Oghogho Akpata, a man who built law firm that produces six SANs, yet he is not one himself 

Oghogho Akpata, a man who built law firm that produces six SANs, yet he is not one himself

Pelumi Olukoya

In a profession where titles often command respect and recognition, the story of Oghogho Akpata, Founder and Managing Partner of TEMPLARS, one of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms, offers a refreshing lesson in leadership, humility and the true meaning of success.

Akpata has built a law firm that has produced six Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), one of the most prestigious distinctions in the Nigerian legal profession. Yet, remarkably, he has not himself attained the rank.

It is a story that raises an interesting question: what does it mean to succeed in a profession where personal recognition is often celebrated, but the achievements of those one mentors can be just as significant?

According to a commentary by Michael Ugah, obtained by News Contact Online, on a Facebook page, Akpata established TEMPLARS in Lagos in 1995 after gaining experience at the law firm of F.O. Akinrele & Co. What began as a modest practice with just four lawyers has grown into a major commercial law firm with a substantial team of legal practitioners and offices in Nigeria and Ghana.

A year after its establishment, his cousin, Olumide Akpata, joined the firm following his relocation from Warri, where he had worked under the renowned lawyer, Dr Mudiaga Odje, SAN.

Over the years, TEMPLARS has become a platform through which lawyers have developed their expertise, built successful careers and earned recognition within the legal profession.

Among those identified as SANs associated with the firm are Adewale Atake, Godwin Omoaka, Inam Wilson, Olufemi Oyewole, Igonikon Adekunle and Sadiq Ilegieuno. Adekunle and Ilegieuno were reportedly elevated to the Inner Bar in 2026.

For Akpata, their achievements represent a remarkable aspect of the legacy of the institution he established more than three decades ago. While the six lawyers have earned the prestigious silk, the man who founded the firm that helped shape their professional journeys has not acquired the same title.

And therein lies the human story.

In a society where professional titles can become powerful symbols of status, it is easy to measure success by the letters that follow a person’s name.

For many lawyers, becoming a SAN represents years of hard work, professional excellence and the fulfilment of a significant career ambition.

But Akpata’s story invites a broader understanding of achievement. Must the founder of an institution necessarily possess every distinction attained by those who work within it for his leadership to be considered successful?.Perhaps not.

There is something admirable about building an environment where other people can excel, even when their achievements surpass one’s own in particular areas.

It requires the ability to recognise talent, create opportunities and allow others to earn their own place in the professional hall of fame.

A leader’s greatness is not diminished because members of his team attain distinctions he has not. Rather, the success of those around him can become part of the enduring value of the institution he has built.

This does not diminish the importance of the SAN rank or suggest that Akpata’s professional standing should be judged against that of the lawyers who have attained it.

The distinction is a significant achievement in its own right. His story simply illustrates that there are different paths to professional influence and accomplishment.

Another interesting dimension is the career of Olumide Akpata, who joined TEMPLARS in 1996 and later became President of the Nigerian Bar Association in 2020. He won the election despite not being a SAN, defeating two candidates who held the prestigious title.

Together, these stories challenge the assumption that professional leadership must always be accompanied by the highest individual distinction available in a field.

Akpata may not have SAN after his name, but he has established an institution in which lawyers have risen to attain the rank.

Beyond the six SANs, the firm’s growth has provided a platform for numerous legal practitioners to develop their careers.

The deeper lesson is that success can be measured in more ways than personal accolades. It can also be found in the people one mentors, the opportunities one creates and the institutions one builds to outlast individual achievements.

Ultimately, the story of Oghogho Akpata is a reminder that you do not have to wear every crown yourself to take pride in the people who wear them.

He built the platform. Six lawyers associated with his firm attained the silk. And although he has not earned the title himself, the professional achievements of those who have emerged from the institution he founded form a compelling part of its story.

Sometimes, a person’s legacy is not only what he becomes, but what he makes possible for others.