PROFILE: Meet Damilola Olawuyi, Nigeria’s youngest SAN who became a law professor at 32

Damilola Olawuyi, an international jurist, is one of those Nigerians who have distinguished themselves and cast Nigeria in a good light.

Olawuyi was named a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee on November 13.

The professor is the youngest academic to hold the position of SAN in the country.

The jurist was conferred the rank alongside Bolaji Owasanoye, a professor and chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practice and other related offences Commission (ICPC); and 70 successful candidates.

The 72 successful SANs were drawn from an initial shortlist of 137 names.

A PROLIFIC SCHOLAR

Olawuyi has practised and taught law in more than 50 countries across five continents – Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.

He has served as a visiting professor at Columbia Law School, New York, US and senior visiting research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, UK. The jurist was also a visiting professor to the China University of Political Science and Law.

In 2015, the scholar was promoted to the rank of full professor of law at Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, at the age of 32 years – making him one of the youngest full professors of law in Nigeria.

His law career began at 21 when he was awarded overall best graduating student at Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo state, in 2005.

In 2006, he proceeded to the Nigerian Law School where he obtained first-class honours after which he obtained two masters degrees from Calgary and Harvard.

He bagged a Doctor of Philosophy in Law degree at Keble College, University of Oxford, the UK, in 2013.

The jurist has published two books; Extractives Industry Law in Africa (2018) and The Human Rights-Based Approach to Carbon Finance (2016).

The scholar is currently the vice-chairman of the International Law Association.

ADVOCATE FOR NATIONAL POLICY ON ARBITRATION

In October, Olawuyi called for a “coherent” national policy on arbitration.

“When you look at the sheer volume of arbitration that could have been conducted in Nigeria but are still being conducted in London, New York and Geneva by Nigerian disputants and by Nigerian arbitrators, then you realize the urgent need for a coherent national policy that will create the right environment and incentives for us to achieve more Nigerian content in the practice of arbitration,” The Sun quoted him as saying during a teleconference.

Olawuyi born on August 28, 1983, is from Osun state.