Olamide Mojigbotoluwa Ehinfun-Adekunle became Nigeria’s youngest female Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) at 40, earning one of the legal profession’s highest distinctions after years of demanding practice and professional development. Her elevation marks a significant personal achievement, but her views on judicial reform, commercial disputes and opportunities for young lawyers reveal ambitions that extend beyond the title.
A partner at Afe Babalola & Co., Adekunle believes the justice system must do more than establish legal rights and must enable people to enforce them without facing years of uncertainty, prohibitive costs or procedural obstacles that make pursuing a legitimate claim difficult.
Court delays remain a major concern. Prolonged proceedings can drain the resources of individuals, keep businesses tied up in disputes and leave people awaiting trial in prolonged uncertainty. Some litigants eventually abandon their claims or accept unfavourable settlements because they cannot sustain the financial and emotional burden. Adekunle argues that stronger case management, fewer unnecessary adjournments and greater adherence to procedural timelines would help reduce these problems while preserving the right to a fair hearing.
She points to election litigation as evidence that firm deadlines can bring discipline to judicial proceedings. Under Section 285 of the 1999 Constitution, as altered, election tribunals must deliver judgments within 180 days of the filing of a petition, while appeals must be concluded within 60 days of judgment. Defined timelines also apply to pre-election disputes and related appeals.
She believes lessons from this framework could inform other areas of litigation. “Delay in ordinary litigation is substantially a function of incentives and case management, and not purely a question of capacity,” she says.
Access to legal representation is another part of her reform agenda. Nigeria has provisions intended to help people who cannot afford legal services, including assistance under the Legal Aid Act, reduced court costs for eligible indigent litigants and pro bono work by lawyers. Adekunle argues that greater public awareness of these options would help more people obtain representation instead of being shut out of the justice system by cost.
She also wants constitutional provisions on the financial autonomy of state judiciaries to be implemented effectively. The Constitution (Fifth Alteration) (No. 6) Act 2023 provides for funds due to state judiciaries to be paid directly into the accounts of the heads of courts and establishes disbursement committees in each state. In her view, these arrangements must operate as intended if courts are to manage their responsibilities effectively.
For her, the credibility of the judiciary also depends on compliance with its decisions. Court orders must be respected and enforced; otherwise, the authority of the law and public confidence in the justice system are weakened.
Adekunle proposes further changes to the appellate system, including allowing the Court of Appeal to serve as the final court in a range of cases. She believes this could ease the Supreme Court’s workload and allow it to concentrate on matters of greater legal significance. She also supports establishing specialised commercial divisions in every state, with clear timelines for resolving contractual disputes and debt claims.
The business case for reform is straightforward. Companies need dependable ways to enforce agreements, recover debts and resolve disagreements. When disputes remain in court for years, capital can become trapped, commercial relationships can deteriorate and investment decisions become harder to make. A more efficient system would help create the certainty businesses need to plan, trade and invest.
Her perspective is informed by experience across several areas of legal practice, including litigation, arbitration, oil and gas disputes, election petitions, commercial and transactional law, regulatory compliance and legal consultancy. She has advised on complex legal matters, participated in strategic negotiations and appeared before the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Adekunle joined Afe Babalola & Co. in September 2013, after working at D. D. Dodo & Co. and the Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organisation. Her progression to partnership has placed her within a practice handling demanding disputes and transactions that require detailed legal analysis and sound judgement.
Her academic path began at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where she studied law from 2003 to 2009. She completed her training at the Nigerian Law School in 2010 and earned a Master of Laws degree in International Trade Law from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom, in 2012. She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in the United Kingdom.
Born on June 25, 1986, in Kaduna State, Adekunle is from Ijero-Ekiti in Ekiti State. Her interest in law emerged during her school years, when she was known for speaking up for other pupils during disagreements. Her father’s accounts of politics in the old Western Region and the career of Chief Rotimi Williams, helped turn that instinct into an interest in the legal profession.
Her development was also shaped by senior practitioners whose work she observed and learned from. Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), CON, has influenced her since her undergraduate years and she also credits Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) for his advocacy and methodical approach to cases, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), OFR, the managing partner of her firm, for his professional example, and Pastor R. A. Ogunwole (SAN), whose chambers introduced her to legal practice during her university days.
The lessons she draws from these relationships centre on preparation, discipline, continuous learning and the willingness to work through difficult legal problems. She believes young lawyers must develop their skills deliberately, keep abreast of changes in the law and focus on finding practical solutions for their clients.
Her advice to aspiring Senior Advocates, particularly women, is to choose their professional environments carefully and build relationships that support genuine growth. She sees networking as an exchange of value rather than an exercise in collecting contacts. Experienced practitioners can offer guidance and opportunities, but young lawyers must also bring commitment, competence and integrity to those relationships.
She is particularly concerned about the pressures women can face as they combine demanding legal careers with pregnancy, maternity and raising children. Adekunle believes law firms should recognise these realities and create conditions that allow women to continue progressing without being unfairly disadvantaged. Supportive leadership and workplaces that value long-term development, she argues, can make a meaningful difference to women’s prospects in the profession.
The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee approved her elevation on July 23, 2026. She was formally sworn in by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, on October 12, alongside 67 other legal practitioners at the opening of the 2026/2027 legal year. Four women were among the 68 newly elevated practitioners.
Adekunle sees the SAN rank as recognition of perseverance and professional effort, but she also regards it as a responsibility. She hopes her legacy will include honest advocacy, the development of younger lawyers and practical contributions to improving the quality of judicial decisions and access to justice.
Her elevation at 40 places her among the notable achievers in Nigeria’s legal profession. The longer-term measure of her influence, however, will be the work she does with that standing: helping the next generation advance, strengthening professional standards and pressing for a justice system that serves citizens and businesses more effectively.
