 The Head, Department of Commercial and Industrial Law, Faculty of Law, Professor Joseph E. O. Abugu will deliver the fifth (5th) Inaugural Lecture of the University of Lagos in the 2014/2015 Academic Session on Wednesday, April 8, 2015 at 4.00 pm in the Main Auditorium, UNILAG, Akoka.
The Vice Chancellor Professor Rahamon A. Bello, FAEng will preside over the lecture entitled: “The Monster Theory: Setting the Boundaries of Corporate Financial Malpractice.” Members of the University Community and the general public are cordially invited.
Professor
Joseph Efeyemineni Oromafunu Abugu was born on March 31, 1965 in
Ugborikoko, Delta State. He hails from the Chieftaincy family of late
Olorogun Samson Oyimitane Abugu (the Usiavwre of Ekpan) and Late Mrs.
Maria Udin Abugu (nee Ejoba) of Uvwie Kingdom, Delta State.
The early brilliance
displayed by the young Abugu prompted his mother to attempt enrolling
him in school in 1970 and 1971 but both attempts failed. In 1972, when
his right hand was able to touch his left ear from above his head, he
began his quest for western education in Alegbo Primary School, Effurun.
Although he was the only student of his primary school-set to be
admitted to a Federal Government College following a competitive
entrance test and interview in 1978, Abugu decided to register at Urhobo
College Effurun, Delta State based on his father’s insistence. As the
most brilliant student of his set, and as was the custom in those days,
he automatically earned the position of Senior Prefect in his final
year.
After completing his
secondary school education in September 1983, the erudite scholar who
desired to further his studies in the United Kingdom, proceeded to the
Centre for Business Studies, Royal Hill, Greenwich, London where he
earned the Advanced Level Certificate of General Education from the
University of Oxford Local Delegacy of Examinations in the 1983/1984
academic year. However, in a twist of faith, he was admitted to the
Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus in 1984 where he
graduated as the best Graduating Student in Company Law with a Second
Class Honours (Upper Division) in 1988. He repeated the same feat at the
Nigerian Law School, Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in
December 1989. Thereafter, he observed the compulsory one year National
Youth Service Corps scheme in Sanya Ogunkuade and Co., Legal
Practitioners as Pupil Associate Solicitor from October 1989 to October
1990.
Professor Abugu is an
alumnus of the University of Lagos where he obtained a Masters of Law
Degree in August, 1991 and Doctorate Degree in Commercial and Industrial
Law in December, 2003. His early practice years date as far back as
August, 1991 when he commenced work as an Associate Solicitor in the
renowned firm of Abdulai, Taiwo & Co. Solicitors, Lagos. In January,
1993, he moved to the banking industry as the Company Secretary and
Head of Corporate Affairs in Classic Home Savings and Loans Limited,
Lagos.
He held that position
until his appointment as Lecturer II in the Department of Commercial
& Industrial Law, Faculty of Law University of Lagos in October,
1995. He was subsequently promoted to Lecturer I in 1998, Senior
Lecturer in 2001, Associate Professor in 2010 and Professor in 2013.
The sage has served the
University in various capacities including Head of Department of
Commercial & Industrial Law (Aug 2013- date), member of UNILAG
Senate (2013- date); and Member of Boards, Committees and Investigative
Panels such as Board of School of Post Graduate Studies (2010 - date);
University Committee on Staff Home Ownership (October 2014 - date);
UNILAG Senate and Ceremonies Committee (2014); University Committee on
Tenure of Directors (2014); University Development Committee (February,
2015 to date); among others. He was the Co-ordinator, Advance Diploma
Programme in Commercial Law & Practice (1997–2002); Acting Chairman,
University Legal Research Committee (1999 – 2000); and Co-ordinator,
Interdepartmental LL.M Programme (2005 to 2006).
Outside the University,
Professor Abugu is a Guest Lecturer at the Lagos Study Centre,
University of London, external LLM programme (February 2004 to date) and
Legal Adviser/Consultant to several organisations in areas such as the
capital market, establishment and licensing of mortgage institutions,
recapitalization among others. He is the Principal Partner of Abugu and
Co. Solicitors, Lagos and Resource Person of the Securities and Exchange
Commission, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Nigerian Labour
Congress and several registered trade unions. He served as Member of the
Boundary Review and Adjustment Committee between Uvwie and Udu Local
Government Council Areas in Delta State (1999) as well as Member/Special
Adviser, Uvwie Internal Disturbances and Reconciliation Committee,
Delta State (2002).
The distinguished academic
belongs to national and international professional bodies including
Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian Law Teachers Association as well as
the Nigerian Institute of Management. An active member of
the palace chiefs of HRM ABE I, the Ovie Uvwie, Professor Abugu is the
Vice President General of the Uvwie General Improvement Union (a
socio-cultural group of Uvwie indigenes worldwide) and National Vice
President of Urhobo College Effurun Old Students Association (UCOSA).
He is a recipient of many
research and conference grants, awards and scholarships. To mention just
a few, he was a Rotary International Group Study Exchange Scholar in
Phoenix Arizona, United States of America (April to June, 1999); and
Fulbright Scholar (under the auspices of the American State Department)
at the Centre for Law and Financial Markets, Chicago-Kent College of
Law, Chicago Illinois, United States of America (August 2002 to June,
2003). Under an International Labour Organisation (ILO) Fellowship
award, he attended a training programme on International Labour
Standards for Judges, Lawyers and Legal Educators at the ILO Training
Centre, Turin, Italy (September 2007).
The renowned Professor of
Commercial and Industrial Law who has travelled widely for academic
purposes to different parts of the world, has over thirty-five (35)
quality academic publications in local and foreign peer-reviewed
academic journals as well as books/monographs. He is the author of the
pioneer text on Nigerian Securities Law entitled: Company Securities: Law & Practice
(the second edition of the book was recently unveiled). Although he has
over four (4) unpublished conference papers, he is currently working on
four books: Stockbrokers’ Liability and Regulations (a proposed text on the regulations and liabilities of financial intermediaries), International Aspects of Money Laundering in Nigeria, Commercial Credit and Settlement of Commercial Disputes as well as Current Issues in Commercial Credit Transactions.
He is happily married to Mrs. Philomena Joe-Abugu and the marriage is blessed with children.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment