anambra State. After secondary school education at All Hallows Seminary Onitsha; LLB Hons from Enugu State University, he attended Lagos Law school and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2003. He attached briefly with the Chambers of Richard Akinjide SAN and later worked with Nwanya and Associates till he established his law Office- INTEGRITY Chambers. He later did Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration/Management at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu Campus in 2005.

Jude Served as immediate past Chairman NBA Eñugu Branch, past legal Adviser Enugu Branch, Vice chairman Enugu Sports Club; Served in various committees in Eastern Bar Forum, Served as a Federal Board member, Federal Polytechnic Oko.

Head Partner INTEGRITY Chambers, Eñugu.; Director OvalNature Ltd, Director Nnokwa Micro Finance Bank Ltd.

Jude has attended many international conferences and seminars in UK and US

Currently enrolled in Learn To Live Business School.

Jude Ezegwui

Zonal Officer - East

Olayinka Abiodun Esan

Zonal Officer - West

Olayinka Abiodun Esan

Olayinka Esan is a lawyer with 22 years post-call experience in secretarial administration, courtroom litigation, commercial practice and business administration.

An Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, he has honed in skills in corporate consulting and negotiation with the Bovas Group, Chemster Group, Aqua Nutro Limited and Matrag Chicken, among others.

An active bar man, he has served the National Body of the Nigerian Bar Association as a member of the National Executive Committee, the Technical Committee on Conference Planning 2014, and the Election Working Group.

He is the immediate past Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ibadan Branch, and a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Foundation (Rotary International).

In his spare time, Olayinka is a football enthusiast and he channels his philanthropic energy by giving back to the society through his activities on the Executive Council (both local and national) of the Old Student’ Association of his Alma mater – Loyola College Old Boy’s Association.

He is a Senior Partner in Makanjuola Esan & Co.

Ayuli Jemide

Ayuli Jemide (AJ, as he is preferably called), is the Lead Partner at Detail Commercial Solicitors. He is a highly regarded Corporate & Commercial Lawyer who brings an unmatched eye to key aspects of the firm’s service delivery. Chambers

Global Guide and IFLR1000 reported respectively that clients say: “Mr Jemide has a vibrant and creative mind and his expertise is remarkable.’’ He has led notable transactions including Lagos State Blue Line Railway; UPDC Plc N30 billion REITS; Heineken BV’s purchase of 5 breweries in Nigeria; 2nd Niger Bridge Design Build Operate & Transfer; Warri Industrial Park Project; Consultant on World Bank’s Nigeria PPP Project.

Ayuli obtained his LL.B from the University of Benin, Nigeria in 1987 he was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. He also obtained LLM from Northwestern University – Chicago, USA and a post Graduate Certificate in Business Administration, Instituto de Empresa, Madrid, Spain.

He is a Certified Public Private Partnership Specialist, Institute for Public-Private Partnerships – Washington DC, USA Ayuli has expertise in the following areas Project Finance, Public-Private Partnerships, Real Estate, Oil & Gas, Corporate & Commercial and he was named the ‘’Best Lawyer, Nigeria, 2013’’ by World Finance. In June 2013, Mr. President appointed him as a Non-Executive Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria for a 4-year term.

Ayuli Jemide

Immediate Past Chairman

Ozofu Ogiemudia

Ozofu is a Partner in the law firm of Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, where she is part of the firm’s Corporate Advisory, Private Equity and Mergers & Acquisitions teams.

She is recognised as an extremely resourceful and versatile adviser and has advised on various areas of the law including, corporate and commercial law, private equity, corporate re-structuring and mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, labour and employment, and company secretarial practice. She also co-heads the firm’s pro bono practice.

She advised on various equity investments, usually leading the teams that carry out legal due diligence reviews in connection with various investments and divestments. She was part of the teams that advised clients such as Kellogg, Verod Capital, OCP Africa, Synergy Capital, Carlyle and Actis on various investments in Nigeria.

