Femi FALANA,

Biographical record

Surname

FALANA,

First Name

Femi

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

May 20, 1958

State of Origin

Ekiti

Place of Birth

Ilawe, Ekiti

Name of Spouse

Funmilola Falana

Number of Children (Male)

1

Number of Children ( Female)

3

Names of Children

Folarin Falana

Profession

Legal practitioner
Social Activist

Working Experience

Counsel, Alao Aka-Bashorun and Company, 1982-91; Head, Femi Falana's Chambers, since 1991

Schools Attended with Dates

St. Michael's Primary School, Ilawe, 1963-68; St. Matthew's Primary School, Ondo; Sacred Heart (Catholic) Seminary, 1971-75; University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) Ile- Ife, 1977-81; Nigerian Law School, Lagos, 1981-82.

Educational Qualification

LL.B., BL;

Membership of Professional Bodies/Professional Qualifications

Nigerian Bar Association; honourable American Bar Association, National As sociation of Democratic Lawyers; fd. International Human Rights Award, awards. Defenders award of the International League for hu man rights, 2001 NY; mm. Co-opted member of the National Execu tive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association for the year 2001-02; sec. gen., African Bar Association; elected presd. West African Bar Association, 2004

Previous Appointments

former mem. National Executive Committee, Nigerian Bar Association; former General Council, Nigerian Bar Association; former presd. National Association of Democratic Lawyers; presd. Committee for the Defence of Human Rights;

Have you ever been a member of any political party?

Yes

If "Yes", please state the party(ies) and offices you have held with dates

Governorship aspirant Ekiti State Elections, 2003, on the Platform of Alliance for Democracy

Creative Work/Major Exhibitions

Fundamental Human Rights and Decree No. 2. 1990; Occupational Health and Hazards in Nigeria, 1997; Freedom of Expression in Nigeria, 1988, and several articles on human rights;

Hobbies

reading, traveling, swimming, table tennis, lawn tennis,

Other Relevant Information

Even as a student leader at the then University of Ile Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University,
OAU, he stood his ground against oppression from the successive military governments. He
started his legal practice in 1982. Barely a year with that even as a youth corps member, he
handled the case of 7 University of Ibadan students who were arrested for protesting for their
rights.
He succeeded in securing their freedom and he became a human rights activist as early as
1983 when he took bail for the students who had been unlawfully remanded in prison custody.
Falana revealed that this incident led to his not being issued a discharge certificate by the
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) after his one year mandatory national service. In July
2001, Falana petitioned the Justice Oputa led Human Rights Panel set up by the then
Obasanjo administration over his withheld certificate but the NYSC denied that the certificate
had been intentionally withheld and instead averred that it was Falana who had not requested
for it.
The certificate was subsequently released to him on live television at the commission’s sitting
in 2001. The certificate was released 18 years after the completion of his service. Even as an
activist, Falana is also provides free legal services to the poor and disadvantaged. He has
been detained numerous times by the security services for his activism and he has won
numerous awards locally and internationally for his activism. He contested and lost the
governorship election of Ekiti State in 2007 on the ticket of the National Conscience Party; as
of 2011 he was the National Chairman of the party."

Official Address

25, Femi Falana Chambers, Adekunle FajuyiRoad, IkejaGRA.Lagos, Ikeja,Lagos