Kehinde Ogunwumiju
There are moments in the life of a law firm that remain etched in gold, not merely in the annals of its history but in the very soul of its existence.
The year 1996 was one such moment for us at Afe Babalola & Co., it was the year one of our own, a young man who had walked through our doors as a fresh-faced corp member, mounted the pinnacle of the Nigerian legal profession, clothed in the distinguished silk of the Inner Bar, at just 36 years of age; the youngest ever at the time.
Today, we gather not just to mark a date on the calendar, but to celebrate a towering milestone: 30 illustrious years since Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi was conferred with the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Three decades of excellence, three decades of advocacy, three decades of service to the law, and three decades of making the firm of Afe Babalola & Co. proud.
His journey with us began not as a partner, not as a silk, but as a young, eager corp member serving his nation during the National Youth Service Corps programme.
He walked into our chambers with a quiet determination that belied his years. Little did anyone know that this young man, fresh from the university, would not only complete his youth service with distinction but would become an indelible part of the Afe Babalola & Co. legacy.
After his service year, Fagbemi did not leave. He stayed. He became a full staff member of the firm, and from that moment, his rise was meteoric. What was seen in those early days was a mind that refused to be ordinary, an almost obsessive diligence, a brilliance that was impossible to ignore, and a work ethic that set him apart from his peers. He was not merely hardworking; he was brilliant. He was not merely diligent; he was relentless.
In 1996, at exactly 10 years at the Bar, Fagbemi made history. From the chambers of Afe Babalola & Co., he was conferred with the prestigious rank of SAN.
He was 36 years old, and he was a bachelor. He became the youngest SAN in 1996, a record that spoke volumes about his extraordinary intellect, his fearless advocacy, and his relentless pursuit of excellence.
Our Founding Principal, Aare Afe Babalola, the legendary advocate under whom Fagbemi trained and flourished, once described him in words that captured the essence of the man: “Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN is a highly talented, intelligent and industrious young man who made the record of being the youngest Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1996 at the age of 37. And he was a bachelor! As a lawyer, Prince Fagbemi, SAN is fearless, daring and adventurous.”
These words, coming from a man who himself is a colossus of the legal profession, remain the most fitting tribute to a protégé who has not only justified the confidence reposed in him but has surpassed every expectation.
To describe Fagbemi as merely hardworking would be an understatement. His fearlessness in the courtroom became his trademark. He never shied away from the difficult case, the impossible brief, or the formidable opponent. He approached every matter with the precision of a surgeon and the heart of a warrior.
He was not just a lawyer; he was a legal architect, constructing arguments that were as beautiful as they were unassailable.
His brilliance is not the loud, boastful kind; it is the quiet, penetrating brilliance that leaves opponents scrambling for answers and judges reaching for their pens in admiration.
His prose was elegant, his logic devastating. The courts regularly commended him for his industry, and even when they disagreed, they did so with deference to his craftsmanship. His language, always apt and graphic, never relied on unnecessary flourish.
His colleagues at Afe Babalola & Co., past and present, speak of him with a reverence that transcends professional admiration. He was not just a colleague; he was a brother, a mentor, and a standard-bearer. He set the bar so high that we all had to stretch to reach it, and in stretching, we became better lawyers and better people.
As the years passed, Fagbemi grew not only in stature but in service. He became a mentor, an unknowing teacher to countless young lawyers who never had the privilege of sitting in his chambers but who read his judgments and his briefs with the reverence of disciples. He became a senior colleague who gave every counsel in the firm ownership of their files, empowering them to argue matters with confidence. He did not hoard knowledge; he shared it freely. He did not create followers; he created leaders.
Today, Fagbemi serves as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
This position places him at the helm of the nation’s legal affairs. It is a role that demands the very qualities that have defined him from the very beginning: courage, integrity, intellect, and an unshakable commitment to the rule of law.
We at Afe Babalola & Co. could not be prouder. To see one of our own, ascend to the highest legal office in the land is not just a personal triumph for Prince Fagbemi; it is a validation of the values we hold dear: hard work, merit, and uncompromising excellence. It is a testament to the culture of greatness that our founder, Afe Babalola, instilled in this firm from its very inception.
As we mark this 30th anniversary of his elevation to the Inner Bar, we do so with hearts full of gratitude to God for the grace that has attended his life and career. We pray that the good Lord will continue to grant him wisdom, strength, and good health as he serves our great nation.
Fagbemi, you have made Afe Babalola & Co. proud. You have made the legal profession proud. And you have made Nigeria proud.
Here’s to 30 glorious years on the silk and to many more years of excellence, service, and groundbreaking achievements. With deepest respect and admiration.
Ogunwumiju, is a Managing Partner at Afe Babalola & Co.