Ozofu is the 1^st Vice Chairperson of the Nigerian Bar Association-Section on Business Law Committee on Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Restructurings.

She was recognised in 2018 by the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) as one of the IFLR1000 Women Leaders in Nigeria. She is rated as a ‘highly-regarded lawyer’ for her Mergers & Acquisitions, and Private Equity practice, by The IFLR1000 2019.

Ozofu Ogiemudia

Immediate Past Secretary

Chinasa Unaegbunam

Chinasa Unaegbunam is a co-Managing Partner of the Firm. She is also a team leader in the Firm’s Dispute Resolution and Aviation Practice Groups. Chinasa has played a leading role in
advising and representing several international clients in the aviation and oil and gas sectors while leveraging on her litigation and arbitration experience. She has acted in a wide range of
commercial disputes including oil and gas, company law, aviation, employment, construction,
domestic trade disputes and taxation.

Chinasa was also the co-counsel responsible for drafting the Civil Aviation Act and the subsequent
declarations made by Nigeria in pursuance of the Cape Town Convention. She has been involved in the review of power industry template contracts and advised on proposed greenfield power projects.
Chinasa’s representation in several notable dispute resolution, power and aviation transactions include:

The N213 billion Nigerian Electricity Market Stabilization Facility, an
intervention fund was established to resolve liquidity issues in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry by settling outstanding legacy gas debts among other measures.
A multi-trillion Naira suit filed for the enforcement of the provisions of the Stamp Duties Act relating to the payment of stamp duty on all receipts, electronic transfers and teller deposits of monies from 2004 to 2013 for every amount
exceeding N1000.
A Federal High Court to Supreme Court appeal to secure the purchase of three oil blocks by a company listed on the London Stock Exchange and the Nigerian Stock Exchange from another international oil and gas company.
Securing a multimillion-dollar export credit facility from US EXIM Bank for the acquisition of new aircraft.

Chinasa Unaegbunam

Member

Stella Duru

Stella is Partner in the law firm of Banwo and Ighodalo. She consistently proffers refreshing solutions at the negotiating table. Since joining the firm in 2001, Stella has risen professionally especially in her areas of expertise, energy and natural resources as well as corporate commercial law. She has worked on several oil and gas transactions and has actively participated in negotiations relating to same. Over the period, she has garnered considerable project finance experience. Stella Duru is lauded as having “an understanding of the industry that is commendable.” She advises on a number of oil and gas transactions on behalf of the firm. Stella has a sound understanding of intricate and complex legal issues in her chosen areas of practice. Prior to her admission into Partnership, she served as a Team Leader in the firm’s energy & natural resources as well as its corporate, securities and finance practice groups.

Stella Duru

Member

Funmi Otsemobor

Funmi is a Partner at the law firm of Aluko and Oyebode. Funmi has experience in several aspects of banking and finance law and advises Nigerian and multinational clients on local and cross-border financing deals across several sectors. She has recently advised the sponsors (NNPC and Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited) on the US$1.36 billion financing of the NGL II project, and a syndicate of Nigerian and international lenders in connection with the US$2 billion financing of the acquisition of oil and gas assets by a Nigerian indigenous oil and gas exploration and production company. She is the Secretary of the Banking, Finance and Insolvency Committee of the NBA-Section on Business Law.

Funmi Otsemobor

Member

Efeomo Olotu

Efeomo is a Partner at the Firm of George Etomi and Partners (GEP). She leads the Firm’s Corporate Finance and Business Advisory Group.

She is a versatile lawyer with decades of experience advising clients on various aspects of commercial and corporate transactions. Her experience comes from being the team lead in various transactions with both local and international clients, regulatory bodies and private entities.

