Olumide Akpata
{{short description|Nigerian lawyer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Olumide Akpata
| office3 =
| death_place =
| death_date =
| birth_place = Edo State, Nigeria
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|10|7|df=y}}
| successor1 = Yakubu Maikyau
| predecessor3 =
| term_end3 =
| term_start3 =
| term_end2 =
| image = Olumide Akpata.jpg
| term_start2 =
| office2 =
| term_end1 = 19 July 2022
| term_start1 = 28 August 2020
| office1 = President of the Nigerian Bar Association
| caption =
| image_size =
| party = Labour Party (Nigeria)
| predecessor =
| predecessor1 = Paul Usoro
}}
Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata (born 7 October 1972, from Edo South Senatorial district, Edo State) is a Nigerian legal practitioner and politician. He was a senior partner and the head of the Corporate and Commercial Practice Group at Templars law firm in Nigeria until his resignation on 31 August 2023 to enable him to pursue partisan politics. In September 2023, he hosted the program "KingsWeek 2023" with the Old Boys Association, King's College, Lagos.{{Cite web|date=2 July 2020|title=NBA has lost its voice as prime defender of bar, bench — Akpata|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/nba-has-lost-its-voice-as-prime-defender-of-bar-bench-akpata-2/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=Vanguard News|language=en-US}} He became the first non-Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 28 years to be elected president of the Nigerian Bar Association in July 2020.{{Cite web|date=30 July 2020|title=BREAKING: Akpata emerges NBA new President|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/breaking-akpata-emerges-nba-new-president/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=Vanguard News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Abiola|first=Oladipo|date=30 July 2020|title=Breaking: Olumide Akpata Wins Election, Emerges New NBA President|url=https://www.naijanews.com/2020/07/30/breaking-olumide-akpata-wins-election-emerges-new-nba-president/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=Naija News|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=An Outer Barman Becomes NBA President - THISDAYLIVE |url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/08/04/an-outer-barman-becomes-nba-president?amp=1 |access-date=14 December 2023 |website=www.thisdaylive.com}}
Early life
Akpata was born on 7 October 1972, in Berlin, Germany. He started his educational journey at Nana Primary School in Warri, then moved on to Federal Government College, Warri and later King's College in Lagos. He obtained a bachelor's degree in law from University of Benin, Edo state in 1992 and was called to the bar in 1993.{{Cite web|last=Okwumbu|first=Ruth|date=30 July 2020|title=Olumide Akpata defeats two SANs to emerge NBA President|url=https://nairametrics.com/2020/07/30/olumide-akpata-defeats-two-sans-to-emerge-nba-president/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=Nairametrics|language=en-GB}} He served in the National Youth Service Corps in Kano State.
Career
Akpata began his legal practice in Delta State under the tutelage of Mudiaga Odje.{{Cite web|date=30 July 2020|title=The Nigerian Bar Association Election: Olumide Akpata emerges President|url=https://newswings.com.ng/the-nigerian-bar-association-election-olumide-akpata-emerges-president/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=News Wings|language=en-US}}
In 1996, Akpata relocated to Lagos and teamed up with his cousin, Oghogho Akpata, who had just set up the law firm Templars the previous year.
Akpata is currently senior partner and head of the Corporate & Commercial Practice Group of Templars.{{Cite web|last=Ubimago|first=Stephen|date=25 January 2018|title=Twenty-First Century Commercial Law Practice Belongs To Specialists – Akpata|url=https://www.independent.ng/twenty-first-century-commercial-law-practice-belongs-specialists-akpata/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Independent NG}}{{Cite web|last=Olaoluwa|first=Joseph|date=23 October 2019|title=Akpata replaces Lekwot, as Ellah Lakes' Board Chairman|url=https://nairametrics.com/2019/10/23/akpata-replaces-lekwot-as-ellah-lakes-board-chairman/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=Nairametrics|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|title=Olumide Akpata|url=https://www.americanconference.com/speakers/olumide-akpata/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=American Conference Institute|language=en-US}} He was chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL).{{Cite web|last=Onyekwere|first=Joseph|date=20 June 2017|title=We will raise standard of commercial law practice, says Akpata|url=https://guardian.ng/features/law/we-will-raise-standard-of-commercial-law-practice-says-akpata/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=31 July 2020|website=guardian.ng}}
On 30 July 2020, he was elected as the president of the Nigerian Bar Association after winning the election against Babatunde Ajibade and Dele Adesina.{{Cite web|last=Inyang|first=Ifreke|date=31 July 2020|title=NBA elections: Olumide Akpata defeats two SANs to emerge president|url=https://dailypost.ng/2020/07/31/nba-elections-olumide-akpata-defeats-two-sans-to-emerge-president/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=Daily Post Nigeria|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Akpata wins NBA election|url=https://punchng.com/akpata-wins-nba-election/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=Punch Newspapers|date=31 July 2020 |language=en-US}}
He was the Labour Party's governorship candidate in the Edo 2024 election.
See also
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Akpata, Olumide}}
Category:People from Edo State