Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL) has announced the passing away of Bisi Akodu, its managing partner.

A statement signed by Niyi Odunmorayo, media assistant to Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), said that Akodu passed away in the early hours of Sunday, May 10, 2020 at the age of 66.

The release also said that she joined the Board of Partners at OAL in 2009 and became managing partner in 2019.

The statement quoted Agbakoba, senior partner at OAL, as saying: “All of us at OAL are deeply saddened by the loss of our long-time colleague, mentor and friend and our thoughts and prayers are with her beloved family at this time. Bisi worked tirelessly throughout her years at OAL and contributed immensely to the growth and success of the firm. Her extraordinary leadership qualities will be missed by everyone at OAL.”

It further stated that Akodu had over 40 years’ experience in corporate commercial practice and was well versed in mergers and acquisitions, share and asset sales, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures and private equity transactions.

“She worked on many interesting commercial transactions in the capital market and led teams which advised on key mergers and acquisitions in the banking and insurance sectors. As an advocate of change, she wrote on new financing models and engaged the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on establishing a crowdfunding framework in Nigeria; and advised the Lagos State Government on the implementation of the Child’s Rights Law in the State.

“Bisi facilitated several training sessions for Judges of the Federal High Court and Justices of the Court of Appeal, on the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria Act. She also served as a Member of the Financial System Strategy Vision 20-20, a Central Bank of Nigeria initiative to establish an International Financial Centre in Nigeria,” it also said.

According to the release, Akodu was a “member of the Nigerian Bar Association, a Fellow and Council member of the Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN), a Member of the Capital Markets Solicitors Association of Nigeria, and a Member of the Commercial Law and Taxation Committee of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She was also a member of several international law groups, including Worldlink for Law, Interlegal and INSOL.”