The first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief (Mrs.) Folake Solanke
Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Wednesday urged lawyers and judges in the country to tap from the knowledge and experience of the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief (Mrs.) Folake Solanke, describing the octogenarian as a “bundle of gift”. She celebrated her birthday on the 29th of March, 2017.
Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria himself, gave the counsel in Ibadan while speaking with journalists during the 85th birthday celebration of Chief Solanke where many dignitaries from all walks of life including the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, former Presidents of the Nigerian Bar Association Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), converged to celebrate her.
The governor, who said that the celebrant was his professional mother, noted that the judiciary had not learnt enough from the legal luminary, saying: “Judges and lawyers can learn from her now that she is still alive; learn from her diction and courage."
He said that he is a son of Chief Solanke, disclosing that since he became governor “Chief Solanke has always been present anytime we had events in Ondo State.”
Amosun eulogized Solanke’s elegance, eloquence and beauty, saying “despite the fact that she is 85, she looks like 16.”
Chief Olufolake Solanke became the first female lawyer to be conferred with Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in March 1981.
Chief Solanke who was born in Abeokuta on 29th March 1932, is a female trailblazer, who has broken glass ceilings, and has many numerous achievements including the National honour of the Commander of the Order of Niger. In 1972, Solanke was appointed the first Commissioner of Western State and chairperson of the Western Nigeria Television Broadcasting Corporation (WNTBC).
On the international scene, Chief Folake Solanke became a source of pride for Nigerian woman and Africans as a whole when on July 21st 1994 she became the 42nd president of Zonta International, an organization that focus primarily on advancing the status of women, the first non – Caucasian to be elected to hold the position since the organisation was founded in 1919.
Chief Folake Solanke has broken gender barriers to become a role model, making positive impact in our society. Join us in celebrating Chief Folake Solanke, SAN, OON, CON at 85.
