BREAKING: LASG swears in 40yrs-old legal practitioner, other as High Court judges

Justice Sodiq Oshodi

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has sworn in a litigator and dispute resolution practitioner, Rahman Oshodi, and Aigbokhaevbo Florence as the state’s High Court judges.

Oshodi, who is the youngest to be appointed as a high court judge in the state, at age 40, was among the 69 names of judges and heads of courts recommended for appointment by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

As gathered, Oshodi, who is a Senior Associate in the Litigation and ADR Practice Group of Banwo & Ighodalo, alongside other names were shortlisted during the council’s 93rd meeting on December 16.

Apart from the judges, other names were also shortlisted for appointments as heads of courts across the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

While the judges were recommended for appointments in various states, Oshodi, alongside Aigbokhaevbo Florence were recommended as judges for the Lagos State High Court.

Others on the list are Adeniyi Olatunji Familoni (a judge of the High Court of Ekiti State); Nwode Nicholas Emmanuel and Ogbunnefi Emmanuel (judges of the High Court of Ebonyi State); Muhammad Musa Kaugama (Jigawa State High Court); Aroh-Onuoha Martha Nkiru, Ugwueze Paul Chukwuemeka, Ezugwu Hyacinthia Urunwa, Mogboh Uchenna Juliet and Anike Okey Paulinus (judges of Enugu State High Court).

Ishaku Usman and Hafsat Turaki Sanda (judges of the High Court of Nasarawa State); Nankwat Dawat Shasheet and Buetna’an Mandy Dogban Bassi (judges of the High Court of Plateau State); Aziegbemhin Williams Idemudia, Igho Patricia Braimoh, Esohe Irene Bazuaye, Etinosa Gloria Adekanmbi, Hassana Garuba Oshione, Theresa Irenonsen Eghe-Abe, Ogbevoen Rachel Aiteseme and Itsueli Mary Enoredia (judges of Edo State High Court), among others also made the list.

It was learnt that all recommended candidates are expected to be sworn in after approval of the NJC’s recommendations by the President, the governors, and the Houses of Assembly, as the case may be.

Before joining Banwo & Ighodalo in 2015, Oshodi worked with Strachan Partners (as Managing Associate) and Alegeh & Co. (as an Associate).

Oshodi is an astute and impressive litigator and dispute resolution practitioner. He has appeared in numerous proceedings before superior courts, local and international dispute resolution centers representing a wide spectrum of clients ranging from local and international multi-million dollar businesses to different government departments.

He obtained an LL.B from the University of Lagos (2:2), and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar (2:1) in 2006. He obtained his LL.M from the University of Lagos in 2015.

He is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) – where he acted as Secretary to the Arbitration and ADR Committee of the Section on Business Law between 2011 and 2012. He is also a member of the American Bar Association; the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK; the Lagos Court of Arbitration; and was appointed as a Notary Public for Nigeria, in 2015.

In his service to the general public, between 2007 and 2008 he, with keen interest, Oshodi assisted in the Prison Decongestion exercise under the directives of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, wherein he acted as defence counsel to thirty prison inmates charged with armed robbery and murder.

Oshodi was also instrumental in the development of the framework for the practice and procedure of the Small Claims Court in Lagos (2018), Kano (2019), and Edo State (2020). He was a facilitator at the training of Magistrates and Court Registrars on the Small Claims Court in Lagos, Kano, and Edo State; following which he received two Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Special Recognition Awards, presented by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in 2019 and 2020.