Yemi Osinbajo is a Nigerian politician and lawyer, and is currently the Vice President of Nigeria. He is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and was a Professor of Law and a Senior Partner with SimmonsCooper Partners – a commercial law practice firm, before his inauguration as Vice President.
Yemi Osinbajo Background
Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo was born on the 8th of March 1957, to the family of Opeoluwa Osinbajo in Creek Hospital, Lagos. He attended Corona Primary School, Lagos. After, he went to Igbobi College Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria from 1969–1975.
Next, he went for his undergraduate degree studies at the University of Lagos, where he studied Law and graduated with a Second Class Upper Degree in 1978. While in the university, he won the Graham-Douglas Prize for Commercial Law.
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Upon graduation, he went for a mandatory one-year professional training at the Nigerian Law School. There, he was admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of Nigeria’s Supreme Court. Osinbajo finished from Law School in 1979, and in 1980, he left Nigeria for the London School of Economics & Political Science, where he graduated with a Master of Laws degree.
He is married to Dolapo (née Soyode) Osinbajo, who is one of the granddaughters of Obafemi Awolowo, and they are blessed with three children – Damilola, Kanyinsola, and Fiyinfoluwa Osinbajo.
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Yemi Osinbajo Career
Osinbajo started off his career, as a youth corper in 1980. During his service year, he worked as a legal officer, with the Bendel Development, and Planning Authority (BDPA), Bendel state. After his service year, he got a job as a lecturer of law, at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, at 23years old. Before long in 1983, he became a senior lecturer.
In 1988, he was Adviser (legal advice and litigation), to the Attorney-General, and Minister of Justice – Bola Ajibola. From 1997 to 1999, Osinbajo became a Professor of Law, and was made Head of Department (HOD) of Public Law.
Also, Osinbajo was a cabinet member of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, an Attorney-General, and Commissioner for Justice between 1999 to 2007. In 2007, he went back to lecture at the Department of Public Law, University of Lagos. Same year, Osinbajo was made a Senior Partner of SimmonsCooper Partners (Barristers and Solicitors), Nigeria.
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Yemi Osibanjo has also worked as a staff member of the Justice Division, UNOSOM II of the United Nations Operations in Somalia. He was also a member of the United Nations Secretary General’s Committee of Experts on Conduct and Discipline of UN. In 2006, he was a member of Peacekeeping Personnel around the globe. Osinbajo was also a partner in the Law Firm of Osinbajo, Kukoyi & Adokpaye.
Yemi Osinbajo has authored many books and publications.
Yemi Osinbajo As A Pastor
Before Yemi Osinbajo’s inauguration as President, he was the Pastor in charge of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 48 – Olive Tree provincial headquarter.
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Yemi Osinbajo As A Politician
Osinbajo’s involvement in politics started after he and other notable Nigerians were tasked with the responsibility of developing a manifesto for a newly formed political party – All Progressives Congress (APC). This led to the presentation of the Roadmap to a New Nigeria – a document published by APC as its manifesto in 2013. The highlights of the manifesto were free meal school plan, and a conditional cash transfer to millions of poor Nigerians if they enroll their children in school, and immunize them.
Following the publication of the APC manifesto, the party’s presidential candidate – Retired General Muhammadu Buhari, announced Yemi Osinbajo as his running mate, and vice-presidential candidate for the 2015 general elections on the 17th of December 2014.
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Buhari/Osinbajo as the winners of the Presidential election. Thus Osinbajo became the Vice President-elect of Nigeria on the 31st of March 2015. They were both sworn in on the 29th of May 2015.
After the expiration of their 4-year tenure, Osinbajo and President Buhari ran for office again and won. They were sworn in for their second term in office on the 29th of May 2019 at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
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Yemi Osibanjo As Acting President
On the 9th of May, 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari wrote a written declaration to the president of the senate, and the house of representatives, informing them of his decision to go on a medical trip. While the president was away, the Vice president – Professor Yemi Osinbajo was conferred the acting president position.
As acting President, Yemi Osibanjo fired the Head of the State Security Service – Lawal Daura on the 7th of August 2018, because of illegal invasion of the National Assembly by armed, and masked operatives of the department. Lawal Daura’s position was filled by Matthew Seiyefa.
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Professor Yemi Osinbajo’s Membership Associations
- Member of the International Bar Association.
- British Institute of International and Comparative Law.
- Nigerian Body of Benchers.
- The Council for Legal Education of Nigeria.
- Independent director of CitiBank Nigeria.
- Ethics adviser to the board of the Africa Development Bank (ADB).
