The presentation formed part of the 20th posthumous commemoration of former Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Jelili Omotola (SAN), who led University of Lagos from 1995 to 2000 as its seventh Vice-Chancellor, a period widely remembered for institutional stability and academic expansion.
“A deliberate investment in the future”
According to Goke Omotola, son of the late academic, the scholarship was designed to support law students from 100 to 500 level who demonstrated both strong academic performance and genuine financial need.
He described the initiative as “a deliberate investment in the future of the legal profession and a continuation of his father’s lifelong dedication to mentoring and empowering young minds.”
Among the beneficiaries were students including Ayorinde Fadilat, Godsgrace Babalola, Akinsipe Emmanuel, Ogunnaike Esther, Goodluck Tochukwu, Rodiah Hamid, Bello Olafimihhan, and Adedayo Michael.
Infrastructure upgrades and academic commemoration
Beyond scholarships, family and associates of the late Vice-Chancellor also commissioned renovations and upgrades to parts of the Faculty of Law, including the Department of Private and Property Law and the L.L.M. lecture room, as part of efforts to mark the anniversary.
The commemorative activities also featured a moot and mock trial competition between students of the University of Lagos and Obafemi Awolowo University, with UNILAG students ultimately emerging victorious.
Legal luminaries reflect on a towering academic figure
The event drew a wide range of legal and academic figures, including Vice-Chancellor Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, former Nigerian Bar Association President Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Dean of the Faculty of Law Prof. Abiola Sanni (SAN), and other senior jurists such as Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo and Justices Oluwatoyin Taiwo, Razak Olukolu, and Iyabo Osodi.
Speaking during the ceremony, Olanipekun (SAN) paid tribute to his former teacher, saying, “We saw him as a mirror. He never believed that lawyers should be poor.” He further added, “He was a good man. Good people don’t die, so let’s continue to remember him even in death,” while also highlighting Omotola’s commitment to improving staff welfare and housing at the university.
“His legacy continues to illuminate generations”
In her remarks, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ogunsola noted that Omotola’s contributions to legal education and institutional development remain deeply impactful.
She recalled his scholarly influence in land law, particularly his analyses of the Land Use Act of 1978, stating that his works, including Essays on the Nigerian Land Use Act 1978, continue to shape academic discourse.
Ogunsola also emphasized that his tenure as Vice-Chancellor was marked by progress in research, academic standards, and administrative development.
She added that his efforts to use legal expertise for practical solutions—such as staff housing initiatives—remain a model for academic leadership committed to societal impact.
As the ceremony concluded, the message echoed across speeches and tributes: Prof. Omotola’s influence lives on not only in legal scholarship, but also in the students and institutions he helped shape.