1979 SAN Set: A Defining Chapter In Nigeria’s Legal Evolution
A Pivotal Year for Nigeria’s Legal Profession
THE year 1979 occupies a distinguished place in Nigeria’s legal and constitutional history. As the country prepared to transition from prolonged military rule to the Second Republic, the legal profession marked a defining institutional moment with the presentation of a new set of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN). The conferment was not merely ceremonial; it reflected the maturity of Nigeria’s legal system and the consolidation of professional standards in a politically sensitive era.
A formal photograph taken at the time captures this moment vividly. Standing alongside the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation, the SANs symbolised continuity, authority, and legal excellence within Nigeria’s common law tradition.
The 1979 SAN Group
The individuals identified in the photograph, from left to right, are G. C. M. Onyuike, Babatunji Olowofoyeku, Sir Darnley Arthur Alexander (Chief Justice of Nigeria), Augustine Nnamani (Attorney General of the Federation), Professor Alfred Adefarasin Kasunmu, and Harry Lardner.
Each member of this group was recognised for exceptional advocacy, contribution to jurisprudence, or service to legal education. Their elevation reflected not only personal merit but also the evolving expectations of professional leadership within Nigeria’s judiciary and Bar.
Sir Darnley Arthur Alexander: An Unusual Legacy
At the centre of the photograph stands Sir Darnley Arthur Alexander, whose presence remains unique in Nigerian judicial history. Born in St Lucia in 1920, Alexander remains the only Chief Justice of Nigeria not Nigerian by birth. Yet his tenure demonstrated deep institutional commitment to Nigeria’s legal system.
He served as Chief Justice of the South-Eastern State before his appointment as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979. His leadership coincided with Nigeria’s delicate transition from military governance, requiring judicial restraint, independence, and credibility. Under his watch, the Supreme Court maintained stability and authority at a time when constitutional legitimacy was under intense scrutiny.
Augustine Nnamani and the Executive–Judicial Interface
Augustine Nnamani, pictured as Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, occupied a strategic position during this period. His office functioned as a bridge between executive authority and judicial integrity, ensuring legal continuity during the handover to civilian rule.
Nnamani’s role underscored the importance of institutional collaboration in preserving constitutional order, particularly when legal norms risk erosion during political transitions.
The Meaning of the SAN Rank
The rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria represents the highest professional distinction within the Nigerian legal profession, comparable to the Queen’s Counsel (QC) in the United Kingdom. It is conferred on practitioners who demonstrate exceptional advocacy, ethical discipline, and enduring contribution to legal development.
The 1979 SAN cohort represented a generation that helped shape modern Nigerian jurisprudence, laying doctrinal and professional foundations still evident today.
Symbols of Legal Tradition
The wigs and gowns worn in the photograph highlight Nigeria’s continued adherence to British common law traditions in superior courts. Beyond formality, these symbols express equality before the law, continuity of legal heritage, and respect for judicial authority.
Enduring Significance
More than four decades later, the 1979 SAN set stands as a historical marker of legal stability during national uncertainty. The photograph remains a visual record of a profession asserting its independence, dignity, and relevance at a decisive moment in Nigeria’s constitutional journey.
