Kayode Ajulo

Abraham Olukayode "Kayode" Ajulo is a Nigeria lawyer, unionist, tutor, orator, writer, politician and civil rights activist. He is a motivator, Principal Partner of Kayode Ajulo & Co. Castle of Law, (a full commercial law firm in Abuja with contacts in Lagos, Akure, Kaduna, Jos, Ibadan, Enugu, London, Cardiff, Kumasi and Bangui).

He is also the founder/Chairman of the Egalitarian Mission, Africa, a non-governmental and non-profit making Organisation for the promotion of rule of law, social and economic equality in Africa.

Ajulo has promoted of social justice, good governance and social opportunities. He is as well the Bamofinlewe of Akure Kingdom.[1]

Ajulo was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, to Solomon and Christiana Ajulo from Ifira-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. He received Bachelor degree in Law (LL.B. (Hons.)) at the University of Jos in Nigeria (1999).

In 2001, he was called to the Nigerian Bar haven attended the Nigerian Law School, Abuja, Nigeria between 1999–2000, He also obtained his Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) in 2006. A PhD in Law (Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Justice) candidate at Middlesex University London.

Kayode Ajulo is a member of several organisations, including; Avant Garde International, International Association of Human Rights Lawyers, Nigerian Red Cross, the Nigerian Institute of Management, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and International Bar Association(IBA), Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK.

He is also an Adjunct Lecturer at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State and Egalitarian Basic Studies Institute, Kumasi, Ghana. A voice in the local and international media, as he has been in active advocacy campaign for global good governance and democracy as well being one of the leading voices against corruption, nepotism and injustice.

A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers, He was appointed to the Board of Ondo State Radiovision Corporation as chairman by the Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in November 2013.

Education

Professional history

Activism

Kayode Ajulo is involved in activism, he is a frontline advocate of good governance, transparency and accountability. A freedom fighter, he supported the Niger Delta agitators and is a propounder of amnesty for the Niger-Delta Militants, finding an ally with the Niger Delta and Ijaw foremost leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, OFR, CON.

He is provides free legal services for Widows, Students and Journalists as he labelled them endangered species. A Nigeria Newspaper's Editorial listed him among the top 7 Freedom Fighters in Nigeria and referred to him as "the Defender of the Weak and the Manager of the Strong", a reference to his unassuming nature of having clients and associates among the poor and the rich.

He is also a stickler to the rule of law and constitutionalism; he propounded the Doctrine of Permanent Incapacitation adapted by the Nigerian Senate as Doctrine of Necessity to pass a resolution to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan then a Vice-President succeeded his ailing boss, late President Umaru Yaradua.

Egalitarian Mission, Africa/Free-A-Prisoner-A-Day (FAPAD)

Ajulo was executive of Students Union Government and held several leadership positions in the Nigerian Students umbrella body, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

He is the Founder/chairman of the board of Egalitarian Mission, Africa, a Non-Governmental Organization that is maintaining and promoting the belief that all people are, in principle, equal and should enjoy equal social, political, and economic rights and opportunities.

He also coordinates the activities of Free-A-Prisoner-A-Day (FAPAD) an initiative of Egalitarian Mission, Africa that ensure that at least a prisoner/detainee is released each day.

He solely finances the activities of Egalitarian Mission, Africa and FAPAD Initiaties with 15% of the profit less tax of his lawfirm, CASTLE OF LAW thereby insulating the projects from external contributions and influences.

He has won several international and local awards for his contributions to social justice and rights. He is the holder of prestigious traditional Chieftaincy title Bamofinlewe of Akurekingdom and Yarone of Naraguta, Jos plateau State, Nigeria.

Nominated by National Waves Magazine (Nigeria) as "The Most Enterprising Young Lawyer in Nigeria- 2009 and Legal Personality of The Year-2009 by [Press Gallery].

Political travail

Kayode Ajulo was the leading Labour Party Senatorial Candidate for FCT senate seat held on 9 April 2011 before he was abducted by four armed men on his way from a radio house in Abuja. This caused the Abuja workers led by the Nigeria Labour Congress, one of his main backers, to boycott the election.

In a statement by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Abuja council, all workers and affiliates across the territory were directed to boycott the National Assembly election 16 hours to the election across the country over the kidnap of Kayode Ajulo, the Labour Party flag-bearer for the FCT Senatorial candidate.

Abdullahi Yahaya, Chairman of the Congress, gave the directive at the emergency meeting held over the kidnap of Kayode Ajulo, the Labour Party flag bearer for the FCT House of Representatives seat.

Yahaya condemned the illicit act, however called for the intervention of Bala Mohammed, FCT minister and FCT Commissioner of Police.

He said, "this is a barbaric act, and an embarrassment to the Congress and the peace loving residents of the FCT, Barrister Kayode Ajulo represents the very transformation era to which FCT residents and Nigerians are yearning for, a generational change from era of godfatherism to an era of popular mandate as captured in the popular slogan of one person, one vote currently pervading the Nigerian airwaves.

“It is in the contest of the above that the NLC FCT Council condemns in strongest terms the attempt to intimidate the Labour Party in the FCT and Barrister Kayode Ajulo the senatorial candidate of the Labour Party in the FCT in particular and called on all relevant authorities to fish out perpetuators of this dastardly act urgently as failure to do so immediately can only cast aspersions n the ruling party and the highly respected Minister of FCT and the newly transferred FCT Commissioner of Police in the territory respectively.”

While putting all workers on alert, Yahaya disclosed that the NLC FCT council "had already mobilised all its affiliates on a standby alert to ensure that the Labour Party senatorial candidate is released immediately from captivity unhurt to enable him participate actively in tomorrow's senatorial election and all those responsible for this barbaric act be apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with the relevant statutes as recently passed by the National Assembly.

"Failure to do the above, civilized approach to the issue at hand may lead to face-off between organized labour and the relevant authorities in the FCT as all our members in the FCT have been directed not to participate in the election until the Labour Party senatorial candidate is released by his abductors because as labour slogan we say 'Injury to one, is injury to all!"

Kayode Ajulo was expectedly released after the return of his main contender in the election as the winner of the spurious election, however, Ajulo has refused to challenge the result of the election in any court or tribunal.

He has returned to his private practice as lawyer as well as channelling his resources to promote rule of law and equal opportunity in Africa under the auspices of Egalitarian Mission Africa.

He is recently appointted to the Board of Ondo State Radiovision Corporation as chairman by the Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.

Personal

His name "Olukayode" means "God brings me joy and happiness" in Yoruba[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ http://www.ondostate.gov.ng/press_release/Obasanjo_PDP.pdf
  2. ↑ "Olukayode". Behind the name. Retrieved 20 December 2014.

References

External links