Prior to re-joining GEP Firm in 2018, she was a Legal Consultant at Enterprise Bank Plc. (EBL) after the successful acquisition of EBL by Heritage Banking Company Limited. As the Legal consultant, she supervised the Legal Department and advised the interim management on all legal issues affecting the bank’s internal and external business operations and credit-related transactions. After the merger, she was the head of the Legal Advisory/Specialized Credit and Transactions Unit of Heritage Bank Plc. Her role included reviewing and negotiating on behalf of the Bank different documents, which include syndicated loan documents, security documents, project loan documents, service contracts, and restructuring documents amongst others. She advised the bank on all legal aspects of its post-merger integration process, credit-related transactions, and internal and external business operations with customers and service providers.

She has and continues to provide legal advisory services to various companies on equity and debt financing, and has led several teams and provided legal advisory services on high-level transactions to the tune of over US$1 billion dollars. She currently provides legal advisory services to a N10 Billion Naira Private Equity Fund and she handles all legal aspects of the various investment transactions including but not limited to preparing investment documentation and ancillary definitive agreements.

Efeomo is the Pioneer Chair, the Young Lawyers Committee NBA Section on Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association, and Chairperson of the Young Mediators Group of the International Bar Association Mediation Committee (2013 – 2015).

Her areas of expertise are Banking & Finance, Private Equity, Capital Markets, Fintech, Mergers & Acquisitions, Post Merger Integration Processes, Private Public Partnerships, Project Finance, Due Diligence, Aviation, Data Privacy and Real Estate.

Efeomo Olotu

Member

Perenami Momodu

Perenami is a Partner in the firm’s Dispute Resolution, Insolvency, Energy, Agriculture and Labour Practice Groups. She is regularly involved in high stakes, commercial disputes resolution before arbitral tribunals and superior courts. She is currently leading the team handling a portfolio of matters arising out of the privatisation & bid process, ownership and title of one of Nigeria’s major enterprises. She led a team that successfully represented an exploration and production company in an arbitration pertaining to assignment of interest and cost recovery in a marginal field to the tune of about US$40 million. She is also part of the team representing an investment and asset company in several litigation in relation to capital market disputes at the Securities and Exchange Commission and appeals at the Supreme Court.

She renders advisory services to financial institutions, corporate organisations and multinational companies on insolvency, restructuring and turnaround of companies, mergers and acquisitions, schemes of arrangement and compromise, winding up, voluntary liquidation, receivership and bankruptcy. She is currently advising an international carrier on the cross-border insolvency issues arising out of the carrier’s administration process.

In 2019, Perenami received a Special Recognition Award from the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – Professor Yemi Osinbajo – for her involvement with the proposed insolvency reforms in Nigeria.

Certifications

LL.M, University College London, University of London.
PG Cert. (International Business Law) University of London.
Dip. (International Environmental & Natural Resources Law), University of London.
B.L, Nigerian Law School.
LL.B, Igbinedion University

Professional Associations

Nigerian Bar Association
Nigerian Bar Association, Section on Business Law
Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria
International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK)

Notable Positions

Secretary, NBA- SBL Agriculture Committee
Member, Planning Committee for the INSOL Annual Africa Roundtable
Member, Legislative Committee, BRIPAN
Member, Planning & Programs Committee, BRIPAN

Perenami Momodu

Member

Kehinde Daodu

Kehinde started his career as a legal officer in one of the leading Nigerian banks and later joined the firm as an Associate bringing to bear, his wealth of experience in project finance, banking and securities as well as mergers and acquisition. He is the partner responsible for the firm’s corporate finance, banking and securities team. In this capacity, he has rendered legal services and advised on numerous transactions in Nigeria relating to project finance, banking and allied matters, private equity, initial public offers and taxation.

Kehinde is a contributor to the Nigerian Chapter of the International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG) publication on “Corporate Tax” and the Nigerian Chapter of “Getting the Deal Through -Air Transport”, a publication on Aviation Law. He is a Notary Public for Nigeria.

Kehinde Daodu

Member

Sola Dosunmu

Sola Dosunmu is the CEO and Lead Consultant at SoDo & Jaythan Limited, a bespoke, contemporary and technology-driven firm, providing business improvement advisory services and multi-disciplined corporate governance, compliance and risk management consultancy services.

