The premises of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos, will witness a beehive of activities on Monday, May 26, 2025, as policy makers, top legal minds and the crème of the Nigerian creative industry, come together for the COSON Lecture, one of the most sought-after events of the seven different back-to-back events of the master blaster COSON WEEK 2025.
The epoch gathering will listen to and thereafter, dissect and discuss the paper: “The Political & Legal Environment Necessary for the Continued Growth of the Nigerian Creative Industry”, to be delivered by erudite lawyer, Hon Babatunde Ogala SAN, FNIM, Fbr, FIMC.
Making the announcement on his return to Lagos, after a one-week whirlwind trip to Abuja, Chief Tony Okoroji, Chairman Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) said: “The COSON Lecture has a special place in my heart. Of the seven different events of the COSON Week, the COSON Lecture must strike a special chord that lingers long after everyone has left the lecture auditorium. The COSON Lecture must leave everybody thinking anew.
“It was practically impossible to find anyone more qualified to give life to the important subject we are discussing this year, than the very respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Babatunde Ogala. He is not just an erudite lawyer, for several years, he has been a critical political player, closely involved in policy making. Above all, he has been an enduring friend of the Nigerian creative family. At some point, during our discussions, I became afraid that due to scheduling challenges, we might miss the opportunity of having the Leaned Silk deliver this crucial paper at this period of the development of the Nigerian Creative Industry.
“I could not help jumping for joy when I got the message that the SAN is good for May 26 and is already working on the paper. I therefore, on behalf of the COSON Board, thank the SAN and invite everyone interested in the future of the Nigerian creative industry to the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs on May 26, for a great 2025 COSON Lecture, in line with the COSON Week 2025 mantra, Nigeria will rise again!”.
Babatunde John Kwame Ogala SAN was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986. In 1997, he established the Law Firm of Babatunde K. Ogala which was later renamed Babatunde Ogala & Co. In 2007, he was elected a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and became Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary; Member of the Finance Committee; Committee on Public Accounts; Committee on Ethics, Protocol and Privileges; Committee on Human Rights and Public Petition; Committee on Infrastructure as well as several ad-hoc Committees.
Mr. Ogala has been a Consultant to the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Conference of Speakers. He has also been a Resource Person to the Houses of Assemblies of Lagos and Kogi States on Constitutional matters. In 2018, Mr. Ogala returned to Politics, after a few years absence, and became the National Legal Adviser of one of Nigeria’s biggest political parties, a position he held till June, 2020.
Babatunde John Kwame Ogala has attended several training courses and seminars at the World Bank, the International Law Institute, USAID, UNDP, British Council, Centre for Management Development, DFID, SAVI and Human Development Initiative. He has also attended courses at Thames Valley University, Slough London as well as in Kenya, Tunisia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, India, Canada, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and within Nigeria on varied subjects
He is a member of the National Council of State Legislatures in the USA and has attended all its Legislative Summits from 2007 to date in New Orleans, Philadelphia, Louisville Kentucky and San Antonio Texas. He has also attended several International Bar Association Conferences and Seminars as well as Regional Fora on the Court Systems and Judicial Administration.
Babatunde Ogala has been honoured by the Senate and House of Representatives respectively of the State of Kentucky, USA.
Mr. Ogala has worked and consulted for several International Agencies on Law Review and Reforms.
Mr. Ogala is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, African Bar Association, International Bar Association and the American Bar Association, Section on International Law as well as Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria (IPLAN) and Capital Market Solicitors Association of Nigeria.
He is also a Fellow of the Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria; Fellow, Institute of Management Consultants, Nigeria; Fellow of Nigerian Institute of Management; Member; Society for Corporate Governance, Nigeria; Member of INSOL (The Global Insolvency Body) and Junior Chamber International (A Leadership Development Organisation). Mr Ogala is also a Member of Ikoyi Club 1938, Island Cub, Lagos Country Club and Ikeja Golf Club.
He is Married to a judge of the High Court of Lagos State.
