Renowned legal luminary and former Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, CFR, is set to receive double honours from two prestigious Nigerian universities this month.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria will be conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D Honoris Causa) by the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) during its forthcoming 13th Convocation ceremonies.
Chief Olanipekun, who is also the Asiwaju of Ikere Kingdom, will deliver the institution’s Convocation Lecture titled:
“Nigeria Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: The Imperative of a Sober and Definitive Recalibration.”
The lecture is scheduled to hold on Monday at the Alfa Belgore Main Auditorium of the university.
In a related development, the University of Lagos Alumni Association has concluded arrangements to confer its highest honour — the UNILAG Alumni Platinum Award — on Chief Olanipekun.
The award ceremony will take place on Friday, October 17, 2025, at the Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. The event will be chaired by the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Dr. Sonny Kuku, OFR, FAS, while the Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, will serve as Special Guest of Honour.
Chief Olanipekun currently serves as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, University of Lagos. Over the years, he has built a sterling reputation across various fields of law, including constitutional, commercial, and arbitration practice.
He founded his law firm, Wole Olanipekun & Co., in 1980 — now regarded as one of Nigeria’s leading law chambers with presence across several states.
A distinguished public servant, Chief Olanipekun was appointed Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State in 1991 and later served as President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) from 2002 to 2004. In 2007, he was elevated to the rank of Life Bencher by the Body of Benchers.
His academic and administrative contributions have also been felt in the university system, having served as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council at both the University of Ibadan (2004–2006) and Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo State.
Over the decades, Chief Wole Olanipekun has distinguished himself through his involvement in landmark cases and election petitions, making significant contributions to the growth of Nigeria’s jurisprudence and constitutional law.