Sola has more than two decades of commercial legal, transactional, regulatory, governance, anti-illicit trade and international dispute resolution experience gained from global matrix organisations and top-tier private practice.

He is currently the Chairman of the Corporate & Regulatory Counsel Committee of the NBA-SBL, the Co-Chairman of the Governing Council of the NBA Corporate Counsel Forum and also Chairman of the Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration of Nigeria (ACC). He was until recently the Head of Legal Projects, for the West & Central Africa Area at British American Tobacco (BAT) and the Head of Legal, for many years prior to that. In addition, he was the Head of Regulatory Affairs, Head of Litigation and Intellectual Property, Head of Commercial & IP and also a Director of British American Tobacco Marketing Nigeria. He also sat on the Board of BAT’s UK subsidiary, B.A.T (UK & Export) Limited as its General Counsel. During his stint working from BAT’s London Corporate head office, he was the Senior Legal Counsel to the Americas & Sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa businesses.

Before joining BAT, Sola was a Partner in the law firm of Dentons ACAS-Law where he was responsible for complex and multi-party litigation & dispute resolution. Sola is admired for his consumer-centric disposition to handling legal, compliance, regulatory, anti-illicit trade and fiscal issues.

Sola Dosunmu

Member

Osahon Uhuangho

Osahon is the Lead Counsel at BTO Partners.

He is a highly skilled commercial lawyer with experience advising local and international clients
on business support legal services.

He brings a wealth of knowledge from the private sector providing clients with a real and practical solution on how they can best grow their business and at the same time, stay on the
the right side of the law.

He is internationally recognized as a commercial transactional lawyer and a Notary Public –Fulton County, in the State of Georgia, USA.

Osahon Uhuangho

Member

Rotimi Ogunyemi

ROTIMI OGUNYEMI
TECHNOLOGY ATTORNEY | TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY & GOVERNANCE | DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION

Rotimi Ogunyemi is a Technology Attorney with years of critical experience in commercial legal practice and core expertise in handling legal issues relating to ICTs; He provides advice and assistance on Corporate Digital Transformation.

Rotimi has advised a variety of clients on Digital services, Social, Mobile, and Cloud Technologies; Financial & Regulation Technologies (Fintech & Regtech); Intellectual Properties and Digital Assets; Internet governance, Legal & Policy Issues on Emerging Technologies; Legal& Legislative Drafting of ICT Instruments; together with all aspects of Law relating to the current information society and digital economy.

He is Co-Chair of the Digital NBA, on a mission to digitally transform the NBA. He is Chair of the ICT Committee, NBA – Section on Business Law. He is an Adjunct Faculty Member of ICT Law, Policy & Regulation at the Nigerian Communications Commission’s Digital Bridge Institute and a facilitator of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Courses on ICT Law & Policy.

He is a member of the Global Blockchain Business Council. And a member of the International Bar Association, Technology Law Committee, and Communications Law Committee.

Rotimi Ogunyemi

Member

Christine Sijuwade

Christine Sijuwade is the Group Head, Legal & Compliance at Tangerine Financial UK. Prior to joining Tangerine Financial, Christine was a Partner at the prestigious law firm of Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie where she advised several high-profile local and international clients on mergers, acquisitions and investments in a variety of sectors, ranging from financial services, healthcare, telecommunications, FinTech, and FMCG, amongst others. She has also advised on international lending transactions including syndicated loans.

Christine has been involved in a diverse range of financial and capital markets transactions including private placements and, as part of her Asset Management and Collective Investment practice, the establishment and registration of mutual and private equity funds. She also advises on issues relating to the Nigerian bond market. As part of her corporate advisory practice, she routinely leads due diligence reviews, in the course of which she evaluates regulatory compliance practices and credit portfolios to assess the viability of targeted businesses for; merger, investment and financing transactions.

