The management of the Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, is to confer a honourary doctorate degree on the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, for his outstanding leadership mien and impressive performance as a public servant .
A letter addressed to Senator Bamidele by the Registrar of the fastest- growing faith-based University, Mr. Dapo Adeniyi, and dated 11th October, 2022, said the federal lawmaker will be garlanded with the prestigious title at the JABU’s 13th Convocation Ceremonies slated for 27th January, 2023.
The University added that the honour stemmed from in-depth studies conducted into Senator Bamidele’s political trajectory since 1999 and found him exemplary as well as outstanding in all positions he had occupied in the public service.
The letter reads inter alia; “As part of the plans towards the 13th Convocation Ceremonies of our university, I write to notify you that you have been considered to receive a prestigious University doctorate degree (honoris causa) at the event which is scheduled to hold dometime in January, 2023. Your undeniable contributions and relevance to nation building and leadership in Nigeria and the world at large are some of the reasons for nominating you for our prestigious honourary degree”.
Bamidele, currently the Chairman of Southern Senators Forum, was an elected Member of the 7th House of Representatives and three-term Member of the prestigious Lagos State Cabinet where he served under Governors Tinubu and Fashola, between 2000 and 2011.
The former Commissioner, is a Lawyer without border, licensed to practise in the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court; an Attorney and Counselor-at-Law of the State of New York, USA; and a Notary Public of Nigeria.
Bamidele graduated, with honours in 1986, from the University of Ife (Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife with a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honours and, subsequently, from the University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) Degree with honours, in 1990.
After his call to the Nigerian Bar, Bamidele launched into a full-time legal career in 1992. He obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from the World-renowned Franklin Pierce Law Centre in the University of New Hampshire Law School, Concord, New Hampshire, USA. He specialized in Intellectual Property Law, with bias in International Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law, including the Licensing of International Transfer of Technology.
A learned counsel of no mean stature, Bamidele is an active Member of the New York and Nigerian Bar, a Member of the American Bar Association and a Member of the International Bar Association.
He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Nigeria), the Chartered Institute of Management Consultants as well as the Chartered Institute of Local Government and Public Administration, Nigeria, among others.
In October, 2019, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele was appointed a Member of the prestigious Body of Benchers, Nigeria. He is a seasoned and multilateral legal practitioner, Civil Rights activist, a former Honourable Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development as well as Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy consecutively in Lagos State.
He was a former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Budget and Research in the 7th National Assembly. He also served as the Chairman of the National Assembly Budget and Research Office (NABRO) between July 2011 and June 2015.
In recognition of his massive contribution to the restoration, growth and development of democracy and good governance in Nigeria as well as his heroic exploits as a foremost political activist, seasoned legal practitioner, accomplished public administrator, quintessential lawmaker and consummate politician, the prestigious National Honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) was conferred on Sen. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR in October, 2022.
As he stands in for academic decoration among other honorees for the prestigious Doctorate Degree at JABU on the 27th January, 2023; the University would be adding yet another feather to Bamidele’s cap for his meritorious and patriotic service to the Nigerian nation.