Biography of Adeniran Ogunsanya, Early Life and Education
Adeniran Ogunsanya, QC, SAN ((Listenⓘ); 31 January 1918 – 22 November 1996) was a prominent Nigerian barrister and statesman. He was one of the key founders of the Ibadan Peoples Party (IPP). Ogunsanya served as Lagos State Commissioner for Justice and Commissioner for Education. Additionally, he held the position of chairman of the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP).
Adeniran Ogunsanya Early Life and Education.
Born on 31 January 1918 in Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb, Adeniran hailed from the royal lineage of Omoba Suberu Ogunsanya Oguntade, the Odofin of Ikorodu. He attended Hope Waddell Training Institute in Calabar under the mentorship of his uncle, a government worker. Excelling academically, he earned the top score in the 1937 Government Standard VI examinations, securing a government-funded scholarship to King’s College, Lagos. He later pursued a legal education at the University of Manchester and Gray’s Inn School of Law.
Adeniran Ogunsanya Professional Career.
After completing his legal studies in the United Kingdom, Adeniran returned to Nigeria, joining Chief T.O.S. Benson Chambers in Lagos, where he honed his expertise in law and governance. In 1956, he partnered with his brother, Sulu Adebayo Ogunsanya, to establish the Ogunsanya & Ogunsanya Chambers, a distinguished law firm.
Adeniran Ogunsanya Political Contributions.
In 1945, as a delegate of the Young African Progressive League, Adeniran attended the Fifth Pan-African Congress in Manchester, alongside notable figures like Hastings Banda, W. E. B. Du Bois, Jomo Kenyatta, Kwame Nkrumah, and Jaja Wachuku.
During the mid-1950s, he became a member of the National Executive Committee of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). He presided over the NCNC Youth Association and was elected to Parliament in 1959, representing Ikeja and Mushin. He held various leadership roles in his party, including chairman of the Lagos State executive working committee, NCNC zonal leader for the colony province, and secretary of the NCNC parliamentary council. Locally, he chaired the Mushin District Council Management Committee.
Before the First Republic ended, he served as the Federal Minister of Housing and Surveys. Under Mobolaji Johnson’s administration, he was appointed Lagos State Commissioner for Education.
During the Second Republic, Adeniran led the Lagos progressives in merging with other groups to form the Nigerian People’s Party (NPP). He later succeeded Olu Akinfosile as the NPP chairman after losing to Lateef Jakande in the Lagos gubernatorial race. He was Lagos State’s first Attorney General and subsequently served again as Commissioner for Education.
Adeniran Ogunsanya Honors and Legacy.
Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education was named in his honor, recognizing his immense contributions to Lagos State’s development.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)
Queen’s Counsel (QC)
Adeniran Ogunsanya’s life and work remain a testament to his dedication to legal excellence and public service.