Prior to joining Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, Christine worked at Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited. She has also worked at Denton Wilde Sapte LLP, London (now Dentons) as well as O’Melveny & Myers LLP, London.

Christine was a member of the Technical Committee established by the 8^th Senate (led by Dr. Olubukola Saraki) to review the Companies and Allied Matters Act at the end of which the Companies and Allied Matters Act (Repeal and re-enactment) Bill, was passed by the Nigerian Senate on 15^th May 2018. The Bill, re-introduced with amendments, was passed by the 9^th National Assembly, before being assented to by the President on 7^th August 2020.

Christine is a member of the Advisory Board of the Legal Business Unit of BusinessDay as well as the Secretary to the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law Committee on Competition and Consumer Protection. She is also a member of the International Bar Association and the Financial Services Lawyers Association.

Christine has also been the recipient of an award by the Nigerian Legal Awards, titled ‘Nigerian Rising Star: 40 under 40’ for young lawyers under the age of 40 who are shaping the future of the legal profession. She was also one of the lawyers featured as an ‘Amandla! Woman to Watch’ compiled by The Institute for African Women in Law. Christine has also been recognized as one of the Top 100 Career Women in Nigeria.

Christine regularly contributes to various publications and articles on Asset Management, Private Equity, Banking, as well as the World Bank’s Annual ‘Doing Business in Nigeria’ surveys. She also mentors several younger professionals and has facilitated training sessions for young lawyers on business etiquette and client management.

Christine Sijuwade

Member

A.G Abubakar

Mr. Abubakar is the Registrar General in the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). He had served as the Special Adviser to the immediate past Registrar General of CAC between 2009 and 2017. A.G Abubakar has represented CAC on the Governing Boards of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority. He was also a member of several Inter Ministerial Committees such as the Steering Committee on National Code of Corporate Governance, Committee on the Review of the Companies and Allied Act, Inter Agency Committee on Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, CAC Focal person on Open Government Partnership, amongst others. Between 1995 and 2004, A.G Abubakar worked with the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (NICON). He resigned as Senior Manager, Perfection & Securitisation in April 2004 to take up employment with the CAC. Mr. Abubakar has presented several papers at local and international conferences.

A.G Abubakar

Member

Yakubu Belgore

Member

Seni Adio, SAN

Seni is an Attorney-at-Law and a member of the Nigerian Bar, as well as those of New York and Massachusetts in the United States of America. Notably, before returning to Nigeria. Seni practiced law at the international law firm, MINTZ LEVIN, in Boston, Massachusetts, where he achieved the remarkable feat of becoming a Litigation Partner. While in the United States, he counseled multinational publicly-held conglomerates and private companies on various matters, including but not limited to, Fiduciary Law and Corporate Governance; Securities Laws; Legislative and Regulatory Matters before the U.S. Congress; Tax Abatement; Intellectual Property Law; Internet Technology and Security; Insurance and Coverage Disputes; and Business Torts (including Unfair Trade Practices, Commercial Libel and Breach of Contract). Since returning to practice in Nigeria, Mr. Adio has complemented his business litigation background with extensive expertise in Admiralty (Maritime), Energy (Oil and Gas), Telecommunications, and Capital Markets transactions and counseling. He is also duly registered with the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a Capital Markets Solicitor. Seni obtained his Bachelor of Laws with honours (LL.B Hons.) from The University of Buckingham, United Kingdom and his Master of Laws (LL.M Taxation) from Boston University School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He was recently conferred with the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Seni Adio, SAN

Immediate Past Chairman

Wale Akoni, SAN

Wale Akoni, SAN is the Managing Partner of the law firm of Babalakin & Co. He was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2006 and is recognized by ‘Who’s Who Legal’ Magazine, the official research partner of the International Bar Association and the ‘’Legal 500 Europe, Middle East and Africa’’ directory, as one of the top business lawyers in Nigeria. He is a Notary Public for Nigeria and has been approved by the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission to carry out legal services in the Nigerian Capital Market. He has acted as Chairman of the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules Review Panel and Committee Chairman on judicial appointment and bench relations of the Nigerian Bar Association.

