{{short description|Nigerian lawyer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Use Nigerian English|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Olumide Akpata | office3 = | death_place = | death_date = | birth_place = Edo State, Nigeria | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|10|7|df=y}} | successor1 = Yakubu Maikyau | predecessor3 = | term_end3 = | term_start3 = | term_end2 = | image = Olumide Akpata.jpg | term_start2 = | office2 = | term_end1 = 19 July 2022 | term_start1 = 28 August 2020 | office1 = President of the Nigerian Bar Association | caption = | image_size = | party = Labour Party (Nigeria) | predecessor = | predecessor1 = Paul Usoro }}

'''Olumide Osaigbovo Akpata''' (born 7 October 1972, from Edo South Senatorial district, Edo State) is a Nigerian legal practitioner and politician. He was a senior partner and the head of the Corporate and Commercial Practice Group at Templars law firm in Nigeria until his resignation on 31 August 2023 to enable him to pursue partisan politics. In September 2023, he hosted the program "KingsWeek 2023" with the Old Boys Association, King's College, Lagos.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|date=2 July 2020|title=NBA has lost its voice as prime defender of bar, bench — Akpata|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/nba-has-lost-its-voice-as-prime-defender-of-bar-bench-akpata-2/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=31 July 2020|newspaper=Vanguard|language=en-US}}</ref> He became the first non-Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 28 years to be elected president of the Nigerian Bar Association in July 2020.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|date=30 July 2020|title=BREAKING: Akpata emerges NBA new President|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/breaking-akpata-emerges-nba-new-president/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=31 July 2020|newspaper=Vanguard|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Abiola|first=Oladipo|date=30 July 2020|title=Breaking: Olumide Akpata Wins Election, Emerges New NBA President|url=https://www.naijanews.com/2020/07/30/breaking-olumide-akpata-wins-election-emerges-new-nba-president/|access-date=31 July 2020|newspaper=Naija News|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=An Outer Barman Becomes NBA President - THISDAYLIVE |url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/08/04/an-outer-barman-becomes-nba-president?amp=1 |access-date=14 December 2023 |newspaper=This Day}}</ref>

== Early life == Akpata was born on 7 October 1972, in Berlin, Germany. He began his education at Nana Primary School in Warri, then moved on to Federal Government College, Warri and later King's College in Lagos. He obtained a bachelor's degree in law from University of Benin, Edo State in 1992 and was called to the bar in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Okwumbu|first=Ruth|date=30 July 2020|title=Olumide Akpata defeats two SANs to emerge NBA President|url=https://nairametrics.com/2020/07/30/olumide-akpata-defeats-two-sans-to-emerge-nba-president/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=Nairametrics|language=en-GB}}</ref> He served in the National Youth Service Corps in Kano State.<ref name=":1" />

== Career == Akpata began his legal practice in Delta State under the tutelage of Mudiaga Odje.<ref name="barelect">{{Cite web|date=30 July 2020|title=The Nigerian Bar Association Election: Olumide Akpata emerges President|url=https://newswings.com.ng/the-nigerian-bar-association-election-olumide-akpata-emerges-president/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=News Wings|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1996, Akpata relocated to Lagos and teamed up with his cousin, Oghogho Akpata, who had just set up the law firm Templars the previous year.<ref name="barelect"/>

Akpata is currently senior partner and head of the Corporate & Commercial Practice Group of Templars.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ubimago|first=Stephen|date=25 January 2018|title=Twenty-First Century Commercial Law Practice Belongs To Specialists – Akpata|url=https://www.independent.ng/twenty-first-century-commercial-law-practice-belongs-specialists-akpata/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|newspaper=Independent}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Olaoluwa|first=Joseph|date=23 October 2019|title=Akpata replaces Lekwot, as Ellah Lakes' Board Chairman|url=https://nairametrics.com/2019/10/23/akpata-replaces-lekwot-as-ellah-lakes-board-chairman/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=Nairametrics|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Olumide Akpata|url=https://www.americanconference.com/speakers/olumide-akpata/|access-date=31 July 2020|website=American Conference Institute|language=en-US|archive-date=29 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629094038/https://www.americanconference.com/speakers/olumide-akpata/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL).<ref>{{Cite news|last=Onyekwere|first=Joseph|date=20 June 2017|title=We will raise standard of commercial law practice, says Akpata|url=https://guardian.ng/features/law/we-will-raise-standard-of-commercial-law-practice-says-akpata/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=31 July 2020|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>

On 30 July 2020, he was elected as the president of the Nigerian Bar Association after winning the election against Babatunde Ajibade and Dele Adesina.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Inyang|first=Ifreke|date=31 July 2020|title=NBA elections: Olumide Akpata defeats two SANs to emerge president|url=https://dailypost.ng/2020/07/31/nba-elections-olumide-akpata-defeats-two-sans-to-emerge-president/|location=Lagos, Nigeria|access-date=31 July 2020|newspaper=Daily Post|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Akpata wins NBA election|url=https://punchng.com/akpata-wins-nba-election/|access-date=31 July 2020|newspaper=The Punch|date=31 July 2020 |language=en-US}}</ref>

He was the Labour Party's governorship candidate in the Edo 2024 election. <ref>{{Cite news|last=Ukpong|first=Clestus|date=|title=Ex-NBA president Akpata joins Labour Party, says he's tired of complaining about Nigeria|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/613424-ex-nba-president-akpata-joins-labour-party-says-hes-tired-of-complaining-about-nigeria.html|newspaper=Premium Times}}</ref>

== See also == * List of Nigerian jurists

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akpata, Olumide}} Category:1972 births Category:People from Edo State Category:Living people Category:Nigerian jurists Category:University of Benin (Nigeria) alumni Category:King's College, Lagos alumni