Babatunji
Olowofoyeku
Early years, 1917–1932
Olowofoyeku grew up as the last born
of a traditional extended family in Ilesha. His father had died a few months just before he was
born. He had a powerful drive to succeed in spite of daunting challenges of
growing up under the old British Colonial System with all its artificial
barriers. It was not an easy task, but with a good education obtained through
determination and hard work combined with honesty and integrity, he discovered
that there are no actual barriers created by men that could not be overcome.
Chief
Olowofoyeku's early life was an unusual journey of high academic achievements
even without a father figure. His remarkable successes were attributed to the
presence of a nurturing mother who raised him well, alone by herself from
infancy with his three-year older sister. His mother, though uneducated was
quick to realise the value of a good education, therefore she encouraged her
only son to excel in school. She enrolled him at the early age of 5 at Otapete
Methodist School (1922) and it was there that he got baptised in the Methodist Church in 1924 and assumed the Christian name
"Daniel".
It
was in school at Otapete Methodist that Olowofoyeku first met a new classmate, Tai Solarin, then known as Augustus Solarin. That was
the beginning of a lifelong friendship that later brought them together again
as colleagues at St. Andrew's College, Oyo (1936–1942). Solarin admitted that
he was radically changed by Olowofoyeku's final essay in which he made the
observation that some of the colonialists were ignorant, and not well-prepared for the
duties they were assigned, and therefore had no business running the lives of
Nigerians. For this essay, he was punished for his audacity in challenging the
status quo, and was suspended from college in his final academic year. He
however sat for and passed the final teacher's examination as an external
student a year later.
He
would later drop the middle name "Daniel" as protest against his
perceived oppression by the colonial
authorities.
Educational career, 1932–1949
Olowofoyeku
chose to become a teacher because of the general belief that teaching was a
most rewarding career among the educated elitists of the time. In 1932, he accepted a starting
position as a pupil teacher at Otapete Methodist School, his alma mater, and
subsequently had a brilliant four-year career.
To
further his education and become a professional teacher, he in 1935 applied for
admission and was accepted at St. Andrew's College, Oyo, for the freshman class of 1936, to train and earn a teaching
certificate. With a burning desire for an education and zeal to succeed and not
disappoint his family, he attended St. Andrew's College from 1936 until October
1942.
Olowofoyeku
then taught at Oduduwa College from October 1942 until 1943, a considerably
short stint. The students he trained included Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) who later became the Attorney General of Nigeria during the second republic.
Methodist
Boys High School, Lagos, was Olowofoyeku's next career opportunity. From 1943
until January 1947, he was the Latin teacher, and notable among his students were the likes of
Professor Olu Odumosu and Chief Adeola Odeku, who later became a very prominent
Nigerian lawyer.
His
first appointment as Principal was at Western Boys High
School, Benin, from January 1947 until December 1948. It was during this tenure
in 1948 that he took and passed the External
Intermediate BA
degree of the University of London by studying through a correspondence course.
He
then moved to Ijebu-Ode to take up an appointment
as the 3rd Principal of Olu-Iwa College (which changed its name to Adeola Odutola College[1][2] in 1964) serving from January 1949 until
December 1949.
Early legal career, 1948–1963
In
the defence of a lawsuit initiated against him in 1948, he found
himself actually researching and providing detailed instructions to his defence
attorney (lawyer) to fight the case in court. When the case was finally decided
in his favour, he was so excited about the outcome that he decided to change
career and enter the legal profession. He therefore applied and gained admission
into the famous London School of
Economics
(LSE) to study law. He departed from the shores of Nigeria in December 1949 on
board an ocean liner sailing along the westbound coast of Africa to the UK. He
took and passed the LLB (Bachelor of Laws) in June 1952. He passed the English Bar exams, and almost immediately was invited to
the Bar association (Inner Temple). He was in fact the first Ijesha man called to the English Bar.[3]
Returning
to Nigeria just before Christmas in 1952, he established his first law practice
in Ekotedo Road, an old historic business entertainment district in Ibadan, the then-largest city in West Africa.
His
legal practice was most distinguished by the high calibre lawyers who were
associated with and started with his law firm. The long list included Chief Olu
Ayoola, Chief 'Tunji Ogunbiyi, Chief Bamidele Aiku (SAN), Mr. Justice Kayode Eso,
a most notable judge of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, as well as his own nephew,
Justice Abayomi Olowofoyeku.
Political career, 1952–1966
Chief
Babatunji Olowofoyeku had arrived on the scene of nationalistic political
activism by Nigerians in London during his student days. Having had a first
hand experience with the social injustices and powerlessness associated with
his prejudicial treatment as a student at
St. Andrew's College, he was determined to find the right political platform to
fight against the system that created it. Urged by the nationalistic teachings
of Herbert Macaulay, he became acquainted with
Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, leader of the NCNC, through Chief Odeleye
Fadahunsi, another Ijesha elder visiting London.
