{{Short description|Nigerian lawyer (born 1958)}} {{Use Nigerian English|date=March 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Femi Falana | image = Femi Falana.jpg | honorific_suffix = SAN | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|05|20|df=y}} | birth_place = Ilawe Ekiti, Western Region, British Nigeria (now in Ekiti State, Nigeria) | other_names = | occupation = {{hlist|Lawyer|activist}} | notable_works = | spouse = Funmi Falana | children = 3, including Falz | parents = | website = {{URL|falanafalana.com.ng}} }} '''Femi Falana''',{{Audio|Femi_Falana.wav|listen}} {{small|SAN}} (born 20 May 1958),<ref>{{Cite news|last=Abeni|first=Margaret|date=2017-06-28|title=The FAMOUS FIGHTER for human rights in Nigeria! Who is he?|url=https://www.legit.ng/1112126-femi-falana-biography.html|access-date=2021-10-10|newspaper=Legit.ng|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Admin|title=MR. Femi Falana, HLR|url=https://hallmarksoflabour.org/citations/mr-femi-falana-hlr/|website=Hallmark of Labour|accessdate=24 January 2019|archive-date=25 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125020418/https://hallmarksoflabour.org/citations/mr-femi-falana-hlr/|url-status=dead}},</ref> is a Nigerian lawyer and human right activist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.informationng.com/tag/femi-falana|title=Femi Falana |work=informationng.com|accessdate=1 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.okay.ng/tag/femi-falana|title=Femi Falana |work=okay.ng|accessdate=6 August 2018}},</ref> He is the father of a Nigerian rapper Folarin Falana popularly known as Falz.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ayodele |first=Racheal |date=2023-04-04 |title=Why my son always embarrasses government – Falz's father, Femi Falana |url=https://dailypost.ng/2023/04/04/why-my-son-always-embarrasses-government-falzs-father-femi-falana/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2023-07-07 |newspaper=Daily Post|language=en-US}}</ref>
Falana is a well-known activist for human rights, always trying to show empathy to people who are oppressed. He is well known for opposing oppression, from successive military authorities.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Abeni|first=Margaret|date=2017-06-28|title=The FAMOUS FIGHTER for human rights in Nigeria! Who is he?|url=https://www.legit.ng/1112126-femi-falana-biography.html|access-date=2021-10-10|newspaper=Legit.ng|language=en}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Femi Falana was born in Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria. He completed his primary education at St. Michael's School and later attended Sacred Heart Catholic Seminary from 1971 to 1975.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Legalnaija |date=2017-08-18 |title=Star Profile – Mr. Femi Falana SAN, LL.B, B.L, FCI, Arb. – Legalnaija |url=https://legalnaija.com/star-profile-mr-femi-falana-san-llb-bl/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |language=en-US}}</ref> He obtained his law degree from Obafemi Awolowo University (formerly University of Ife) in 1981 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1982,After finishing his law practice in 2012, Femi Falana became a Senior Advocate in Nigeria.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Abeni |first=Margaret |date=2017-06-28 |title=The FAMOUS FIGHTER for human rights in Nigeria! Who is he? |url=https://www.legit.ng/1112126-femi-falana-biography.html |access-date=2021-10-10 |newspaper=Legit.ng|language=en}}</ref>
== Legal and Activist career == He is a Principal Partner at Falana and Falana Chambers which he runs with his wife, Funmi Falana. He contested and lost the governorship election of Ekiti State in 2007 on the platform of the National Conscience Party, a party he served as National chairman in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nigerianbiography.com/2015/10/femi-falana-biography.html?m=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208141033/http://www.nigerianbiography.com/2015/10/femi-falana-biography.html?m=1|url-status=usurped|archive-date=8 December 2015|title=Femi Falana|work=nigerianbiography.com|accessdate=December 1, 2015}}</ref>
