Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has praised the leadership and members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ondo Branch for fostering institutional growth and professional development. He made this commendation while commissioning a Bar Centre donated to the NBA Ondo branch by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Tayo Oyetibo. The governor emphasized that enduring societies are built on strong institutions that preserve values and sustain civilization.
Governor Aiyedatiwa described the donation as a significant milestone for the legal profession and democratic governance in Nigeria. He lauded the legal luminary for his extraordinary generosity, vision, and commitment to institutional development. The governor noted that the imposing structure represents more than a physical building; it embodies intellectual discipline, professional excellence, philanthropy, and the enduring ideals of the legal profession.
Aiyedatiwa praised Chief Oyetibo for choosing the path of impact, responsibility, and enduring service, stating that the donation would leave a lasting legacy for generations of legal practitioners. He said, "By personally building and donating this Bar Centre to the NBA Ondo Branch, he has not merely erected a structure; he has established a lasting monument to scholarship, professional solidarity, and the advancement of justice."
The governor added that the ceremony transcends brick and mortar, celebrating values such as scholarship, integrity, and excellence. He noted that every young lawyer who passes through the facility would encounter a silent lesson in aspiration, discipline, integrity, learning, and purposeful contributions to humanity.
In his remarks, Tayo Oyetibo described the project as a meaningful contribution to strengthening the legal profession and deepening the administration of justice in Nigeria. He revealed that the idea for the Bar Centre was conceived after he met with the leadership of the NBA Ondo branch, led by Chairman Henry Akingbesote and Law Week Committee Chairman Remigius Akinbinu, on June 13, 2025.
Chief Oyetibo stated that lawyers are custodians of justice, defenders of the rule of law, and guardians of constitutional order. He emphasized that investing in their welfare and working environment is an investment in society itself. The facility includes a reception area, hall, library, conference room, cafeteria, lawyers' lounge, FIDA office, and document processing rooms, designed to promote mentorship, professional development, intellectual engagement, and unity among lawyers.
Earlier, Chairman of the occasion, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), commended Oyetibo's generosity and commitment to the legal profession. He noted that senior lawyers in the South-West remain dedicated to supporting younger practitioners and urged them not to drop the baton but to sustain the ideals and legacies established by older members.
Justice Moronkeji Ogunwumiju of the Supreme Court appreciated the decision to dedicate the library in her honor and announced the donation of the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports covering 2005 to 2026 to the library.
In his welcome address, NBA Ondo branch Chairman Henry Akingbesote described the commissioning as the fulfillment of a long-standing aspiration pursued by generations of lawyers. He said the centre symbolizes unity, sacrifice, and commitment to the legal profession and the rule of law.
Delivering a lecture, former Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, Prof Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN), urged Nigerian lawyers to embrace technology, defend democratic institutions, and reinvent themselves to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving world.
Dignitaries at the event included the donor's wife, Mrs Abiola Tayo Oyetibo; Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Segun Odusola; Justice Olabode Adegbehingbe of the Court of Appeal; Ondo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Adesoji Afolabi; the Osemawe of Ondo kingdom, Obama Victor Kiladejo; Justices of the Court of Appeal, High Court judges, lawyers, and other distinguished guests.
