Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo was born into the family of Adeyemi Osinbajo on March 8, 1957 at the Creek Hospital in Lagos. Osinbajo is married to Dolapo (née Soyode), a granddaughter of the Sage Obafemi Awolowo and the marriage is blessed with three children.
Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo was born into the family of Adeyemi Osinbajo on March 8, 1957 at the Creek Hospital in Lagos.
He is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Professor of Law and until his inauguration as Vice President, a Senior Partner with SimmonsCooper Partners, a commercial law firm and a leading global legal practice and business solutions provider.
Yemi Osinbajo was educated at Corona Primary School in Lagos. Between1969 and 1975, he attended Igbobi College Yaba, Lagos. From 1975 to 1978, he studied for his undergraduate degree in Law at the University of Lagos where he was awarded a LLB Law degree. From 1979 to 1980, he attended Nigerian Law School. In 1981, he was awarded a Master of Laws after attending the London School of Economics.
Career
From 1979 to 1980, Osinbajo served the compulsory one year youth service as a legal officer with Bendel Development and Planning Authority (BDPA), Bendel state.
In 1981, he was employed as a law lecturer at the University of Lagos. From 1983 to 1986, he was Senior lecturer of Law at the University of Lagos and from 1988 to 1992; he was an Adviser (legal advice and litigation) to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola.
From 1997 to 1999, he was Professor of Law and Head of Department of Public Law, University of Lagos. From 1999 to 2007, Osinbajo was a member of Cabinet, Lagos State where he served as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
From 2007 to 2013, Osinbajo was again employed as a Professor of Law, Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos. In 2007, Osinbanjo became the Senior Partner, SimmonsCooper Partners (Barristers aolicitors).
After the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was tasked alongside other notable Nigerians, to design and produce a manifesto for the new political party. This culminated in the presentation of the ‘Roadmap to a New Nigeria’, a document published by APC as its manifesto in the 2015 general elections. The highlights of the Roadmap included a free schools meal plan, a conditional cash transfer to the 5 million poorest Nigerians if they enroll children in school and immunize them. There were also a number of programs designed to create economic opportunities for Nigeria’s massive youth population.
On December 17, 2014, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), retired General Muhammadu Buhari, announced Osinbajo as his running mate and vice-presidential candidate for the 2015 general elections.
Three months later on March 31, 2015, Buhari was returned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the presidential elections. Thus Prof. Osinbajo became the Vice President-elect of Nigeria. They were both sworn in on May 29, 2015 at the Eagle Square, Abuja, and subsequently assumed office.
The Vice President was also the pastor-in-charge of Lagos Province 48, Olive Tree Provincial Headquarter Parish, Ikoyi, before his inauguration as the Vice President of Nigeria. Prof. Osinbajo however insists that he remains the pastor-in-charge of the said province, and is only on loan to the Federal Government. In his words: “We are on loan. I am still the pastor-in-charge of Province 48, Lagos and my wife remains the wife of the pastor-in-charge.”
Memberships
He is also a member of the following professional bodies:
Nigeria Bar Association, NBA
International Bar Association, IBA
Nigerian Body of Benchers
Council of Legal Education in Nigeria and Senior Advocate of Nigeria
His other past roles include:
Staff Member, United Nations Operations in Somalia, Justice Division, UNOSOM II.
Member, United Nations Secretary General’s Committee of Experts on Conduct and Discipline of UN, Peacekeeping Personnel around the globe, 2006.
Partner in Law Firm of Osinbajo, Kukoyi & Adokpaye.
Senior lecturer at Faculty of Law, Lagos State University.
Awards
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is a recipient of several awards and honours some of which include:
State Merit Award 1971
The School Prize for English Oratory, 1972
Adeoba Prize for English Oratory 1972–1975
Elias Prize for Best Performance in History (WASC) 1973
School Prize for Literature (HSC), 1975
African Statesman Intercollegiate Best Speaker’s Prize, 1974
Prof. Osinbajo was conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on May 28, 2015, in his capacity as the Vice President.