He is the father of Falz, a popular Nigerian rapper, singer, online comedian and actor<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://punchng.com/entertainment/saturday-beats/my-wife-didnt-like-our-sons-music-career-femi-falana/|title=My wife didn't like our son's music career –Femi Falana|access-date=December 1, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150824182408/http://www.punchng.com/entertainment/saturday-beats/my-wife-didnt-like-our-sons-music-career-femi-falana/|archive-date=August 24, 2015|newspaper=The Punch}}</ref> and husband to Nigerian women's rights activist Funmi Falana.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/08/femi-falana-left-me-at-the-mercy-of-judges-funmiwife/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|title=Femi Falana left me at the mercy of judges – Funmi, wife|author=Simeon Ndaji|date=5 August 2012|accessdate=21 June 2016|newspaper=Vanguard}}</ref> He belongs to many professional bodies: West African Bar Association, Member, Nigerian Bar Association and Member, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators [https://nicarb.org/ (NICArb)], West African Bar Association, Member, Pan African Lawyers Union and Member, International Bar Association.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Legalnaija|date=2017-08-18|title=Star Profile – Mr. Femi Falana SAN, LL.B, B.L, FCI, Arb. – Legal Naija|url=https://legalnaija.com/star-profile-mr-femi-falana-san-llb-bl/02900951941647681314/|access-date=2021-06-01|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Ifeoma|first=Peters|title=Legal Luminary Profile: Femi Falana SAN – DNL Legal and Style|url=https://dnllegalandstyle.com/2017/legal-luminary-profile-femi-falana-san/|access-date=2021-06-01|language=en-US|archive-date=18 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518185532/https://dnllegalandstyle.com/2017/legal-luminary-profile-femi-falana-san/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Femi Falana|url=https://falanafalana.com.ng/teammate/femi-falana/|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref>
== Award ==
* Femi Falana was one of the nominees for The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) of the theme "celebrating challengers and builders". He was given the award for his impact in adding values and inspiring the upcoming generation.<ref>{{Cite news |author=Daily Post Staff |date=2022-02-14 |title=The Future Awards Africa 2022: Femi Falana, Tony Elumelu, Atedo Peterside, others nominated |url=https://dailypost.ng/2022/02/14/the-future-awards-africa-2022-femi-falana-tony-elumelu-atedo-peterside-others-nominated/ |location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=2023-07-07 |newspaper=Daily Post|language=en-US}}</ref> * Femi Falana was awarded with the Civic Activism Award by BudgIT a civic data-driven tech organization 2022. * Femi Falana was awarded the International Bar Association's Bernard Simons Memorial Award 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nigerian Civil Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana Wins Prestigious IBA's Bernard Simons Memorial Award 2008 {{!}} Sahara Reporters |url=https://saharareporters.com/2008/08/19/nigerian-civil-rights-lawyer-femi-falana-wins-prestigious-ibas-bernard-simons-memorial |access-date=2023-07-07 |website=saharareporters.com}}</ref> * Femi Falana was awarded Lifetime Achievement Award for Human and Civil Rights by LXG Awards.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Fela, TB Joshua, Falana, Others Honoured By LXG Awards |url=https://independent.ng/fela-tb-joshua-falana-others-honoured-by-lxg-awards/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|newspaper=Independent}}</ref> * Femi Falana was awarded human rights defender award, presented by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ).<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-12-09 |title=Falana honoured with Wole Soyinka 'Human Rights Defender' award |url=https://www.thecable.ng/falana-honoured-with-wole-soyinka-human-rights-defender-award |access-date=2023-07-07 |newspaper=TheCable|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Publications == He has written a lot of publications including Governance in Post Military. Nigeria Fundamental Rights Enforcement, Legaltext Publishing Company 2005.
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Falana, Femi}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:Nigerian human rights activists Category:20th-century Nigerian lawyers Category:Nigerian politicians Category:Senior advocates of Nigeria Category:Falana family Category:Obafemi Awolowo University alumni Category:21st-century Nigerian lawyers
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