Jadesola Akande; Law professor and first female Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University, LASU, in 1989. Born November 15, 1938, Jadesola who is daughter of a lawyer father and a teacher mother is the third of her parents’ four children. She wanted to read dentistry after her secondary school at St. Anne’s, Ibadan, but went for law eventully, becoming the tutor of a generation of luminaries. Jadesola taught Law of torts in the University of Lagos, Unilag, where among her students, were Chike Osanakpo, who became Chairman of the First Inland Bank[i], and Wole Olanipekun, renowned lawyer. She got married in 1961 to Debo Akande, a prominent lawyer. She died April 29 in the year she would have clocked 70.
Education
Jadesola left St. Annes School, Ibadan for the Stable Girls’ Grammar School, England, for her GCE advanced level after which she gained admission to the University College, London, for her first degree. She, however, came back to Nigeria for her second degree in law at the University of Lagos. She headed again for the University of London for her post graduate programme where she got a Ph.D in Law[ii].
Public Service
Jadesola arrived Nigeria a year later to join the civil service of Western Region as a state counsel. In 1965, she left for UNILAG to take up a teaching appointment until 1981 when she joined the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, NIALS, as a research professor. In 1984 she became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN. In 1993, went back to the NIALS as head. Jadesola Akande is a recipient of the Order of Federal Republic, OFR award, A fellowship awardee of the University College, London, and the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Federal University of Technology, FUTA, Akure[iii].
[i] TheNews October 22, 2007
[ii] Tell November 17, 2003
[iii] TheNews November 18, 2002
