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My Mayegun Duties Go Hand in Glove with My Legal Profession – Barrister Kayode Ajulo

Published

7 years ago

January 26, 2019

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Only recently, investment lawyer and rights activist, Barrister Kayode Ajulo, was conferred with yet another deserved honor as the Mayegun of Yorubaland by none other than the reverred warrior and custodian of the Yoruba culture, Iba Gani Adams, the Aare Ona kakanfo of Yorubaland. In this brief chat, the ebullient and cerebral philanthropist, who is reputed for various humanitarian exploits including representing clients on pro bono basis, revealed what the title means to him and humanity as well as his take on the political future of the nation even as the elections draw near. Excerpts:

Sir, could you please express your feelings as regards the new feather in your cap?

In the first instance, I thank God for His favour, kindness and mercy in making me to be counted worthy of such honour. There are other qualified people out there. But let me put it this way, and contrary to what some people might think, the confernment is not just an honour, but an award, cum a call to duty. I therefore see it as a challenge. The title is more or less a place of honour that I have been placed in and I thank God for the challenge. It is a challenge because it’s apparent, society is now more looking up to me, and I mustn’t do anything that will bring dishonour. Any honour is a challenge to me.

Barr Ajulo receiving staff of office from Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams

Sir, most times, such honours comes as a result of what someone must have been doing for humanity, so could you just briefly encapsulate the achievements that have made this honour possible?

Well, I’m not good at blowing my trumpet. I am a barrister and solicitor of the realm; I am trained to defend and speak for people, but I am deficient when it comes to speaking for myself. I don’t have to in the circumstance as I can’t be a judge in my case. I believe someone else should do that.

However, it must be stated that in whatever we do, someone, somewhere is watching and we need to be on top of our game at all times. As for this honour, it is the aftermath of what the Aare Ona Kakanfo himself described as my constant availability to be of help to others.

I remember the day when the Aare Ona Kakanfo, Gani Adams, visited my office, he spent about two hours talking about politics and Sundry issues, then on his way out, he just chipped in, recollecting when he or any of his members had issues with the police or anyone that once he briefed me, I have never hesitated in helping them out.

Mayegun with Mrs Titi Abubakar

He also tried to recap the days of struggles with Dr. Frederick Fasehun (may his soul rest in perfect peace).

Note that I was briefed to represent Dr. Fasehun, but in one swift wise decision, I considered that these people were all Yoruba, and there should be no basis for the fight and division.

So I proposed that all the lawyers in the matter should come together and that’s how our relationship started.

That day Aare said something that touched me: “In all these cases, you never asked for a penny”. “Mayegun Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba fits you”

Honestly, I felt honoured on hearing that. I never knew he was taking note nor would remember. The truth was not that they could not pay but because I saw that what they were doing was more about the Yoruba interests and they were prisoners of conscience.

They were doing it for a just cause. I identified with them and I felt the only way I could join their cause, was to offer my legal services free of charge.

So that paved the way for the title you were bestowed with today?

You can say that because that day, he mentioned that he would soon be one year as the Aare Ona kakanfo and that the Aare is supposed to have some chiefs to advise him, “and for what you have done, you have to be part of my council”. And that was it. I didn’t commit any dime to it.

So it was actually a pay back…

…Every genuine honour is a payback…every confernment, award, degree and what have you is a payback. A book of rememberance must be opened on your behalf before you could get an honour, reward, confernment or even a degree. Aare Ona Kakanfo and his Chiefs titles are not hereditary. It’s borne out of courage and valour.

No one is honoured out of limbo. And that explains why everyone should keep doing good for you don’t know who is watching or the day the book will be opened.

How did you take his initial offer?

Honestly, i initially joked about it, and told him that I hardly wear agbada. There and then I experienced the extent of his generosity, as he told me not to worry as all preparation has been made, he also made me realize the he consulted far and wide before deciding on me. I am learning from his humility. The fact that he has to come down to my office in Abuja from Lagos just to tell me such a thing, shows the kind of person he is. He knows what he wants and how to get it and that is why God is blessing him.

The title ‘Mayegun’ – what does it really stand for?

