Babatunji Olowofoyeku (21 May 1917 – 26 March 2003),
OFR,
SAN, was a
Nigerian
Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
politician, educationist, lawyer and leader, a
Yoruba
The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...
and native of
Ilesha
Ilesa () is an ancient town located in the Osun State, southwest Nigeria; it is also the name of a historic kingdom (also known as Ijesha) centred on that village. The state is ruled by a monarch bearing the title of the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ij ...
in
Osun State
Osun State (; yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Ọ̀ṣun), occasionally known as the State of Osun by the state government, is a state in southwestern Nigeria; bounded to the east by Ekiti and Ondo states, to the north by Kwara State, to the south by Og ...
of
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
, whose political career started in the mid-1950s.
Early life and education
Olowofoyeku was born in May 1917, and he grew up as the last born of a traditional extended family in
Ilesha
Ilesa () is an ancient town located in the Osun State, southwest Nigeria; it is also the name of a historic kingdom (also known as Ijesha) centred on that village. The state is ruled by a monarch bearing the title of the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ij ...
, a town in the west-south-west of what had previously been
Northern Nigeria
Northern Nigeria was an autonomous division within Nigeria, distinctly different from the southern part of the country, with independent customs, foreign relations and security structures. In 1962 it acquired the territory of the British Nort ...
, a
protectorate
A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over most of its int ...
within the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
.
Ilesha
Ilesa () is an ancient town located in the Osun State, southwest Nigeria; it is also the name of a historic kingdom (also known as Ijesha) centred on that village. The state is ruled by a monarch bearing the title of the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ij ...
had previously been right on the border with
Southern Nigeria, and was near the border with
French-ruled
Dahomey. In 1914, both British protectorates, together with the
Colony of Lagos, were amalgamated as the
Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. British influence in the region began with the prohibition of slave trade to British subjects in 1807. Britain a ...
. Olowofoyeku was born about three years after this new colonial entity had been created by the British. His father died a few months before he was born. His mother enrolled him at the age of 5 at Otapete Methodist School and he was
baptised
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
there in the
Methodist Church in 1924 and assumed the Christian name "
Daniel".
In school at Otapete Methodist, Olowofoyeku met classmate,
Tai Solarin, then known as Augustus Solarin who became a lifelong friend. They both attended St. Andrew's College, Oyo, from 1936 until 1942. Solarin later said that he was radically changed by Olowofoyeku's final essay in which he made the observation that some of the
colonialists
Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their relig ...
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 challenging the status quo, and suspended from college in his final academic year. However, he sat for and passed the final teacher's examination as an external student a year later. He later dropped the middle name "Daniel" as protest against his perceived
oppression
Oppression is malicious or unjust treatment or exercise of power, often under the guise of governmental authority or cultural opprobrium. Oppression may be overt or covert, depending on how it is practiced. Oppression refers to discrimination ...
by the colonial authorities.
In 1932, Olowofoyeku accepted a starting position as a pupil teacher at Otapete Methodist School, before beginning his teacher training at St. Andrew's College.
Teaching career
Olowofoyeku taught at Oduduwa College from October 1942 until 1943. His students included
Richard Akinjide, later
Attorney General of
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
. From 1943 until January 1947, he was the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
teacher at Methodist Boys High School,
Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...
. His first appointment as
Principal was at Western Boys High School,
Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the nort ...
, from January 1947 until December 1948. During this tenure in 1948, he took and passed the
External Intermediate BA degree of the
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
by studying through a
correspondence course
Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at a school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance. Traditionally, this usually in ...
.
Olowofoyeku moved to
Ijebu-Ode
Ijebu-Ode is a town in Ogun State, South Western geopolitical zone in Nigeria, close to the A121 highway. The city is located 110 km by road north-east of Lagos; it is within of the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern part of Ogun State and p ...
to take up an appointment as the 3rd Principal of Olu-Iwa College (which changed its name to
Adeola Odutola
Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola (16 June 1902 – 13 April 1995), OBE, CFR, CON, was a prominent Nigerian businessman from Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. He was one of the pioneers of modern Nigerian indigenous entrepreneurship and the first president o ...
College in 1964), serving from January 1949 until December 1949.
Legal career
In
defence
Defense or defence may refer to:
Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups
* Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare
* Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks
* Defense indus ...
of a
lawsuit initiated against him in 1948, Olowofoyeku researched and provided instructions to his defence attorney in court. When the case was decided in his favour, he decided to change career and enter the
legal profession
Legal profession is a profession in which legal professionals study, develop and apply law. Usually, there is a requirement for someone choosing a career in law to first obtain a law degree or some other form of legal education.
It is difficult to ...
, and gained admission into the
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a public university, public research university located in London, England and a constituent college of the federal University of London. Founded in 1895 by Fabian Society members Sidn ...
(LSE) to study law. He left
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
in December 1949 and passed the
LLB
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...