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Books Yemi Osinbajo has Published/Edited
- FMJL Review Series, Women and Children Under Nigerian Law
- Integration of the African Continent Through Law (Federal Ministry of Justice Law Review Series vol. 7) published by the Edward Foakes Publishers – 1989
- Towards A Better Administration of Justice System in Nigeria published by the Edward Foakes Publishers – 1989
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- FMJL Review Series, The Unification and Reform of the Nigerian Criminal Law and Procedure Codes published by Malthouse Press – 1990
- Law Development and Administration published by Malthouse Press – 1990
- Narcotics: Law and Policy in Nigeria, FMJL Review Series – 1990
- Perspectives on Human Rights in Nigeria FMJL Review Series – 1991
- Democracy and the Law, FMJL Review Series – 1991
- Nigerian Media Law, published by GRAVITAS Publishers – 1991
- Perspectives on Corruption in Nigeria, FMJL Review Series – 1992
- Cases and Materials on Nigerian Law of Evidence, published by Macmillan – 1996
- The Citizens Report Card on Local Governments with Omayeli Omatsola – 1998
- Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – A training Agenda for Nigeria with Bankole Olubamise and Yinka Balogun published by the Legal Research and Resource Development Centre – 1998
- Annotated Rules of the Superior Courts of Nigeria with Ade Ipaye, published by the Lexis-Nexis Butterworths – 2004
- Cross-Examination: A Trial Lawyer’s Most Potent Weapon with Fola-Arthur Worrey, published by the Lexis-Nexis Butterworths – 2006
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Yemi Osinbajo’s Articles Published In Law Journals
1984 – 1989
- Can States Legislate on Rules of Evidence? Nigerian Current Law Review (Pages 234–242) – 1985
- Problems of Proof in Declaration of Title to Land, Journal of Private and Property Law Vol. 6 & 7, (Pages 47–68) – October 1986
- Interpretation of Section 131(a) of the Evidence Act. Journal of Private and Property Law Vol. 6 & 7 (Pages 118–122) – 1986
- Legitimacy and Illegitimacy under Nigerian Law, Nig. J. Contemp. Law. (Pages 30–45) – 1984 -1987
- Unravelling Evidence of Spouses in Nigeria, Legal Practitioners Review Vol. 1 No. 2 (Pages 23–28) – 1987
- Allegations of Crime in Civil Proceedings, U.I. Law Review – 1987
- Review of Some Decrees of the Structural Adjustment Era (Part 1, 2, 3), (1989) 2 GRBPL No. 2 (Gravitas Review of Business and Property Law) pgs.60–63, (1989) 2 GRBPL No. 3 (Gravitas Review of Business and Property Law) pgs. 51–55, (1989) 2 GRBPL No. 4 (Gravitas Review of Business and Property Law)
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1990 – 1996
- Current Issues in Transnational Lending and Debt Restructuring Agreements part 1 and 2, Autonomy, Academic Freedom and the Laws Establishing Universities in Nigeria (1990) Jus. Vol. 1 No. 2, pgs. 53–64, Admissibility of Computer-Generated Evidence. (1990) Jus. Vol. 1 No. 1 (Pages 9–12)
- Profit and Loss Sharing Banks, Jus. Vol. 2 No. 8, Juvenile Justice Administration in Nigeria – 1990
- Roles, Duties and Liabilities of Collateral Participants and Professional Advisers in Unit Trust Schemes (1991) Jus. Vol. 1 No. 7 pgs. 71–83, Reform of the Criminal Law of Evidence in Nigeria (1991) Jus. 2 No. 4 Pgs. 71–98
- A review of the Beijing Rules, Jus. Vol. 2 No. 6. (Pages 65–73) – 1991
- Sovereign Immunity in International Commercial Arbitration – The Nigerian experience and emerging state practice- In African Journal of International and Comparative Law, 4 RADIC 1992, page 1-25, Human Rights and Economic Development in The International Lawyer. Vol. 28, No. 3 (Pages 727–742) – 1994
- Legality in a Collapsed State: The Somalia Experience 45 ICLQ (Pages 910–924) – 1996.
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Yemi Osinbajo’s Quotes
- “Our country stands today, on the threshold of phenomenal greatness. If we look back or permit fear or despair, we will stumble. So we must be steadfast, and immovable, we must be confident in all of the promises that God has made concerning our Nation.”
- “Those who remind us of the good old days probably have memory loss, because these days are the best days.”
- “We are in a race against other economies and against time. Technology has changed the employment landscape permanently. For the first time in human history, men and women will be trained in their own countries, they may even work from their bedrooms, and compete for jobs anywhere on the planet.”
- “…Every new day is legacy, and history being made. Age is not a barrier to innovation and vision.”
- “Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy.”
- “The desire of Nigerians is the same everywhere, they want a government that cares for them.”
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Awards And Recognitions Of Yemi Osinbajo
- State Merit Award – 1971
- School Prize for English Oratory – 1972
- Adeoba Prize for English Oratory – 1972-1975
- Elias Prize for Best Performance in History in 1973
- African Statesman Intercollegiate Best Speaker’s Prize in 1974.
- School Prize for Literature in 1975
- Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger – 2015
- Niger Delta Peace Laureate of the year award – 2018
- Life Bencher Award – 2019
- Imo Merit Award – 2019
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Net Worth Of Yemi Osinbajo
Yemi Osinbajo is worth $1.5 million dollars according to Forbes.
Yemi Osinbajo’s Life Lessons
- Strive to stay relevant in your industry every time.
- The role of hard work in achieving success cannot be overemphasized. Work hard, and success would come running after you.
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Image Credit: @profosinbajo (Instagram)
