The Nigerian Body of Benchers is a professional body concerned with the admission of successful candidates at the Nigerian Law School Bar Final Examination into the Legal Proffession. Members of the body are called ''

Benchers A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales or the Inns of Court in Northern Ireland, or the Honorable Society of King's Inns in Ireland. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher ca ...

''. The body also regulate the call of graduate of law school to the Nigerian Bar as well as the regulation of the legal profession in Nigeria.

Principal officers

The current Chairman of the body is Chief Wole Olanipekun, OFR, SAN who succeeded Hon. Justice Olabode Rhodes Vivour in March of 2022 after a long list of successions including, the past Chairmen such as Hon. Justice Dr. I. T. Muhammad, CFR, 2019, ALH. Bashir M. Dalhatu,2018, Hon. Justice W.S.N Onnoghen, GCON, 2017, Chief Bandele A. Aiku, SAN, 2016 (deceased), Hon. Justice, Mahmud Mohammed, GCON,2015, Chief T.J.O Okpoko who was elected on March 30, 2014 to succeed

Aloma Mariam Mukhtar Aloma Mariam Mukhtar (born 20 November 1944) is a Nigerian jurist and former Chief Justice of Nigeria from July 2012 to November 2014. She was called to the English Bar in November, 1966 and to the Nigerian Bar in 1967. On 16 July 2012, Preside ...

the

Chief Justice of Nigeria The Chief Justice of Nigeria or CJN is the head of the judicial arm of the government of Nigeria, and presides over the country's Supreme Court and the National Judicial Council. The current Chief Justice is Olukayode Ariwoola who was app ...

and Mahmud Mohammed the vice president at the time.

Notable members

Dahiru Musdapher Dahiru Musdapher (15 July 1942 – 22 January 2018) was a Nigerian jurist. In 2011, he was appointed the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He served as Chief Judge of the Kano State Judiciary from 1979 to 1985 and as a member of ...

(1942-2018), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria *

(b. 1944), first female Chief Justice of Nigeria *

Idowu Sofola Chief Idowu Sofola, SAN, MON (29 September 1934 – 23 March 2018) was a Nigerian jurist, Bencher and president of the Nigerian Bar Association. He was Previously the Chairman of the Nigerian Body of Benchers. Early life Chief Idowu was born ...

(1934-2018), President of the Nigerian Bar Association *

Kehinde Sofola Chief Kehinde Sofola, QC, SAN, MON, CON (10 March 1924 – 25 March 2007) was a prominent Nigerian Jurist and Minister of Justice during the Second Nigerian Republic. Early life and career Chief Sofola was born on March 10, 1924 as one o ...

(1924-2007), Minister of Justice *

Wole Olanipekun Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, OFR (18 November 1951) is a Nigerian Lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Early life A native of Ikere-Ekiti, he attended Amoye Grammar School in Ikere-Ekit ...

(b. 1951), former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and Senior Advocate of Nigeria *

Okey Wali Okey Wali, SAN (born October 29, 1958) is a Nigerian lawyer and the 26th president of the Nigerian Bar Association. Early life Wali was born on October 29, 1958 at Obio-Akpor local government area in the metropolis of Port Harcourt, a southe ...

(b. 1958), the 26th President of the Nigerian Bar Association *

Joseph Bodurin Daudu Chief Joseph Bodurin Daudu, SAN, (born December 27, 1959) is a prominent Nigerian Jurist, Bencher and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association. Early life Daudu was born on December 27, 1959, at Ogori-Magongo local government area of ...

(b. 1959), former President of the Nigerian Bar Association in 2010-2012 * Mudiaga Odje SAN (1923-2005), President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in 1974-1976 *

Muiz Banire Muiz Adeyemi Banire SAN Ph.D (born 6 October 1966) is a lawyer and activist. Muiz Banire formed the United Action For Change which serves as a pressure group and think tank with the drive to build a society where people are valued and treated ...

SAN (b. 1966), three-term commissioner of Lagos State *

Ishaq Bello Justice Ishaq Usman Bello (born 5 January 1956) is a Nigerian jurist, the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and Nigeria's nominated candidate for the 2020 judicial elections of the International Criminal Court based in T ...

(b. 1956), Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)

References

Nigerian jurists Law of Nigeria {{Nigeria-law-stub