Wale Akoni, SAN

Member

Isaiah Bozimo

Isaiah is a Partner at Broderick Bozimo & Company. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and has over ten years experience as a Barrister and Solicitor. An effective advocate, he has a proven track record of litigating and resolving disputes before the various State and Federal courts in Nigeria. Isaiah is also an active member of the Arbitration Community in Nigeria. In May 2015, he was elected into the Abuja Chapter Committee of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators’ Nigerian Branch. Most recently, he was appointed as an ICC YAF Representative for Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey. He is also Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Lagos Court of Arbitration-Young Arbitrator’s Network (LCA-YAN).

Isaiah Bozimo

Fola Akande

Fola Akande joined Cadbury Nigeria Plc. as Company Secretary/Chief Counsel West Africa in July 2012. Mrs. Akande is a qualified lawyer who obtained her degree LLB hons from the School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS) University of London and a Masters in Law (LLM.) from The University of Lagos. She comes into her role with an impressive background in Compliance, Corporate Governance, Commercial and Finance Law. She has over 25 years of working experience and prior to joining Cadbury, she worked for Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited as Company Secretary/Legal Adviser/Chief Compliance Officer as a pioneer staff for 13 years. Mrs. Akande is a special member (MCIarb) of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK and sits on the Governing Board of The Eye Bank for Restoring Sight Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) set up for the purpose of creating awareness on Cornea donation and clinically restoring sight to individuals who have suffered “reversible” blindness as a result of damage of the Cornea.

Fola Akande

Member

Yahaya Maikori

Yahaya is the Principal Partner of Law Allianz which he founded in 2008. He graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University in 1992 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1994. He has also been a member of the Law Society of England and Wales since 2013. He has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing, entertainment law and commercial/corporate law. He generally advises company boards on corporate governance, tax and securities matters. He is also a leading lawyer in Africa for the Gaming and Leisure industry. Yahaya began his career as Legal Advisor to Aso Savings & Loans Plc. Thereafter, he worked as the Company Secretary for First Alliance Pension and Benefits until he left to start Law Allianz. He is the Chairman of the NBA-SBL Sports, Entertainment and Media Committee

COUNCIL MEMBERS

The NBA-SBL has at its apex, a Council which is currently chaired by Dr. Adeoye Adefulu and consists of 12 other members all of whom are seasoned Commercial Law Practitioners drawn from diverse legal backgrounds.

Dr. Adeoye Adefulu

Chairman

Aisha Rimi

Vice Chairman

Baba Alokolaro

Secretary

Adeleke Alex-Adedipe

Asst. Secretary

Ayoyinka Olajide-Awosedo

Treasurer

Oyeyemi Aderibigbe

Financial Secretary

Fatima Kere-Ahmed

Zonal Officer - North

Jude Ezegwui

Zonal Officer - East

Olayinka Abiodun Esan

Zonal Officer - West

Ayuli Jemide

Immediate Past Chairman

Ozofu Ogiemudia

Immediate Past Secretary

Chinasa Unaegbunam

Member

Stella Duru

Member

Funmi Otsemobor

Member

Efeomo Olotu

Member

Perenami Momodu

Member

Kehinde Daodu

Member

Sola Dosunmu

Member

Osahon Uhuangho

Member

Rotimi Ogunyemi

Member

Christine Sijuwade

Member

A.G Abubakar

Member

Yakubu Belgore

Member

Seni Adio, SAN

Immediate Past Chairman

Wale Akoni, SAN

Member

Isaiah Bozimo

Fola Akande

Member

Yahaya Maikori

Member

About SBL

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Ikoyi – Lagos.

Tel: +234 805 488 1300

endurance.uhumuavbi@nbasbl.org

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