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Family members, friends and associates Monday gathered in Abuja to celebrate Mohammed Adelodun on his elevation to the enviable rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), one of the country’s highest professional distinctions for legal practitioners.
They described the achievement as a reward for hard work, dedication to duties and excellence in the service of the cause of justice in the nation’s legal profession.
Some dignitaries presents at the investiture dinner were the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Kwara State Chief Judge, Justice Abiodun Adebara; former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Yakubu Maikyau, Supreme Court Justices, High Court Justices, businessesmen among others.
Speaking in an interview with journalists, the visibly elated Adelodun said the SAN rank is not achieved by a calculated shortcut but by a daily lifestyle choice of professionalism, courtesy and continuous learning.
“If you say the steps I went through, it would look like we were trying to work our way to an answer. I do not think it is the way to look at it. I think it is who you are every day. It is the lifestyle you adopt. It is a choice you make every day that you wake up to do your work and do it the best you can,” he said.
He also cautioned colleagues against acts that bring the profession to public ridicule, noting that bad press often overshadows the hard work of many judges and lawyers.
“If we keep doing the right things and avoid those things that make people cast aspersions on the legal profession, I think we will just be fine. Lawyers have always done the best they can, and we will keep doing what we do,” he said.
Speaking, Saraki said Adelodun earned the prestigious rank by merit, humility and capacity and has made Kwara state proud.
“Over the years, honestly, he has impressed me with his humility, his capacity, his knowledge. He has worked for this. Many might think he has got it because he is Adelodun. No, he has got it because he is Mohammed. He is truly a great source of pride for all of us from Kwara State,” Saraki said.
“I hope that you inspire a lot of younger people from our state. We have always done well in this profession, and I am sure we will continue to do well in this profession,” he added.
In his remarks, Maikyau, who mentored the young SAN, said lawyers have a critical responsibility to interpret electoral laws accurately and help citizens understand their constitutional rights.
He urged legal practitioners to advise clients and voters honestly, stressing that their professional expertise should support credible elections and strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“Lawyers are the guidance of every society, and the business of election is the business of law. It is for them to be honest in deploying that understanding, that expertise, and guide the people on how to exercise their constitutional franchise to choose those who will lead them,” Maikyau said.
Beyond electoral integrity, Maikyau praised Adelodun’s professional journey, describing his elevation to SAN as a remarkable achievement.
He noted that Adelodun’s achievement was remarkable, as his father, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, entrusted him to his law firm over a decade ago, where he trained and built his legal career outside his father’s chambers.
“For someone who came to the office as a young man, and a couple of years later, we are celebrating him for the conferment of the highest and prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, for me, it is quite remarkable,” he said.
Maikyau also encouraged younger lawyers to combine faith with diligence, emphasising that professional success requires consistent effort and commitment.
While speaking, the Former Senate President Bukola Saraki described Adelodun’s elevation as recognition of his professional competence, humility and knowledge.
Saraki said the new SAN had earned the distinction through hard work rather than family connections, adding that his achievement had brought pride to Kwara State.
“Over the years, honestly, he has impressed me with his humility, his capacity, his knowledge. He has worked for this,” Saraki said.
He rejected suggestions that Adelodun’s family background explained his success, stressing that the new SAN had established his own professional reputation.
“Many might think he has got it because he is Adelodun. No, he has got it because he is Mohammed,” he said.
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