Founder/ Principal Partner

Aare Afe Babalola attended Emmanuel Primary School, Ado-Ekiti, where he obtained his standard six certificate. That was the end of his formal education. All the educational qualifications listed against his name above were obtained through private study. Aare Afe Babalola was at various times a pupil teacher, a secondary school teacher, secondary school vice principal, university lecturer, economist, auditor, administrator, farmer and educationist. Today, he is a foremost legal icon of his generation not only on the African continent but in the world. The self-made man is proud of the qualitative primary education he had. It was the high quality of instruction received by him at the Primary School level, he says, proudly, that served as the foundation for his subsequent educational achievements. The founder is unhappy that the same quality of education is no longer available in most educational institutions. This development and his experience of dwindling qualities on standard of education in the University of Lagos where he was the Pro-Chancellor between 2002 and 2007 and other universities usually regarded as the best in the country that informed him of the urgent need to establish a first class university to serve as a benchmark for other universities. It is not going to be just one of the universities, it is going to be The University set to lead education reform by example in Nigeria.The Founder of Afe Babalola & Co. (a.k.a. Emmanuel Chambers), Aare Afe Babalola was called to the Bar in England in 1963. He is a member of the Lincoln’s Inn, London, a registered member of the Bar of England and Wales and a distinguished member of the Nigerian Bar. Aare Afe Babalola started his legal practice in the Chambers of Olu Ayoola and remained there till 1965 when he proceeded to establish the firm of Afe Babalola & Co (Emmanuel Chambers), reputed today as one of the leading law firms in Nigeria. He was admitted into the Nigerian Inner Bar as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1987. Aare Afe Babalola has been in practice for about 50 years and is an active uninterrupted member of the Nigeria Bar Association and International Bar Association (IBA). He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Nigeria, Fellow of the Leadership Institute of Nigeria, member of the Body of Benchers, the highest legal body in Nigeria. He was the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Lagos from 2001-2007 and one time Chairman of the Committee of Pro Chancellors of Nigerian Universities. Aare Afe Babalola is the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State (ABUAD). He is a traditional chief and a holder of the prestigious national honours of the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) and Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

An advocate par excellence, Aare Afe Babalola has made outstanding contributions to the development of Nigerian Law and Jurisprudence through advocacy in Court. This is evident from the celebrated cases which he has handled and the notable personalities and corporate bodies who constitute his clientele. He has to his credit several legal books, namely, Injunctions and Enforcement of Orders; Law and Practice of Evidence in Nigeria; (Ed.); Enforcement of Judgments; and Election Law and Practice, etc. All of which have contributed immensely to the promotion of legal education and practice in Nigeria. He has also authored over 200 legal and non-legal articles contained in law books and journals some of which works he had delivered as lectures at various events. Aare Afe Babalola is a Lecturer at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, visiting lecturer at the Post-graduate Schools of the University of Lagos and the University of Ibadan, as well as the Centre for African Law and Development Studies. He is also the author of “YOU AND THE LAW”, a column published by the Nigerian Tribune Newspaper on Mondays. A Patron of several law student societies, legal institutions and corporate bodies, Aare Afe Babalola has trained over 300 lawyers and produced 14 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (the largest number from any Chambers in the Country), several judges and Attorneys-General. His experience and number of years in uninterrupted legal practice have equipped him with versatility in many areas of law. He is a consultant to several conglomerates, the Federal Government of Nigeria, companies and the World Bank. Aare Afe Babalola is an administrator of repute and is actively involved in both domestic and international arbitration. Aare Afe Babalola owns a huge law library and is strongly devoted to the advancement of law and the legal profession in Nigeria.