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The Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, has entered a new chapter in its distinguished history with the successful transition of leadership from Professor Abiola Sanni, SAN, to Professor Adejoke Oyewunmi, who officially assumed office as Dean on 1 August 2026.
Professor Oyewunmi is the Twentieth Dean of the Faculty and only the third female Dean since its establishment, following the tenures of Professor C. K. Agomo and Professor Ayodele Atsenuwa. Her appointment represents another milestone in the Faculty’s enduring tradition of excellence, inclusiveness and academic leadership.
An accomplished scholar and respected academic administrator, Professor Oyewunmi obtained her LL.B. degree from Obafemi Awolowo University before earning her postgraduate degrees at the University of Lagos, where she has built a distinguished academic career spanning over three decades. Widely recognised as one of Nigeria’s leading authorities on Intellectual Property and Labour Law, she holds an LL.M. in Intellectual Property from the Franklin Pierce Law Center, University of New Hampshire, United States, and a Ph.D. from Obafemi Awolowo University.
Professor Oyewunmi succeeds Professor Abiola Sanni, SAN, whose single term two-year tenure is widely acknowledged as one of purposeful, visionary and transformational leadership. Under his administration, the Faculty recorded remarkable progress in governance, academic development, research, infrastructure, staff and student welfare, internationalisation, alumni engagement and institutional partnerships.
His administration strengthened the Faculty’s position as a globally connected centre of legal education through the launch of the UNILAG-University of Dundee Dual LL.M. Programme, the attraction of the prestigious Women in Legal Academia (WiLAC) Project, and sustained academic excellence. During the period, two UNILAG students won the 2026 World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) IP Moot Court Competition, defeating teams from 214 leading law schools worldwide. The victorious team was coached by Professor Oyewunmi and the Faculty’s Intellectual Property lecturers. The Faculty also produced forty-three First Class graduates at the Nigerian Law School in 2025 and thirty-four in 2026, while maintaining outstanding performances in national and international advocacy competitions.
The administration also witnessed one of the most ambitious periods of physical transformation in the Faculty’s history. Through innovative fundraising and strategic partnerships with alumni and friends of the Faculty, major learning and administrative facilities were renovated, digital and alternative energy infrastructure strengthened, and landmark projects, including the Faculty Elevator, the redevelopment of the Faculty Library and the proposed new Faculty building, successfully initiated.
A defining feature of Professor Sanni’s tenure was the revitalisation of alumni relations as a catalyst for institutional development. This culminated in the adoption of the Constitution of the proposed Faculty of Law Alumni Association, the inauguration of its General Assembly and plans for a professionally managed Alumni Relations and Advancement Office. Together with transparent governance, improved staff and student welfare, and stronger partnerships with the legal profession, alumni and the private sector, these initiatives further enhanced the Faculty’s national and international standing and reinforced its well-earned reputation as The Incomparable Faculty of Law.
As Professor Oyewunmi assumes office, the Faculty looks forward with confidence to a new era of visionary leadership, building on the strong foundations laid by successive administrations while advancing legal education, research, innovation, international collaboration and service to society.
