One burial that will certainly remain
indelible in the minds of the people of Isara in Ogun State, is that of
Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, writes Davidson Iriekpen
The sleepy town of Isara in Ogun State,
came alive last Thursday when its most illustrious son, Olaniwun Ajayi,
was laid to rest.
The influx of personalities into the town was
unprecedented. Literally, everywhere stood still throughout the day.
From all the six roads entering the town were sirens blearing to
announce the presence of one personality or the other. From every part
of the country, they all came to bid farewell to a great man who had at
one time or the other, had an encounter with them.'
The roll call was endless. Vice President
Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, his Lagos State
counterpart, Akinwunmi Ambode, wife of Oyo State Governor, Mrs. Abiola
Ajimobi, Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo State
governor-elect, Rotimi Akeredolu, and foremost industrialist, Chief
Aliko Dangote, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Emir
of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, Managing Director of Guaranty Bank,
Segun Agbaje.
Others who graced the funeral were
Afenifere leaders including Pa Reuben Fasoranti, Mrs. Bola Obasanjo,
former Governor Gbenga Daniel, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Olusegun Osoba,
Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Olusegun
Oni, Chief Justice of Ogun State, Justice Olatokunbo Olapade, her Lagos
State counterpart, Justice Funmi Atilade, Deputy Governor of Ogun State,
Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, national and state lawmakers, traditional rulers,
captains of industry and lawyers.
The former President of Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Prelate Emeritus of the Methodist
Church, Dr. Sunday Mbang, in his sermon at the Methodist Church in the
town, described late Olaniwun Ajayi as the humblest man he had met,
saying despite having “all the trappings of power and wealth, Ajayi
remained a humble man and a true soldier of the Lord.” He advised
wealthy people to learn to be humble so that even in death, they would
be remembered and spoken well of.
Osinbajo in his tribute, hailed the
deceased, saying his “life was all about service to Yoruba people and
Nigeria.” He said late Ajayi was a great author, devoting the last 10
years writing books, saying he also set up a flourishing law firm “with
the best practice in the continent of Africa.”
On his part, Amosun said Ajayi lived his
life in the service of mankind, saying ”we are one of Baba’s children,
today is not for long speech, Baba Ajayi lived a life of service to man
and service to man is what owe to God.”
From the pallbearers to the hearse,
everything was immaculately arranged and conducted in such a way as
befitting of a king. Even the casket was carefully chosen for Ajayi’s
status.
Ajayi, a chieftain of Afenifere, the
pan-Yoruba socio-political group, died on November 4, 2016 at the age
91. Of all the surviving Afenifere chieftains, Ajayi was the oldest and a
strong pillar of the organisation. He was a staunch disciple of the
late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and was known for his uncompromising
principles on all issues private and public and lived a life dedicated
to the upliftment of the common people.
Before his remains left Lagos for Ogun
State, he was severally honoured in Lagos where his law firm, Olaniwun
Ajayi LP rate one of the best, is domicile. At a session which was
presided over by Justice Opeyemi Oke, representing the Chief Judge of
Lagos State, had in attendance over 30 Senior Advocates of Nigeria and
more than 15 judges of the Lagos High Court, including Justice Taiwo
Taiwo of the Federal High Court.
The Attorneys-General of Lagos and Ogun
States, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, representing the Body of Senior
Advocates of Nigeria, NBA Lagos and Ikorodu branch chairmen all showered
encomiums on the late legal titan, whose law firm has produced two
senior advocates of Nigeria and a judge of the Federal High Court.
Sir Ajayi KJW (Knight of John Wesley), a
Barrister of the Inns of Court of England, a Barrister, Solicitor and
Notary Public of the Supreme Court of Nigeria was born on April 8, l925
in Isara. He completed his education at Wesley College Ibadan in 1949
and thereafter taught at the Wesley School Oko, Sagamu between 1950-1952
and became the Headmaster of the Junior Primary of the school in 1953,
where he served for two years. In July 1957, he left for the United
Kingdom to further his studies and was admitted to the City of London
College, Moorgate, London (now known as City University) where, he
studied to qualify as a Chartered Secretary and became a Fellow of the
Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators.
Ajayi gained admission into the London
School of Economics and Political Science, University of London in 1959
where he obtained a degree qualification in Law, working his way through
school. During that period, he enrolled at the Council of Legal
Education; Lincoln’s Inn, in 1959 and was called to the English Bar in
July 1962. He was enrolled as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme
Court of Nigeria on November 2, 1962, the same day he began his
outstanding legal career by joining the defence team in the treasonable
felony trial of Awolowo.
On November 2, 1962, Sir Ajayi founded
the law firm, ‘Olaniwun Ajayi,’ as a sole practitionership, which from
the onset, was an international legal practice. Sir Olaniwun Ajayi was
always impeccably dressed as a lawyer should. He was always distinct,
always immaculately clean. A gentleman, Sir Ajayi was an embodiment of
everything noble about the legal profession.
His law firm provided services in legal
advisory, arbitration and receivership. He handled two of the earliest
cases on receivership in Nigeria – Intercontractors Nigeria Ltd v.
National Provident Fund Management Board and Intercontractors Nigeria
Ltd v. UAC of Nigeria Ltd both reported in the Nigeria Weekly Law
Reports – (1988) 2 NWLR (Pt. 76) 280 and (1988)12 NWLR (Pt. 76) 303,
respectively. Prior to that, the subject had only been dealt with by the
Supreme Court in one case.
He was particular about the quality of
work which emanated from the firm; he never condoned tardiness from any
of his lawyers. A stickler for time, he was never late, and every file
on which Sir Ajayi worked on was up to date. From the onset, he invested
in the latest technology to aid his practice. He was one of the first
lawyers in that clime to use a computer.
He retired from active practice about 20
years ago, handing over the reins of his legal practice to Professor
Konyinsola Ajayi, SAN, under whose leadership, the firm evolved into a
limited partnership, Olaniwun Ajayi LP.
To God’s glory and his joy, Sir Ajayi witnessed in his lifetime the birth of two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, from his Firm; Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi SAN and Mr. Oluseye Opasanya SAN.
The fact that the firm which he founded
about 53 years ago is notable among the leading law firms in Nigeria;
well-managed, internationally competitive, with specialised practice
areas, is a testament to the foundation the Lord laid using Sir Ajayi.
This foundation has grown the firm from a sole practitionership to one
of the largest and open partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa and over the
last five decades, (now) Olaniwun Ajayi LP has established a sterling
go-to reputation particularly in the areas of commercial litigation,
banking, finance and capital markets work and in advising government at
both federal and state levels.
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