I think of it very well before taking the title and its responsibility. It literarily means someone who stabilizes the world and restores law and order in the society, which he believes I have been doing, both locally and internationally. The Mayegun is the conscience of the community, constantly speaking against the ills of the society. Consequently, the Mayegun himself has to be without blame. Now, you can see the magnitude of the honour that has been bestowed on me. Mind you, from history gathered, the last time this title was given was in the 17th century, during the time of the 12th Aare Ona Kakanfo, Iba Momodu Atanda Asubiaro Latoosa, the then Mayegun was member of the Board of Enquiry on the murder of Efunsetan Aniwura, the famous Iyalode of Ibadan in 1864.

Barr Kayode Ajulo

How would you now juxtapose the job of a professional lawyer and that of a traditional chief both of which you today represent?

Unfortunately, we just refuse to understand some things. We all have culture, but unfortunately, we see the European culture as more superior to ours, which is not.

I remember sometime ago, discussing with a British Professor of African History, at the British Museum in the United Kingdom; he was trying to tell me about my history. Just imagine..

In trying to explain the positions of our revered monarchs, he mentioned the Archbishop of Canterbury, who he claimed can be likened to the Ooni who is our spiritual head. I asked him about the Alaafin and he said he is the political head, like the Queen of England. In order of precedence in Great Britain, the Archbishop of Canterbury, a small town in England, is the third most powerful. I’m not saying whether what he said is true or not, but I think the Professor struck some cord in me. Our system of government is akin to theirs in some ways. In Oyo, we have the Oyomeesi – they represent the people at the palace and make laws like the House of Lords in the Parliament; they could weigh in on any issue concerning the Alaafin, including asking him to abdicate the throne or commit suicide. We have the Ogboni in Yoruba land, and judges and those performing intelligence and essential services could be drawn from this elite group.

Same with this Chieftaincy honour, it’s not hereditary, it’s based on your performance, purely merit, on courage, valour etc. it’s like being knighted; the best of our colonial administrators are Knights: Sir. Fredrick Lugard, the first Governor-General of Nigeria is a Knight; Sir. Robertson, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sadauna of Sokoto and the Late Premier of the Northern Nigeria; Sir. Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa, the Late Ooni of Ife, Sultan of Sokoto all those great men, are Knighted and all because they excelled in their chosen careers. The best lawyers I know are knights. They’re also High Chiefs of note.

Now, I have been given the traditional chieftaincy and incorporated into a most prestigious institution of Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland. My installation by the Aare assisted by some Traditional and Political leaders was similar to the Queen knighting someone, the only difference is how we look at it.

So, we need to appreciate our culture, we need to repackage. If the Queen of England should call to honour me with the Order of the Garter, which is an order of chivalry founded by Edward II in 1348 and regarded as the most prestigious British order of chivalry, I will be so happy; the same way I am glad about this chieftaincy title I have been given.

I will soon roll out agenda under the Maiyegun title along with Aare Gani Adams for the Yoruba race both home and abroad. Our culture must not die, and we won’t allow wrong narratives about our rich culture. Our peaceful coexistence and development as a race is paramount and this we shall push for.

Could that be the reason why personalities like General Ibrahim Babangida were bestowed with the privileged honour?

Absolutely! Thanks for mentioning the revered soldier. Babangida had to rush to the UK to receive the honour of the order of Garter cause he understood what it meant and stand for.

Can we go a little political? Do you have any intention to go into full-fledged politics?

Well, I always believe one thing, that every human being as far as he can think is a politician. We are all politicians, so it depends on the level of your politicking. I am a politician, whether I am docile or active; I have ran for election up to the Senate of the Republic of Nigeria before. And by the grace of God, I have been the National Secretary of Labour Party.

But as it is, politics has to do with your people; it depends on what they want you to do. If tomorrow, the people of Ondo state say they want me to become the governor of the state, I will look at the fundamentals and if everything works well, and if my God okays it, I will go for it.

But as it is, I remain a lawyer. I have my chambers in some part of the world and I ensure I maintain them, because when it comes to politics, you need money to run it and the only way I can do that is to work harder. Now, I’m working harder.

