Oladejo Oluwaseyi Lamikanra (SAN)
The senior Nigerian Lawyer accused of lying about his education and work experience - Mr. Oladejo Oluwaseyi Lamikanra (SAN); has refuted the allegations - describing them as "untrue and some of the facts are grossly inaccurate."
Trumpet put a number of questions to Lamikanra via email: "There are some reports on the Internet indicating that some claims about your educational qualifications and work experience are false.
1. Please can you clarify what the true position of things is?
2. When did you attend London School of Economics and what did you study?
3. When did you attend Balliol College Oxford and what did you study?
4. When did you work at Travers Smith, and in what capacity?
5. When did you work at Penningtons, and in what capacity?"
In his response, Lamikanra said: "The story you referred to and some of your questions actually do have their roots in, and are designed to unduly influence the outcome of the ongoing NBA (Nigerian Bar Association) Investigations. You must appreciate that it will be wholly inappropriate for me to comment until the outcome of the said investigation."
It will be recalled that earlier, Trumpet reported that Lamikanra, the Principal Partner of Port Harcourt, Abuja and Lagos based Creeks & Shield Solicitors who joined the rank of Senior Advocates in July 2006, in a Witness Statement dated 3 March 2012 to the Court of Protection in London in a matter relating to one of his clients - the Late Captain Israel Ademola Haastrup; claimed among other things, that he attended "London School of Economics (University of London), where I obtained two Masters' Degrees in Law, first for Company & Commercial Law and Arbitration and the other for Secured Credit Transactions and Insurance."
However, enquiries to London School of Economics (LSE) found no trace of Oladejo Lamikanra in its records. In response to enquiries made to LSE, Larissa Leech - LSE's Registry Administrator said, "In regards to the letter you sent regarding the above named individual, I have not been able to locate them on our records and suggest that you try contacting the University of London, who may be able to locate something for you."
Lamikanra also claims to have attended Balliol College, Oxford University, but Ms Olivia Barber - Graduate Assistant of Balliol College in response to enquiries stated that "I regret to inform you that we have searched our files and can find no record of this person having attended Balliol College Oxford."
Ms Barber's response was confirmed by Ms Glynis Price - Balliol College's Academic Administrator.
In 2010, Lamikanra who was a former Senior Prefect at Igbobi College Yaba, Lagos; while receiving an Igbobi College Old Boys Association (ICOBA) Merit Award in the "Professional Excellence in Law" category during the school's 78th Founders' Day Anniversary; Lamikanra's citation claimed that he worked with some of UK’s leading solicitor firms - Travers Smith Braithwaite, Snow Hill, London; and Penningtons, Moorgate, London.
A response to enquiries to Travers Smith, stated that "we confirm that we have no record of Mr Oladejo Lamikanra ever having been employed by this firm."
A separate response from Penningtons Manches LLP to our enquiries by the firms' HR Advisor - Charlotte Spinks said "We do not hold records of their employment" with us. He had never worked there either.
Lamikanra's full response:
"My attention has been drawn to the stories about my qualifications and educational background posted on the internet. The allegations are untrue and some of the facts are grossly inaccurate. I did not author the content of the Igbobi College Awards Citation (from which the blogger heavily relied upon) and therefore cannot speak for its accuracy or otherwise.
"I must however inform you that the NBA has been presented with a Petition against me by one Mr. John Adewale Haastrup. The story you referred to and some of your questions actually do have their roots in, and are designed to unduly influence the outcome of the ongoing NBA Investigations. You must appreciate that it will be wholly inappropriate for me to comment until the outcome of the said investigation. I should add that Mr. John Adewale Haastrup has previously presented petitions against me to the EFCC and to the IGP/INTERPOL. The investigations concluded and no wrongdoing whatsoever was established.
"The current allegations border on my integrity and indeed I shall respond fully at the appropriate time. The real story is of a certain man who is hell-bent on acquiring and controlling the Estate of my deceased client. He is desperate and sees me as his major obstacle. The solution? Destroy him. Ruin his career. Rest assured, you shall have the full story at the appropriation time. I will however caution against misplaced enthusiasm and sensational journalism. Thank you."