The Story of Oghogho Akpata Whose Law Firm Has Produced 6 SANs Yet Not A Silk Himself

BY MICHAEL UGAH

Look closely at this photograph. The gentleman in the middle, wearing a blue suit, is OGHOGHO AKPATA, the Founder and Managing Partner of TEMPLARS, one of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms.

Standing beside him are SIX SENIOR ADVOCATES OF NIGERIA from the firm he established. And here is the interesting thing. OGHOGHO AKPATA IS NOT A SAN!

Yes, you read that correctly.

Let me tell you his story.

In 1995, after gaining experience at the law firm of F.O. Akinrele & Co., Oghogho Akpata established a small law practice in Lagos. The firm was called TEMPLARS.

The following year, his cousin, Olumide Akpata, relocated from Warri to Lagos and joined him. Olumide had previously worked under the renowned Dr. Mudiaga Odje SAN.

Together with their colleagues, they began building what would eventually become one of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms.

At the beginning, TEMPLARS was a small practice of just four lawyers. Today, it has grown into a major commercial law firm with more than 150 lawyers and offices in Nigeria and Ghana. But that is not even the most interesting part of the story.

THE FIRM HAS PRODUCED SIX SENIOR ADVOCATES OF NIGERIA!

They are:

1. Adewale Atake SAN.

2. Godwin Omoaka SAN.

3. Inam Wilson SAN.

4. Olufemi Oyewole SAN.

5. Igonikon Adekunle SAN.

6. Sadiq Ilegieuno SAN.

The last two were elevated to the Inner Bar in 2026. And when their elevation was announced, Oghogho Akpata publicly celebrated their achievement.

He spoke about the years of hard work that had earned them the distinction and what could happen when a law firm invested patiently in its people.

Think about that for a moment.

Here is a man who established a law firm more than 30 years ago. Over the years, lawyers within that firm have risen to become partners, leaders of practice groups and Senior Advocates of Nigeria. Yet the founder himself has not taken silk. And he continues to lead the institution. There is something particularly instructive about that.

In a profession where titles, seniority and personal recognition sometimes assume enormous importance, Oghogho Akpata’s story offers a different perspective.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE THE MOST DECORATED PERSON IN THE ROOM TO BE THE PERSON WHO BUILT THE ROOM!

And there is another interesting part of his story.

His cousin, Olumide Akpata, who joined TEMPLARS in 1996, eventually became President of the Nigerian Bar Association in 2020. Olumide was not a SAN either.

In fact, his election attracted considerable attention because he defeated two Senior Advocates of Nigeria to become NBA President.

Interestingly, many Nigerian lawyers may be more familiar with Olumide Akpata than with Oghogho Akpata, the man who established the firm where Olumide built much of his professional career. Yet Oghogho has continued quietly building the institution.

And that brings me to what I consider the most important lesson in this story.

BECOMING A SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NIGERIA IS A REMARKABLE PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT. BUT IT IS NOT THE ONLY MEASURE OF SUCCESS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION.

Some lawyers distinguish themselves through courtroom advocacy. Others through scholarship, public service, judicial appointments or professional leadership. And some distinguish themselves by building institutions that enable other lawyers to flourish.

A good leader does not have to be intimidated when the people around him become successful.

He does not have to diminish their achievements to protect his own importance.

He can celebrate their progress, support their ambitions and create an environment in which they can become even more accomplished than he is.

Indeed, one measure of leadership is not simply how far you have risen, but how many people have been able to rise because of the opportunities you created.

Oghogho Akpata’s story illustrates that point beautifully. He may not have the letters SAN after his name. But he has built a law firm in which six lawyers have attained that distinction.

And beyond the six SANs, the firm has developed numerous partners and other accomplished legal practitioners.

Perhaps the ultimate professional achievement is not always the title you acquire for yourself. Sometimes, it is the institution you build and the people whose careers flourish within it.

That is the story of Oghogho Akpata, Founder and Managing Partner of TEMPLARS.