DR. Lateef Oladimeji Aremu Adegbite, an eminent scholar, lawyer and elder-statesman, is a strong believer in the rule of law, equity and justice.A consistent advocate of good governance, Adegbite, 78, has always kept each Nigerian government on its toes through constructive criticisms. He has served Nigeria in various capacities, either at the state or national levels.At present, he is the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Public Awareness on Security and Civil Responsibilities. As Secretary-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Adegbite has contributed, at different times, to douse religious crises in the country.Born in his native town, Abeokuta into a humble Egba family on March 20, 1933, Adegbite was blessed with a super brain. He was on full scholarship from secondary school to the university.He had his Primary Education at St. Paul's Primary School, Igbore, Abeokuta from 1942 to 1949. He attended the prestigious King's College, Lagos for his Secondary Education under a Full Government Scholarship from 1950 to 1956.After leaving Secondary School, Adegbite worked briefly as a Research Assistant (Executive) at the Yoruba Historical Research Scheme in Ibadan. Determined to have higher education, he proceeded to the University of Southampton, England in 1959 on Western Nigeria Government Scholarship to study Law. He graduated in July 1962 after which he attended the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London as a Commonwealth (UK) Scholar where he obtained a Doctorate degree in Law in February 1966. He was called to the English Bar at Grey's Inn in June 1965.He returned to Nigeria in January 1966 soon after being called to the Bar and joined the University of Lagos as a Law lecturer. In the same year, he was enrolled as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court in Nigeria and became a Notary five years after.Dr. Adegbite took time off from the University as a lecturer to serve as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the former Western State of Nigeria between 1971 to 1973 and later as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, which also lasted for two years.He voluntarily retired as a Senior Lecturer in Law from the University of Lagos to set up the Law Firm of Lateef Adegbite and Company specialising in Commercial Law practice.He has many Academic and Professional Qualifications to his credit. He obtained his first Degree in Law B.A. (Law) from Southampton University, England in 1962 and bagged his Doctorate Degree in Law in 1966 from the same University.Adegbite became Barrister-at-Law and Member of the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, July 20, 1965.in February 1966 he became a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.His academic achievements are enviable. For ten years he lectured at the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, Nigeria where he taught subjects such as Private International Law, Public International Law, International Economic Law, Commercial Transactions, Corporate Law, Constitutional Law and Nigeria Legal System.Adegbite has a considerable research experience in Public Law, especially during the period from 1962 to 1966,as a Commonwealth Scholar studying problems of Law and Government in Africa.He has over 35 years experience in legal practise. He is the founder and Principal Partner of the Firm of Lateef&Co. since October 1976, with the main office in Lagos and a branch office in Abeokuta, Ogun State. His legal firm specialises in Commercial Law Practice and their Clients include Commercial, Merchant and Development Banks, Public Corporations, Public and Private Companies. They also serve as Legal Adviser and Consultants to a number of overseas clients, including multinationals and International organisations. The law firm also practise in International Commercial Arbitration, appearing as Counsel before Arbitral Tribunals and acting as Arbitrator within and outside Nigeria.The NSCIA Scribe is a member of many learned societies. These include the Nigerian Bar Association and one-time Editor of the Nigerian Journal, the Nigerian Society of International Law- Secretary (1968-1974) and Vice-President (1974-1985), British Institute of International and Comparative Law and the International Africa Law Association. He is also a member of the International Bar Association and of its Section of Business Law as well as the Section of Energy and National Resources Law, member of the Nigerian Association of Business Lawyers, Member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs: Served on the Governing Council of the Institute from 1972 to 1975, Member of the American Society of International Law, Member of the American Society of International Law, Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London and Member of the Council of Legal Education: 1973 to 1975.Adegbite was also a member of the Body of Benchers, (1973 to 1975), member of the General Council of the Nigerian Bar (1973 t0 1975), member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar (1973 to 1975), Chairman of the Western Nigeria Law Reporting Committee (1973 t0 1975), member of the Committee on National Conference of Law Development and Administration of Justice in Nigeria, (LAWDEV) 1987 and Chairman of its Papers Committee and member of the Petroleum Law Association of Nigeria. He is also a member of the International Lawyers' Group (a consortium of Private Law Firms from fifty countries around the world).He has many publications to his credit. Among them are 'International Humanitarian Law and the Nigerian Civil War', (paper read at the Internal Seminar of NIIA, 1970),'Federated States in