Oyetibo Gathers Friends for Thanksgiving
A leading law firm, Tayo Oyetibo LP, last week gathered friends, associates and colleagues to mark its annual Thanksgiving Day for 2020, Davidson Iriekpen writes
A leading multi-service law firm, Tayo Oyetibo LP (TOLP), last Friday gathered friends, associates, colleagues, clients, corporate organisations, to mark its 2020 Thanksgiving Day.The day is usually set aside every February by the firm to mark the commencement of practice as a firm of legal practitioners in February 1991.
The purpose of the Thanksgiving Day, according to the Chief Counsel and Founding Partner of the firm, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), is to acknowledge the goodness and mercies of God to the firm as a corporate entity in the preceding year and to seek from Him greater goodness and mercies in the current year.
He said: “As a firm of barristers and solicitors, we engage in multifaceted professional activities which involve multi-personal interactions and undertakings. We also, in the course of our professional and personal activities, make use of the land, the air and the sea, all of which are controlled by God. We are therefore gathered here this morning to return the glory to Him by offering this thanksgiving for preserving us as a corporate entity. May the thanksgiving of each and every one us present here today be acceptable in the sight God in Jesus name (amen),” he said. Events marking the Thanksgiving Day comprise of a thanksgiving service, visit to the Old Peoples’ Home at Yaba, and the Vigilant Heart Orphanage at Lekki by the management and members of staff of the firm. The climax was an “open house” reception later in the day. The exhortation at this year thanksgiving service was delivered by a friend of the firm, Pastor Isaac Ogbeide. He is a former Executive Director of All States Trust Bank Plc and currently a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Glory Parish. As a compassionate man, the learned senior advocate did not pretend as if all is well with Nigeria. He lamented the current state of insecurity in the country, lampooning the the authrorities by saying that the purpose of any government in any nation is to provide the things that would make the people happy.
He noted that it would be sheer political chicanery to suggest that the greatest number of the people of Nigeria are happy with the current state of security in the country and called on the government to rise up to this challenge and find a solution to the problem as a matter of urgency so as to reassure the citizenry that the government cares for them. “It would not be out of place, at this juncture, to comment on the current state of insecurity in the country. The purpose of any government in any nation is to provide for the greatest happiness of the greatest number of the people. “It would be sheer political chicanery to say or even suggest that the greatest number of the people of Nigeria are happy with the current state of security in the country. It would seem that the Hobbesian state of ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short life’ is staring at us presently. The government therefore needs to rise up to this challenge and find a solution to the problem as a matter of urgency so as to reassure the citizenry that the government cares for them.” Oyetibo appreciated everybody who took time to attend the thanksgiving day.
Among the personalities that attended the event were the Lisa of Ondo Kingdom, High Chief S.O. Oguntimehin and his, Mr. Mike Igbokwe SAN, Chief Akintoye, Dr. Akin Ogunlewe.
TOLP is a law firm with a strong reputation for integrity in service delivery. It is a limited partnership registered under the laws of Lagos State. Its practice is driven and bound by its core values of diligence, integrity, proficiency and professional etiquette, which uncompromisingly shape all its relationships with clients, courts, colleagues and regulatory agencies. The vision of the firm is to be the most influential firm making the most positive impact on the lives and businesses of clients. In advising and representing its clients, it relies on its invaluable experience and knowledge of the complex Nigerian business and legal landscape, which gives it a unique appreciation of and approach to matters and shapes the manner in which it deals with clients’ challenges. It always aims at understanding the commercial and technical aspects of clients’ businesses and the markets in which they operate, as this enables it to ensure that its members provide the most useful and cost effective solutions to them. TOLP is the exclusive member of ‘PraeLegal’ in Nigeria, a global network of independent law firms with membership in over 120 countries spanning five continents of Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America. Its exclusive membership of ‘PraeLegal’ gives it the unique advantage of being able to effectively deal with cross border matters using the contacts afforded by the ‘PraeLegal’ Network, in providing its clients with a seamless blend of local and international expertise. The firm is also registered with the Lagos Court of Arbitration and Nigerian-Belgian Chamber of Commerce as a corporate member. Chief Counsel and Founding Partner of the firm, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), has been in legal practice in Nigeria for over 30 years, having been called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1983.
A consummate advocate, reputed for his integrity and professional skills in the area of dispute resolution, particularly litigation and arbitration, Oyetibo was conferred with the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2003, which is a rank reserved for legal practitioners who have attained distinction in legal practice in Nigeria. He has a wealth of experience in dealing with complex litigations, and most of the cases handled by him are regularly reported in notable law reports in Nigeria. He regularly advises on a broad range of high profile commercial transactions. His expertise and skill in the area of dispute resolution has been widely recognised. He has been described in respect of a proceeding in which he was lead counsel, as ‘a skillful advocate with great capacity to make a success of an otherwise hopeless situation’.
In the area of constitutional law, he was a member of a team of consultants to the National AssemblyofNigeria,appointed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the First and Second Amendments to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which were carried out in the year 2010.
Oyetibo is equally a prolific writer and a highly sought after speaker. He has written many articles on diverse subjects of law and presented papers at various international and local law conferences, seminars and workshops. Since 1995, he has been a guest lecturer at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Lagos, where he delivers a lecture on a topic in practice and procedure. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Constitutional Rights Project (CRP); a foremost human rights NGO in Nigeria. Some of his contributions to various legal publications in various capacities are: (a) Assistant Editor, Digest of Supreme Court cases 1956-1984 (10 volumes) (b) Deputy Editor, Nigerian Weekly Law Reports (c) Deputy Editor, Supreme Court of Nigeria Law Reports (d) Deputy Editor, High Court of Nigeria Law Reports (e) Deputy Editor, Commercial Law Reports Quarterly (f) Deputy Editor, Criminal Law Reports Quarterly.”
Oyetibo is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association and a Patron of the Nigerian Branch of the International Law Association.