Nigerian First Lawyer

Sapara Williams The First Nigerian Lawyer.  Photo Credit: www.abiyamo.com

Sapara William's Wife: Danko Sapara.  Photo Credit: www.abiyamo.com

Do you know that Sapara Williams was the first layer in Nigeria? Sapara Williams Christopher hails from Ilesha in the present day osun state, Nigeria. He was given birth to in the year 1855, July 14th in Sierra Leone. Charles Williams Alexander a Nigerian and Johnson Nancy an English slave were the parents of Sapara Williams. Sapara had two lovely siblings: Clementina Anne Mary and his brother Sapara Odunbaku Oguntola. The sister  Clementina died in 1877 during the process of childbirth. This tragic incidence left her brother Odunbaku so devastated that he decided to pursue a course in medicine with focus on midwifery. Christopher later went to CMS grammar school before leaving for Wesley College in UK to pursue a career in Law. In 1888, after graduation Sapara Williams returned back to Nigeria to practice
what he had learnt. Sapara was so patriotic enough to come back home to contribute the building of his father's land.
Sapara Williams was called to the British bar in 1879. He was first Nigerian in Nigeria's history to be called to a foreign bar. After proving himself worthy in knowledge, character and  profession, he later in 1888 August 30th joined the NBA (Nigeria Bar Association). From the year 1900-1915, he served as the chairman of Nigeria Bar Association and was also the first barrister in Nigeria to enrolled legally at the Lagos supreme court.