The first Nigerian professor of business law Gabriel Olawoyin has died aged 81.
Olawoyin died in a private hospital in Lagos on Saturday evening.
Born on July 31, 1939 in Ile-Ife, Osun State, the senior lawyer had his primary education at Royal School in Ile-Ife established by his maternal grandfather.
He also studied at African School, Ilesa; African School, Oke-Eso, Ile-Ife; and Central School, Ilare, Ile-Ife before proceeding to Oduduwa College and later Ogbomoso Grammar School where he emerged as the best student at the final examination.
Olawoyin worked briefly with the Federal Civil Service in Lagos and Nigerian Breweries Limited as an accounts clerk. He started his higher secondary school certificate programme at Abeokuta Grammar School, Ogun State in January 1959.
He passed his general certificate of education (GCE) advanced level in January 1962 in flying colours, earning him a place at the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London).
He bagged his first degree and masters in law from the University of London in 1965 and 1966 respectively.
Professor Gabriel Olawoyin taught business law, company law, law of insurance, commercial law, Nigerian legal system, law of banking and negotiable instruments, constitutional law, non-marine insurance law and law of corporate management and finance at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University – OAU, Ile-Ife) from 1966 to 1981. In May 1978, he was appointed Professor of Business Law in the then University of Ife and he has the distinction of being the first Nigerian Professor of Business Law.
In 1981, he retired from teaching in the University to go into full-time legal practice as the Principal Partner in the law firm of Olawoyin & Olawoyin. He played a leading role in the introduction and development of equipment leasing by Banks and other financial institutions in Nigeria.
He was a member of the Council of Equipment Leasing Association of Nigeria (ELAN). In 1992, he was appointed a member of the study group on legal issues relating to the privatization and commercialization of government enterprises. In September, 1998 he was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and has been a member of the ICC, International Court of Arbitration in Paris, France since May, 2000.
Professor Gabriel Olawoyin SAN is survived by his wife, children including Dr. Adewale Olawoyin SAN and grandchildren.
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