By Bisi Bamishe
The Management of Realnews Magazine and Publications Limited, publishers of Realnews Magazine Online, has announced that Honourable Justice Ayotunde Phillips will chair the Realnews 13th Anniversary Lecture. Justice Phillips, former chief judge of Lagos State, also chaired the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).
The lecture on “Cybersecurity, Illicit Financial Flows and Achieving Agenda 2063 in Africa” will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Isaac John, Ikeja, GRA, Lagos, on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
Honourable Justice Phillips’ acceptance to Chair the lecture was communicated to Realnews in her message on September 22, 2025, stating: “It is my honour to chair such a distinguished event.”
Her Ladyship, who will also moderate the panel session at the lecture, has held several judicial positions during her career on the Bench, such as Chairman Panel of Inquiry into the sale of the Lagos State Government Shares in Eko Hotels Ltd, 1999; Member Advisory Committee of the Nigeria Rule of Law Assistance Project hosted by the National Centre for State Courts, Washington DC and USAID, June 2000-2004; Member Election Petitions Tribunal, Rivers State, Sept 2000-April 2001; Member Election Petitions Tribunal, Adamawa State, November 2001 – March 2002; Probate Judge 2001-2004; Admin Judge, Ikeja Judicial Division March 2009-April 2010; Chairman Welfare Committee High Court of Lagos State 2004-2009; Head Judge, High Court of Lagos State April 2010 to 10th June 2012; Chairman Lagos Settlement Week, Sept 2010 to 10th June 2012.
On the 14th June 2012, she was sworn in as the 14th Chief Judge and the 4th female Chief Judge of Lagos State. Her Ladyship retired from the High Court Bench on 26th July 2014 on attainment of the statutory retirement age of 65 years. She served the Lagos State Government for 38 years, out of which 20 years were spent on the High Court Bench.
Apart from her love for the law, she enjoys singing, reading, cooking, listening to good music, dancing, watching movies, and travelling. She also has a passion for gadgets and loves exploring the beauty of modern-day technology.
Justice Phillips is a member of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and, International Association of Women Lawyers. (FIDA), International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ), Nigerian Association of Women Judges (NAWJN), World Jurist Association (WJA), Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association (CMJA). She is currently the Deputy Chancellor of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) Diocese of Lagos West, Ikeja, Lagos State.
She is also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Arbitrators, Regional Chair of the Nigerian Conflict and Management Group, Member Board of Trustees, Association of Multi-Door Courthouses of Nigeria, and Member of the Board of Directors of Lagos Court of Arbitration. On the 29th June 2016, she was sworn in as the Chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), whose tenure expired on the 29th December 2021. In May 2017, she was elected as a member of the FIFA Ethics Committee (ADJUDICTORY CHAMBER) and has now been re-elected for a third 4-year term as a member of that chamber.
Justice Phillips (Nee: Williams) was born on July 26, 1949, in London, England, United Kingdom, to Justice James Oladipo Williams and Henrietta Aina Williams, both now of blessed memory. Her late Father was a High Court Judge, which makes her a second-generation judge.
Realnews, a general interest magazine, is an online publication that thrives on investigative journalism. We have expertise in reporting on the oil and gas sector with its attendant environmental challenges. We aim to unearth exclusive stories about real people and the challenges they face in their day-to-day activities. We do this bearing in mind that the government can only act to influence the lives of people positively if they are aware of their true situation. Hence, our objective is to use our investigative skills to ferret out information in the sectors we focus on and produce an unbiased report that will influence the government and decision-makers to take actions that will make society better.
Realnews is populated by seasoned journalists who believe strongly in the tenets and ethics of the profession. The online publication believes that journalism as the fourth Estate of the Realm, can contribute its quota towards building a fair and just society where fundamental human rights are respected and citizens have the freedom to pursue their interests anywhere in the world without hindrance. Its editors have a combined experience of several decades in active journalism practice and are highly dedicated to serving humanity. Hence its motto: “For God and Humanity.”
Realnews Anniversary Lecture Series was established to commemorate the best minds in our society and to tap from them to enrich the discourse in our national development. The 12th Anniversary Lecture of Realnews was delivered by His Excellency, Ambassador Professor Ibrahim Gambari, former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari. The 11th Anniversary Lecture in 2023 on The Threats of Illicit Funds Flow to the African Economy was delivered by Dr. Edwin W. Harris Jr., Director-General, ECOWAS Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA). The 10th Anniversary lecture in 2022 on “Drug Abuse among Youths in Africa: Implication for Nigerian Economy and 2023 Elections” was delivered by Brig General Buba Marwa, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA; the 9th Anniversary Lecture of Realnews in 2021 was delivered by Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board on “Nigeria in the Unfolding Integration of the African Market: The Oil and Gas Perspective”; 2020 Eighth Anniversary Lecture of Realnews was delivered by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 on Managing COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: The Nigeria Experience; Former President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana gave the 2019 Lecture on Beyond Politics: An Economic Narrative for West Africa while Prof. Mahmood Yakubu spoke on Political Transitions and Africa’s Economic Development: Preparations for Nigeria’s 2019 General Elections at the 2018 Lecture. The 2017 Fifth Anniversary Lecture on African Leadership in a Turbulent Era was delivered by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education and former World Bank Vice President. The 2016 Fourth Anniversary Lecture on Security and National Development in Plural Democratic Society was delivered by Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative to West Africa and Sahel; the 2015 Realnews Third Anniversary Lecture was delivered by Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on November 19, 2015, under the theme: It’s The Nigerian Economy, Stupid? The Second Realnews Anniversary Lecture on Nigerian Democracy: Getting it Right in 2014 was delivered by Professor Maurice Iwu, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Signed:
Maureen Chigbo
