A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Oluwole Oladapo Olanipekun was yesterday conferred with an honourary Doctor of Law (LL.D) by the University of Ibadan.

A former Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the premier University, Olanipekun was honoured in recognition of his contributions to the legal profession and to education in Nigeria.

Born on November18, 1951 at Ikere-Ekiti, Olanipekun attended Amoye Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti, Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha, University of Lagos (UNILAG), the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Nigerian Bar in July, 1976.

This erudite lawyer started his career as a Lecturer at Kwara State College of Technology, Ilorin in 1976. Olanipekun was a junior counsel in the Chambers of Oniyangi & Co, Ilorin between 1977 and 1979 where he acquired the skills that enabled him to bestride the legal profession like a colossus.

In 1980, he became the Principal Partner of Messrs Wole Olanipekun & Co, Ilorin, with offices in Lagos and Abuja.

He was conferred with the prestigious rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1991. He has been a Notary Public since 1987.

He served as President of the Nigerian Bar Association between 2002 and 2004; member, International Bar Association (IBA), Commonwealth Lawyers' Association (CLA), Pan African Lawyers' Union (PALU), Nigerian Bar Association Disciplinary Committee, West African Bar Association (WABA) and Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

He was the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State between 1992 and 1993, a member of Council of Legal Education, Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee, General Council of the Bar, Governing Council, University of Ado-Akiti, National Judicial Council among others. He is today a Life member of the National Executive Committee of the NBA as well as a Life Bencher.

He was honoured with the Distinguished Alumnus Award of the Faculty of Law, Unilag in 1992 and the Merit Alumnus Award of both Amoye Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti and Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha in 1999.

He was recognised as a leader in achievement in Ondo State in 1994, honoured with Merit Award Certificate as an illustrious son of Ikere in 1996 and conferred with Aare Bamofin of Owo in 1995, among others.

A philanthropist, Olanipekun has positively impacted on many people in different and diverse areas of life, including education, religion, industry and employment.

In 1996, he set up the Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme for awarding scholarships to brilliant but indigent students and since then, the scheme has produced many talented beneficiaries, some of whom are now doctors, lawyers, engineers, pharmacists, accountants, educationists etc.

In February 2009, he built, equipped and donated a modern IT building to Amoye Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti. Also in March 2012, God provided for him the means to donate a modern Vicarage to St. Peter's Anglican Church, Ikere. In July 2011, he planted an Endowment Fund for junior lawyers, particularly in the Lagos and Ilorin branches of the NBA.

Seven junior lawyers from the NBA Ilorin branch, were beneficiaries of cars given to them by the branch from the proceeds of the Endowment Fund, while over 100 young lawyers from the Lagos branch were beneficiaries of lap-tops and flash drives distributed to them from the proceeds of the endowment. He single-handedly built and donated to the Faculty of Law of the University of Ibadan a 420-seater fully-equipped and furnished Auditorium,which was inaugurated by the Minister of Education in November, 2012.

He is a patron to the Law Students' Society in UNILAG, UNILORIN, U.I, UNAD, OAU, Ife and Igbinedion University. He has presented over 200 papers on diverse topics within and outside Nigeria. He has contributed several chapters to legal books, publications, journals etc. His clients include corporate bodies, national and international institutions, individuals, politicians, banks, companies, industries, corporations, ministries etc.

A legal icon and stickler for excellence, Olanipekun was conferred with the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) by President Goodluck Jonathan on September 17, 2012 in recognition of his invaluable contributions to the growth and development of the legal system and justice. He was also bestowed with the fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) for his contributions to the advancement of the legal profession on December 10, 2013.