Jadesola Akande

{{Infobox officeholder

| order = 2nd

| office = Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University

| term_start = 1989

| term_end = 1993

| predecessor = Folabi Olumide

| successor = Enitan Bababunmi

| name = Jadesola Akande

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name = Jadesola Olayinka Esan

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1940|11|15}}

| birth_place = Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2008|4|29|1940|11|15}}

| death_place = Lagos State, Nigeria

| other_names =

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Lawyer
academic
activist
author}}

| known_for =

}}

Jadesola Olayinka Akande (CON, OFR) (15 November 1940 – 29 April 2008) was a Nigerian lawyer, author and academic who is regarded as the first Nigerian female professor of Law.{{cite book|author=Modupeolu Faseke|title=Nigerian women professionals: a historical analysis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0rAEAQAAIAAJ|year=2005|publisher=Tidings Publications|isbn=978-978-067-170-9}}{{Cite web |date=14 May 2022 |title=Forever in our hearts: Professor Jadesola Akande (15-11-1940 to 29-4-2008) |url=https://guardian.ng/saturday-magazine/forever-in-our-hearts-professor-jadesola-akande-15-11-1940-to-29-4-2008/ |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}}

Early life and education

Akande Jadesola Olayinka was born on 15 November 1940, in Ibadan Oyo State, defunct Western Region of Nigeria. She completed her nursery, basic and secondary school education at Ibadan People's Girls School and St.{{Cite web |title=Late Prof. Jadesola Olayinka Debo-Akande, (OFR) – DAWN Commission |url=https://dawncommission.org/late-prof-jadesola-olayinka-debo-akande-ofr/ |access-date=2025-02-07 |language=en-US}} Annes School respectively.{{Cite web |last=Gbenga-Ogundare |first=Yejide |date=2024-07-31 |title=Foundation equips 624 prefects in Ibadan |url=https://tribuneonlineng.com/foundation-equips-624-prefects-in-ibadan/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Tribune Online |language=en-GB}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thenationonlineng.net/archive2/tblnews_Detail.php?id=71094|title=Law students honour Jadesola Akande|work=The Nation|last=Olugbamila|first=Adegunle|date=27 November 2008|accessdate=31 December 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.nigerianmuse.com/20080430075404zg/nigeria-watch/prof-jadesola-akande-dies-at-68/|title=Prof. Jadesola Akande Dies At 68|work=P.M. News|publisher=Nigerian Muse|date=29 April 2008|accessdate=31 December 2015}} She obtained her G.C.E Advanced Level certificate after attending Barnstaple Girls Grammar School Devon, England before proceeding to study a course in Law at the University College, London where she graduated from in 1963.{{cite book|author=Ogun Radio (Ogun State, Nigeria)|title=Meet the press: tenth anniversary, 1976–1986|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u3MuAQAAIAAJ|year=1986}}{{cite news|url=http://www.barasolutions.com/mainGuardian/opinion/letters/162436-remembering-professor-jadesola-akande|title=Remembering Professor Jadesola Akande|work=The Guardian|publisher=Bara Solutions|last=Awosika|first=Kezia|date=22 May 2014|accessdate=31 December 2015}}

Career

After her call to the bar at the Inner Temple, London and the Nigerian Law School, She returned to Nigeria where she began her career as an Administrative Officer in the West Regional Civil Service. She was a key member of the Constitutional Review Committee of 1987, and the Presidential Panel of National Security in 2000.

In April 1989, Akande was appointed as the second Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, a position she held till 1993,{{cite news|url=http://www.pulse.ng/student/know-your-university-lasu-11-things-you-did-not-know-about-lagos-state-university-id3709726.html|title=11 things you did not know about Lagos State University|work=Pulse Nigeria|last=Samson|first=Kukogho Iruesiri|date=29 April 2015|accessdate=31 December 2015}} after quitting as a lecturer at the University of Lagos. In 2000, she was appointed the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure until 2004.{{Cite web |title=Late Prof. Jadesola Olayinka Debo-Akande, (OFR) – DAWN Commission |url=https://dawncommission.org/late-prof-jadesola-olayinka-debo-akande-ofr/ |access-date=2022-06-11 |language=en-US}} She was a key member of the Constitutional Review Committee of 1987 and the Presidential Panel of National Security in 2000. Her wealth of experience was second to none.

Works

{{cite book|author=Jadesola Olayinka Debo Akande|title=Laws and Customs Affecting Women's Status in Nigeria|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QMkxAAAAIAAJ|year=1979|publisher=International Federation of Women Lawyers (Nigeria)}}
{{cite book|author1=Jadesola Akande|author2=Mariame Ouattara|title=Training Manual for the Participation of Women in Governance: Advocacy, Lobbying Networking, Coalition-building and Negotiation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KyMoAQAAIAAJ|year=2007|publisher=WiLDAF/FeDDAF West Africa}}
{{cite book|author1=Jadesola Akande|author2=Peter O. Adeniyi|title=Addresses Delivered on the First Day of the Combined 13th and 14th Convocation :: Friday, 1st November, 2002|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ul8hAQAAIAAJ|year=2002|publisher=Federal University of Technology}}

Honours and accolades

Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) – 1998{{Cite web|title=Akhigbe, CJN, Ayefele 183 others get national honours|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/07/akhigbe-cjn-184-others-get-national-honours/|date=1 July 2010|website=Vanguard News|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-30}}
National Honour of the Order of the Niger (OFR) – 2002{{Cite web|title=The Chinua Achebe Foundation #35 – Professor Jadesola Akande in converstion with Toluwanimi Olujimi|url=http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/index.php?option=com_content&allposts=1&catid=583&id=3776&view=article&Itemid=1719|website=www.nigeriavillagesquare.com|access-date=2020-05-30}}