Chief
Babatunji Olowofoyeku started his active political career after he returned to
Nigeria in 1952. He joined the NCNC and became an executive
member of NCNC under Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1954. He was elected as chairman of Ilesha Urban District Council (IUDC) in 1956, and in the same
year won his election to the Western House of Assembly by a landslide majority
even without mounting a serious campaign.
During
this tenure, he sought to modernise Ilesha to the standards he had witnessed in
London City Council (now London County Council) during his studies
abroad. And his notable accomplishments in Ilesha included installation of
pipe-borne water, electricity, market development, town planning, road constructions, sanitation and council staff welfare.
He
was a member of the NCNC delegates' team to the Nigerian Constitutional Conferences
in London of 1957 and 1958, the objectives of which were to seek Nigeria's
Independence from Britain. He was also elected into the Western House of
Assembly in 1956 on the platform of the NCNC representing Ilesha Central Constituency. Olowofoyeku was a member of the
NCNC Committee on Africa and Foreign Affairs. He also headed the NCNC Legal
Defence Committee comprising Chief Richard Akinjide, Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, Kehinde Sofola,
Tunji Ogunbiyi and others.
Olowofoyeku
was a distinguished opposition House member even though not a member of Action Group (Nigeria) (AG), the ruling party of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Chief Awolowo's favourable assessment of
the political abilities of Olowofoyeku was that: "He [Olowofoyeku] had
a good sense of justice and belief in democracy".[4][5]
Crisis in Western Nigeria, 1959–1966
Before
the 1959 General Elections into Federal Parliament
that preceded the declaration of Nigeria's independence from Britain in 1960,
Chief Obafemi Awolowo the national leader of the Action Group (AG) had vacated
his post as Premier of the West to seek the elective office of Prime Minister
at the Federal House of Assembly. Unfortunately, he did not win a majority of
the votes needed and so he became the leader of Opposition at the Federal
level. Because of a feud which had developed between him and his Party Deputy,
Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola,[6] now Premier of the Western Region, Chief
Awolowo attempted to expel Akintola from the party and remove him from office
as Premier of the West, intending to replace him with Alhaji Soroye Adegbenro.
During
a subsequent debate in the Western House of Assembly on 25 May 1962, a
free-for-all fight broke out among the legislators. The entire NCNC legislators present were
active participants, backing Akintola's breakaway faction.[7] This was of major national importance and
consequently, the Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa intervened declaring a
"State of Emergency" in the Western Region for 6 months. He appointed
Chief Majekodunmi as Administrator.
At
the expiration of the 6-month "State of Emergency", Akintola's
faction with tacit support from the Sardauna of Sokoto and the NPC in the North
now united under the assumed name, the United Peoples Party (UPP) and forged an
alliance with the NCNC legislators to form a new Government for Western
Nigeria.
Chief
Akintola returned on 1 January 1963 as the new Premier of the West and
Fani-Kayode as his deputy. Chief Olowofoyeku was first appointed Minister of Education[8] replacing Dr Sanya Onabamiro. Tom Egbe, a
Mid- Westerner was appointed Attorney General largely due to the strong support
from the Federal Finance Minister, Chief Festus Okotie-Ebo. However, after the
creation of the Mid-Western State in July 1963, Egbe became Attorney General
for the new Mid-West state and Chief Olowofoyeku was installed the Attorney
General and Minister of Justice of the Western Region from
26 September 1963. Chief Olowofoyeku was also at the same time appointed a Queen's Counsel (QC) by the British Government, as recognition of his
official legal duties to the Commonwealth.
Because
of constant internal political strife within the NCNC and because of great
under-representation of the West in the character and composition of the
federal cabinet, Olowofoyeku and other Western Nigeria NCNC members in the
legislature decided to align themselves with Akintola into the newly formed Nigerian
National Democratic Party (NNDP) in 1964. Olowofoyeku's constituents in Ilesha were
angry and viewed this move suspiciously and most unfavorably. Consequently, his
previously staunch support among them quickly vanished. The NCNC and AG now
formed a new national alliance, UPGA (United Progressive Grand Alliance)
against the ruling NPC/NNDP alliance.[9] When election time came around December
1965,[10] it was payback time. It was chaos and pandemonium
all over the country, particularly in the West and most especially in Ilesha.
Olowofoyeku escaped an assassin's bullet by a few inches during a campaign
rally near Ilesha.[11]
At
the end, the ruling parties were declared winners of an election that most
observers saw as rigged in favour of the incumbent. This election was indeed
the beginning of violent electioneering in the annals of Nigerian history. There were wanton killings and
arson was rampant. It became hazardous to walk the streets in broad daylight.
This was a perfect setting for the 15 January 1966 coup that imposed martial law and thereby restored public order.
1966 military coup
In
the aftermath of the December 1965 elections, there was a bloody military coup on 15 January 1966, establishing a National
Military Government. This coup that toppled the first democratically elected Federal Government of Sir Tafawa Balewa also ended the political careers of most of
the politicians of the first republic. The Prime Minister was assassinated with
his Finance Minister, Chief Okotie-Ebo. Also assassinated were the Premier of
the North, the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and the Premier of the West, Chief S.L.
