Profile of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, new INEC Chairman

Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, a respected legal scholar, academic leader, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was born on April 25, 1967, in Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, North-Central Nigeria. Over the past three decades, he has built a distinguished career in law, academia, and public service, earning national and international recognition for his integrity, scholarship, and leadership.

He began his early education in Kogi State, where he completed his primary and secondary schooling before proceeding to the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin (1982–1984).

He later gained admission into the University of Jos, Plateau State, where he obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1987.

He attended the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Bar in 1988, officially becoming a legal practitioner.

Driven by a passion for academic excellence, Amupitan returned to the University of Jos to earn his Master of Laws (LLM) in 1993 and subsequently completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law in 2007.

His academic career began in 1989 after completing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program at the Bauchi State Publishing Corporation, where he served between 1988 and 1989.

At the University of Jos, Professor Amupitan rose through the ranks, contributing immensely to legal education and university administration.

He served as Head of the Department of Public Law (2006–2008), Dean of the Faculty of Law (2008–2014), and Chairman of the Committee of Deans and Directors (2012–2014). He is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the university.

Beyond his work at UNIJOS, he also serves as **Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council** of **Joseph Ayo Babalola University**, Osun State — a testament to his leadership and dedication to education in Nigeria.

Professor Amupitan’s legal expertise spans Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.

His extensive contributions to legal scholarship earned him the prestigious title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014, one of the highest honours in the Nigerian legal profession.

In addition to his academic and legal career, Amupitan has played key roles in several national and corporate bodies.

He has served as a member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, a member of the Council of Legal Education (2008–2014), and as a board member of Integrated Dairies Limited, Vom and Riss Oil Limited, Abuja (1996–2004).

A prolific author, he has published several influential law books and academic works, including Corporate Governance: Models and Principles (2008), Documentary Evidence in Nigeria (2008), Evidence Law: Theory and Practice in Nigeria (2013), Principles of Company Law (2013), and An Introduction to the Law of Trust in Nigeria (2014).

Known for his integrity, humility, and apolitical stance, Professor Amupitan has been widely commended for his professional ethics and leadership qualities. His contributions to academia and governance reflect his lifelong commitment to justice, education, and national development.

Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan is married and blessed with four children.