Exit of a Legal Icon
By Chris Ajaero
Monday, May 05, 2008
Jadesola Akande, Nigeria's first female law professor dies at 67
She did not betray any sign of imminent death. Jadesola Akande, a professor of law and first female vice-chancellor of the Lagos State University, Ojo, was full of life during the 70th birthday lecture held in honour of Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, radical Lagos lawyer at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja last Monday. Throughout the event, she carried herself with panache, exchanging pleasantries with other eminent Nigerians and even supervised the cutting of the birthday cake.
But it turned out to be her last public outing on earth. The distinguished legal icon, erudite scholar and human rights activist died in her sleep last Tuesday in her Ikoyi, Lagos residence, less than 24 hours after Fawehinmi's birthday lecture. She was aged 67.
The late Akande lived a fulfilled life. She was born on November 15, 1940, in Lagos. She had her early education at Peoples' Girls School, Ibadan, from 1945 to 1952 and St Anne's School, Ibadan, between 1953 and 1957. She later proceeded to the University College, London, where she earned LL.B in 1963. She was called to the English Bar in London in 1964 and a year later she was called to the Bar in Nigeria. She served as an administrative officer and state counsel of the Western Region for one year. As a young lady who was eager to excel in her chosen career, Akande did her masters degree in Law at the University of Lagos, Unilag, between 1966 and 1968. Based on her excellent performance in the master's programme, she was employed as a lecturer in the Faculty of Law, Unilag.
Akande obtained Ph.D in Law from the University College, London in 1971 and became a professor of Law in 1981. She was the first female professor of law in Nigeria. For 14 years, she taught law at Unilag before transferring her service to the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. In 1989, she was appointed vice-chancellor, Lagos State University, LASU, thus becoming the second woman to serve in that capacity in Nigeria after Grace Alele Williams, a professor of Mathematics and former vice-chancellor of the University of Benin. She occupied that position until 1993.
In 1994, she established the Women, Law and Development Centre, WOLDEC, a non-governmental organisation whose goals were to sensitise women on their legal rights and promote societal growth. A woman of courage and integrity, Akande had always championed the cause of women. This was why she was chosen as a delegate to the Fourth World Conference on Women, FWCW, in Beijing, China in 1995. She had also attended a Training Workshop for African Women in Gender and Research for Development in Arusha, Tanzania in 1993.
The late jurist was also deeply involved in pro-democracy activism. She was a member of the Pro-National Conference Organisation, PRONACO. She chaired the Constitution Drafting Committee of the body which produced a document PRONACO called "The Peoples' Constitution."
As a seasoned academic, Akande was very resourceful. She contributed numerous publications, monographs and research papers in learned journals. Among her numerous works are Women's Rights in Property in Nigeria, 1968; Human Rights and the Judicial system in Nigeria, 2004; and the Minorities and Challenges to Federalism, 1988.
Well respected for her high moral standards, Akande was the immediate past pro-chancellor and chairman of governing council, Federal University of Technology, Akure. Until her death last Tuesday, she was chancellor, Leed City University, Ibadan.
Based on her invaluable contributions to nation building and development of law, she was honoured with the award of the Officer of the Federal Republic, OFR. She was married to Debo Akande, SAN, an equally distinguished lawyer who died in 2004.
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