By: ‘Kayode Awojobi
https://www.digital.zenithbank.com/ZEQ/ZEQ-jan-2026/index.html#p=1Okeho-born Akintola Makinde, a Partner at the prestigious law firm Wole Olanipekun & Co., has been elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), joining an elite cadre of legal practitioners recognised as the very best the Nigerian Bar has to offer.
The elevation was formally approved at the 174th Plenary Session of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), held on Thursday, July 23, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. In all, 68 legal practitioners and one academic were elevated in this year’s conferment exercise, with Makinde appearing 66th on the list, in order of seniority at the Bar as he’s also the youngest on the list. He had earlier been named among 89 candidates shortlisted for the honour ahead of the LPPC’s final deliberations.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria title is the highest distinction attainable within the Nigerian legal profession. It is reserved for practitioners who have demonstrated exceptional advocacy, integrity, and contributions to the development of Nigerian law over a sustained period of practice — and for Makinde, that distinction caps a career spanning more than a decade at the frontlines of some of the country’s most consequential legal battles.
Among the defining moments of his career, Makinde served as a core member of the legal defence team representing the President of Nigeria in the aftermath of both the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections — high-pressure litigation fought at the very apex of the country’s electoral jurisprudence.
Beyond the courtroom, Makinde has cultivated a reputation as a thoughtful voice on legal and public policy matters.
His academic foundation runs deep: he holds an LL.B from Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, a B.L from the Nigerian Law School, and an LL.M from the University of Lagos, where he is also currently a Ph.D. candidate.
According to the LPPC, the Swearing-In Ceremony for the new Senior Advocates is scheduled to hold on Monday, October 12, 2026.