International Law: Western Nigerian Experience', (paper presented at the 4th Annual Conference of Nigerian Society of International Law, 1972),'Legal Framework of Development Agreements in Nigeria,' (paper presented at the United Nations Seminar on International Law for Africa, organised by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) held at Accra, Ghana, 1971), 'The State, Law and the Economy', (paper presented at International Conference on State control of the Economy in African States, held at the Institute of Comparative Law, University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia,1975) and 'The Courts and the Protection of Human Rights in Nigeria', (Paper presented at the Conference on Human Rights in the Commonwealth held under the auspices of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, London, 1975).Others are 'Human Rights in Islamic Law', (paper presented at the International Seminar on Islamic Law, held at the Institute of Administration, Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria, 1977), 'Legislative Institutions in the Sharia', (paper presented at the National Seminar on Islamic Law, held at the Centre for Islamic Legal Studies, Institute of Administration, ABU, Zaria, 1977), 'The General Principles of GOOD Neighbourliness as applied to Relations between Nigeria and her Neighbours', (paper presented at the 13th Annual Conference of Nigerian Society of International Law, held at Enugu, March 1982), 'Shareholders and the Law', (paper presented at the Nigerian Stock Exchange Seminar on the conduct of an effective Annual General Meeting, 1982), 'Of Banks and Development', (paper presented at a Seminar for Management Staff of NAL, Merchant Bank Ltd, 1983) and 'Constitutional Provisions for Ensuring Stability, Growth and Development of the Nigerian Economy', (paper presented at the 20th Annual Conference of NACCIMA,1984).The rest are 'Legal Framework for the Establishment and Operation of Unit Trusts in Nigeria', (paper presented at a Symposium on the Role of Unit Trust in the Development of the Capital Market organised by the Securities and Exchange Commission, 1984), 'Financing Energy Projects in Nigeria', (paper presented at the National Workshop on Petroleum Law, held at the University of Lagos, 1984), 'The Relevance of the Lawyer in the Formulation and Implementation of Economic Policies', (paper presented at the National Seminar on the Revitalisation of the Economy and Economic Development, held at the Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies, 1984), 'Underwriting: A Legal View Point', (paper presented at the Nigerian Stock Exchange Seminar on Underwriting in the Nigerian Capital Market, 1984), 'Bankruptcy Law in Nigeria' (paper presented at the Annual Seminar of the Banking and Finance House Trade Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry), 'Legal Problems of Economic Development in Africa in Particular, the Issue of and Rescheduling of Loans', (paper presented at the African Regional Conference of the International Bar Association held in Lagos in 1985) and 'Legal Measures for Revamping the Economy' (paper presented at the National Seminar on Nigeria and Economy Recession organised by the Inter-Faculty Seminar Committee, University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, 1986).Adegbite also served in various capacities, such as member of Council of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as its Executive Committee.Chairman, Commercial Law and Taxation Committee of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Chairman of the Board of Management of the Business Law and Practice Journal, Published by the Committee on Commercial Law and Taxation, LCCI, since 1988.Legal Adviser to Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Elected Honourary Live Vice-President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in December 1997.He was one-time Member of the Governing Board of the Nigerian National Council of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Representative of Nigeria on ICC Commission on International Commercial Practice, ICC Headquarters, Paris and Alternative Member of the International Court of Arbitration, ICC Headquarters, Paris, 1988-1990.For his immense contributions to the Nigerian society in particular and humanity in general, Adegbite was honoured with the National Honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2001.His other Honourary Awards are Centenary Award of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Meritorious Services to the Chamber movement, 1988. Award for Excellence in Corporate Law by Abeokuta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (FNIM), 2005. Fellow of the Nigerian Society of International Law (FNSIL), 2006.Life-time Achievement Award of THISDAY NEWSPAPER, 2009. Inducted into HALL OF FAME of International Lion's Club, District 404B, Nigeria, 2010.Doctor of Laws (LL.D) honoris causa,University of Maiduguri on February 16, 1991.He was from 1984 to 1990 the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Maiduguri.From 1990 t0 2004 Dr. Adegbite served as a Member of the Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.His service to religion has been varied and extensive. He was Foundation President of the Muslim Students' Society of Nigeria (MSSN) from 1954 to 1959, the Founder and President-General, Najah Joint Muslim Organisation (NAJOMO). Legal Adviser, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), (1974 to 1989) and Secretary-General, NSCIA (1989 to-date). He has been a member of the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) since its inception in 1999.
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