(
Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Ch ...
) in June 1952. He passed the
English Bar
Barristers in England and Wales are one of the two main categories of lawyer in England and Wales, the other being solicitors. Barristers have traditionally had the role of handling cases for representation in court, both defence and prosecutio ...
exams, and was invited to the
Bar association (
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and ...
) as a
barrister-at-law
A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and g ...
. He was the first
Ijesha
The Ijesha (written as Ìjẹ̀ṣà in Yoruba orthography) are a sub- ethnicity of the Yorubas of West Africa. Ilesha is the largest town and historic cultural capital of the Ijesha people, and is home to a kingdom of the same name, ruled by an ...
man called to the English Bar.
He returned to Nigeria just before Christmas in 1952.
Political career
Olowofoyeku had experienced the social injustices and powerlessness associated with his
prejudicial
Prejudice can be an affective feeling towards a person based on their perceived group membership. The word is often used to refer to a preconceived (usually unfavourable) evaluation or classification of another person based on that person's per ...
treatment as a student at St. Andrew's College, and was determined to find a political platform to fight against the system that created it. Urged by the nationalistic teachings of
Herbert Macaulay
Olayinka Herbert Samuel Heelas Badmus Macaulay (14 November 1864 – 7 May 1946) was a Nigerian nationalist, politician, surveyor, engineer, architect, journalist, and musician and is considered by many Nigerians as the founder of Niger ...
, he became acquainted with
Nnamdi Azikiwe
Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, (16 November 1904 – 11 May 1996), usually referred to as "Zik", was a Nigerian statesman and political leader who served as the first President of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966. Considered a driving force behind the ...
, leader of the
NCNC, through Chief Odeleye Fadahunsi, another Ijesha elder visiting
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
.
Olowofoyeku joined the
NCNC in 1952, and became an executive member of the NCNC under Azikiwe in 1954. The
Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. British influence in the region began with the prohibition of slave trade to British subjects in 1807. Britain a ...
was superseded in October 1954 by the
Federation of Nigeria
The Federation of Nigeria was a predecessor to modern-day Nigeria from 1954 to 1963. It was a British protectorate until its independence on 1 October 1960.
British rule of Colonial Nigeria ended in 1960, when the ''Nigeria Independence Act 1960 ...
, a federal colony which eventually gained extensive self-government within the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
. The
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
finally granted the Federation independence as a
dominion
The term ''Dominion'' is used to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire.
"Dominion status" was first accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 192 ...
within the
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the ...
on 1 October 1960.
Olowofoyeku was elected as chairman of
Ilesha
Ilesa () is an ancient town located in the Osun State, southwest Nigeria; it is also the name of a historic kingdom (also known as Ijesha) centred on that village. The state is ruled by a monarch bearing the title of the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ij ...
Urban District Council
In England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected urban district council (UDC), which shared local gove ...
(IUDC) in 1956, and in the same year won his election to the Western Region's House of Assembly. During this tenure, he sought to modernise Ilesha to the standards he had witnessed being achieved by
London County Council
London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today kno ...
during his studies in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
. His accomplishments in Ilesha included installation of pipe-borne water, electricity,
market development
Market is a term used to describe concepts such as:
*Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand
*Market economy
*Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market
Geography
* Märket, an ...
,
town planning
Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, ...
, road constructions,
sanitation
Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. Preventing human contact with feces is part of sanitation, as is hand washing with soap. Sanitation syste ...
and council staff welfare.
Olowofoyeku 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
Nigerian Independence
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...
from Britain. He was also elected into the Western House of Assembly in 1956 on the platform of the NCNC representing
Ilesha
Ilesa () is an ancient town located in the Osun State, southwest Nigeria; it is also the name of a historic kingdom (also known as Ijesha) centred on that village. The state is ruled by a monarch bearing the title of the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ij ...
Central Constituency. Olowofoyeku was a member of the NCNC Committee on Africa and Foreign Affairs. He also headed the NCNC Legal Defence Committee, which also included
Richard Akinjide, Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, Kehinde Sofola, and Tunji Ogunbiyi.
Olowofoyeku was a distinguished opposition House member even though not a member of
Action Group (Nigeria)
The Action Group (AG) was a Nigerian nationalist political party established in Ibadan on 21st March 1951, by Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The party was founded to serve as the platform for realizing his preliminary objective of mobilizing Western ...
(AG), the
ruling party
The ruling party or governing party in a democratic parliamentary or presidential system is the political party or coalition holding a majority of elected positions in a parliament, in the case of parliamentary systems, or holding the executive ...
of
Obafemi Awolowo
Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awolowo (; 6 March 1909 – 9 May 1987) was a Yoruba nationalist and Nigerian statesman who played a key role in Nigeria's independence movement (1957-1960). Awolowo founded the Yoruba nationalist group Egbe O ...