Akintola.
After
this coup that assassinated the Premier of the Western Region, Chief S. L.
Akintola, the Military Government then went after all the surviving political
leaders including Chief Olowofoyeku and Chief Fani-Kayode. Other politicians
were arrested and detained. Chief Olowofoyeku was arrested and taken into
custody by the Military Government on 30 January 1966 and detained for six
months. He was first detained at Agodi in Ibadan and later transferred to KiriKiri in Lagos. He was allowed very limited family
visitation rights throughout his political incarceration at KiriKiri.
Chief
Olowofoyeku was released after the second counter coup on 29 July 1966 that was
carried out by soldiers of Northern Nigerian extraction who replaced the old
military regime of Major-General Aguiyi-Ironsi. This Coup D'état was led by a northerner,
Col. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma who plotted the counter coup on behalf of
Northern Nigerian soldiers that installed Lt Col. Yakubu Gowon, (a young,
intelligent 32-year-old officer) as the second Military Head of State to power in 1966. This second coup finally
led to the Nigeria-Biafran Civil War of 1966–1970. Over 1 million civilians,
mostly of Ibo extraction died in the fratricidal duel motivated more by greed,
reprisals and revenge against Igbo soldiers. After being set free to go home,
and having learnt a hard lesson from his experience, Chief Olowofoyeku vowed
never to get involved in partisan politics again.
By
the time the Nigerian Civil War broke out on 6 July 1967
over the secession of the South-eastern
Region of Nigeria desiring to become Biafra, as a separate nation, Olowofoyeku was no longer
involved in politics, and was in fact temporarily out of the country. Within
weeks of his release in July 1966, he had left Nigeria and departed for Paris,
France, to seek rest and refuge.
Later legal career, 1967–2003
On
his return to Nigeria late in 1967, Olowofoyeku moved to Lagos and re-opened his law practice
in Western House on the highly commercial Broad Street near the Lagos High Court.
He continued to practice law for many years, during which time he was one of
the first 20 to be appointed as a Senior Advocate
of Nigeria
(the equivalent of the Queen's Counsel in the UK).[12] He was one of the first 20 to be so
appointed in the country.
Despite
being approached by Chief Obafemi Awolowo in 1979 to come and join his new Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Olowofoyeku
declined and retained his historic decision to avoid politics at all cost.
With
the passage of time and as the years drew on, his strength began to wane and so
he relocated his legal practice to his home in Victoria Island, Lagos. In the twilight of
his life, although disabled by a stroke that robbed him of speech and his
physical strength in his right extremities, his keen mind was always active as
ever.
Family
Chief
Olowofoyeku was married, and had 17 children (13 sons and 4 daughters) most of
whom are all self-made professionals in their own right. He has many
grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
Children
- Segun Olowofoyeku. Medical Doctor, USA
- Akin Olowofoyeku. Professor, USA
- Moji Olowofoyeku (d.) RIP
- Folu Olowofoyeku. Civil/ Structural Engineer, USA
- Toby Olowofoyeku. Music Producer, musician, USA
- Dapo Olowofoyeku. Actor, Nigeria
- Jumoke Olowofoyeku (d.) RIP
- Chief Supo Olowofoyeku. IT Consultant, businessman, UK
- Olumide Olowofoyeku (d.) Lawyer. RIP
- Kole Olowofoyeku. Businessman, IT Developer, Pastor, Nigeria
- Ayo Olowofoyeku. Politician, Architect, businessman, Nigeria
- Bimbo Olowofoyeku. Professor of Law, Software Developer, Pastor, UK
- Funmi Olowofoyeku. French Teacher, République du Bénin
- Femi Olowofoyeku. Lecturer, Teacher, Church Leader, UK
- Folarin Olowofoyeku. Architect, Nigeria
- Bolaji Olowofoyeku. Lawyer, Nigeria
- Folake Olowofoyeku. Musician, actress, model, USA
Final days, 2003
On
26 March 2003 at the age of 85, Chief Babatunji Olowofoyeku died. His funeral
which lasted several days was held partly in the High Court in Lagos (a special
honour for his legal career), at his main residence in Victoria Island and at
his two homes in Ilesha.
His
life story, educational, legal and political career are detailed in his
autobiography: Lynn Olisa, A Great Advocate and Gentleman: Chief Babatunji
Olowofoyeku, Lagos, Nigeria, Nelson Publishers Ltd, 1997[13]
References
· "The Biography of T Adeola Odutola" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2006.
Retrieved 20 November 2015.
· · Lynn Olisa, A Great Advocate and Gentleman:
Chief Babatunji Olowofoyeku, Lagos, Nigeria, Nelson Publishers Ltd, 1997
· · Chief Samuel Akintola, 23 August 2008
· "Strategies for Curbing Electoral Malpractices and Violence in
Nigeria". Archived from the original on 16 October 2007.
Retrieved 23 August 2008.
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