Our Firm announces the passing of our principal partner, Professor Gabriel Adesiyan Olawoyin SAN, on Saturday 13 February 2021 at the age of 81.

Professor Olawoyin attended the London School of Economics & Political Science (University of London) where he obtained his bachelor of law and master of laws degrees in 1965 and 1966 respectively. In 1970, Professor Olawoyin obtained his PhD in Company Law from the University of Bristol. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1975 after emerging as the candidate with the best overall performance in his professional bar examination.

Between the period of 1966 to 1981, Professor Olawoyin taught business law, company law, insurance law, commercial law, law of banking and negotiable instruments, constitutional law, and law of corporate management and finance at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University – OAU, Ile-Ife). He was appointed as a Professor in 1978, becoming Nigeria’s first professor of Business Law.

In 1981, Professor Olawoyin retired from academia and went into full time legal practice as the principal partner at our Firm. He played a leading role in the introduction and development of equipment leasing by banks and financial institutions in Nigeria. He was a member of the Council of the Equipment Leasing Association of Nigeria (ELAN).

In 1992, Professor Olawoyin was appointed a member of the study group on legal issues relating to the privatization and commercialization of government enterprises.

In addition to Professor Olawoyin’s many published works in various areas of business law, he also delivered several papers at seminars and workshops including on the legal aspects of mergers and acquisition in Nigeria.

In September 1998, Professor Olawoyin was conferred with the rank of senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN)). He was also a member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris, France since May 2000.

Professor Olawoyin up until the time of his passing was still conducting arbitration proceedings.

Professor Olawoyin’s adept knowledge and insightfulness, as well as his humourous and avuncular nature will be greatly missed by members of the Firm. We condole with our managing partner, Dr Adewale Olawoyin SAN (Professor Olawoyin’s son), Mrs. Arike Olawoyin, all of Professor Olawoyin’s children and the entire Olawoyin family for this tremendous loss.