. Awolowo's assessment of the political abilities of Olowofoyeku was that: ''"He
lowofoyekuhad a good sense of justice and belief in democracy"''.
Having gained independence from the British as a
dominion
The term ''Dominion'' is used to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire.
"Dominion status" was first accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 192 ...
on 1 October 1960, the
Federation of Nigeria
The Federation of Nigeria was a predecessor to modern-day Nigeria from 1954 to 1963. It was a British protectorate until its independence on 1 October 1960.
British rule of Colonial Nigeria ended in 1960, when the ''Nigeria Independence Act 1960 ...
lasted until 1 October 1963, when it became a republic within
the Commonwealth
The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the ...
called the
Federal Republic of Nigeria. In 1963, Olowofoyeku was appointed
Minister of Education, replacing Sanya Onabamiro. However, after the
creation of the Mid-Western State in July 1963, Olowofoyeku was installed as Attorney General and
Minister of Justice
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
of the Western Region from 26 September 1963. He was also at the same time appointed a
Queen's Counsel
In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister o ...
(QC) by the
British Government, as recognition of his official legal duties to the
Commonwealth.
Due to internal political strife within the NCNC and under-representation of the West in 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
The Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) was Nigeria's first political party.
Formed in 1923 by Herbert Macaulay to take advantage of the new Clifford Constitution, which succeeded the 1914 Nigerian Council. The NNDP successfully organized ...
(NNDP) in 1964. Olowofoyeku's constituents in Ilesha were angry and viewed this move suspiciously and 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. When election time came in December 1965, it was payback time. There was chaos throughout the country, particularly in the West and especially in Ilesha. Olowofoyeku escaped an assassin's bullet by a few inches during a campaign rally near Ilesha.
In the aftermath of the December 1965 elections, there was a bloody
military coup
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
on
15 January 1966, establishing a National Military Government. 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 Kirikiri may refer to:
* Kirikiri language, a Lakes Plain language
* Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, a Nigerian maximum security prison
* Kirikiri Station
is a JR East railway station in Ōtsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.
Lines
Kirikiri St ...
in Lagos. He was allowed very limited family visitation rights throughout his political incarceration at KiriKiri.
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. After being set free, Olowofoyeku vowed never to get involved in
partisan politics
A partisan is a committed member of a political party or army. In multi-party systems, the term is used for persons who strongly support their party's policies and are reluctant to compromise with political opponents. A political partisan is no ...
again. 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
On his return to Nigeria late in 1967, Olowofoyeku moved to
Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...
and re-opened his law practice in Western House on
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 United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister o ...
in the UK).
Despite being approached by
Obafemi Awolowo
Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awolowo (; 6 March 1909 – 9 May 1987) was a Yoruba nationalist and Nigerian statesman who played a key role in Nigeria's independence movement (1957-1960). Awolowo founded the Yoruba nationalist group Egbe O ...
in 1979 to come and join his new
Unity Party of Nigeria
The Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) was a Nigerian political party that was dominant in western Nigeria during the second republic (1978-1983). The party revolved around the political leadership of Obafemi Awolowo, a sometimes polemical politician ...
(UPN), Olowofoyeku declined. He later relocated his legal practice to his home in
Victoria Island
Victoria Island ( ikt, Kitlineq, italic=yes) is a large island in the Arctic Archipelago that straddles the boundary between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is the List of islands by area, eighth-largest island in the world, ...
, Lagos.
Death
On 26 March 2003, at the age of 85, Olowofoyeku died. His funeral, which lasted several days, was held partly in the High Court in Lagos, at his main residence in
Victoria Island
Victoria Island ( ikt, Kitlineq, italic=yes) is a large island in the Arctic Archipelago that straddles the boundary between Nunavut and the Northwest Territories of Canada. It is the List of islands by area, eighth-largest island in the world, ...
, and at his two homes in
Ilesha
Ilesa () is an ancient town located in the Osun State, southwest Nigeria; it is also the name of a historic kingdom (also known as Ijesha) centred on that village. The state is ruled by a monarch bearing the title of the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ij ...
.
Personal life
Olowofoyeku was married, and had 17 children (13 sons and 4 daughters). He has many grandchildren and several great grandchildren.
References
External links
Nigeria, Ibadan Politics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olowofoyeku, Babatunji
Justice ministers of Nigeria
Yoruba legal professionals
Yoruba politicians
1917 births
2003 deaths
People from Osun State
Nigerian democracy activists
Alumni of University of London Worldwide
Alumni of the London School of Economics
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons politicians
Nigerian National Democratic Party politicians
Senior Advocates of Nigeria
Officers of the Order of the Federal Republic
Heads of schools in Nigeria
Members of the Inner Temple
Attorneys General of Nigeria
20th-century Nigerian educators
20th-century Nigerian lawyers
Yoruba educators
People of colonial Nigeria