Finally, could you make a comment on the governmental situation of Nigeria today?

I’m afraid it will be a little bit hard to make any comment particularly because the elections are roughly about a month from now. Nobody seems to understand and everyone seems to be going left and right, things are going wrong and politicians are desperate. And when you are desperate, you tend to flout laws and violate some basic principles and tenets of democracy. And I think this is what is happening in Nigeria and I pray this time would pass and pass well. I will tell our people to endeavor to just make the right choice. Look at where we are before and where we are now. We should not sell our conscience but vote for who genuinely has interest of the county at heart and ready to correct wrongs of the past.

Thank you so much for taking out time to talk with us.

Thank you.

Headline

Akpabio Lashes Out at Tinubu’s Critics, Says Nigeria Safe Despite Insecurity

Published

3 days ago

June 10, 2026

Eric

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has urged Nigerians to be careful of those trying to kidnap for ransom.

Akpabio argued on Tuesday that those behind kidnapping are perpetuating the activity to create an impression that Nigeria is not safe.

Speaking in Abuja during the commissioning of road projects to mark President Bola Tinubu’s third year anniversary, Akpabio said some of the president’s critics have resorted to paying youths to cause mayhem.

Akpabio accused Tinubu’s critics of focusing on insecurity instead of policy and infrastructure.

“Minister you said that people claimed that nothing is happening in Nigeria under the administration of President Tinubu. If they did not say that, how will they go for election? he asked rhetorically.

“If you realize what is happening recently, when they realized that they can’t talk about projects, performance, good laws, transformation in the Petroleum industry, subsidy removal that have been promised Nigerians for decades, they can no longer talk about the high-rise buildings in Abuja such as the NRS building, they resorted to paying young people and recruiting them to cause mayhem in the country.

“Be very vigilant and be careful about people trying to kidnap for ransom. They are kidnapping in order to give the impression that Nigeria is not safe.

“Our men and women in uniform have done tremendously well but many people will not know and that is why I keep saying that the devil you see today, you will soon see them no more.

“Elections will come and go; elections will never be our end; we will see the end of elections; it will never see our end,” he said.

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The Search for Justice: ADC vs Tsoho

Published

5 days ago

June 8, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

From the first day the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took a new shape in July, 2025, in readiness to wrest power from the government of the day, crises, allegedly engineered by the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC), have remained its lot.

From the struggle for leadership positions to the fight to save itself from deregistration, the hitherto coalition and main opposition party, has remained in a battle for its life and existence. And has not relented in the search for lasting justice. This time, it has taken the law itself to court to ensure that justice is not only done, but seen to have been done.

It would be recalled that shortly after the the party ratified the election of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Chairman and Secretary of the party respectively, skirmishes were noticed among the rank and file of the party as a supposedly former deputy national chairman of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe, claimed chairmanship of party, saying that since the founding chairman had resigned, it is constitutionally incumbent upon him to automatically assume the chairmanship role.

Gombe’s claims came on the heels of his ‘resignation’ from office, which paved the way for a new national executive of the party to be constituted. But his claims did not deter the party from carrying on with the formation and running of the party, including holding a keenly contested presidential primary election, which produced His Excellency, the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. So Gombe went to court. Yet, Mark and Aregbesola carried on the running of the party.

As a result, Gombe had approached a court for an order restraining Mark leadership from parading themselves as leaders of the ADC pending the hearing and determination of his suit challenging their leadership.

He had also asked the court to issue another order against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), restraining it from recognizing the Mark leadership.

But in his ruling in the interlocutory application, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered Gombe to put the defendants on notice so that they appear before the court to show cause, why the application should not be granted.

Rather than appearing before the trial court to show cause, the defendant appealed to the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court to dabble into the matter they described as internal matters of the ADC.

The appellate court in dismissing the appeal for lacking in merit, ordered accelerated hearing in the suit and further ordered all parties to maintain status quo ante bellum.

Dissatisfied, Mark had approached the appellate court but, his appeal was dismissed and the matter returned to the trial court.

With the to and from nature of the cases involving the ADC leadership crisis, the party has accused judges of bias in favoring party detractors and disobedience to court rules among other malice, the party has taken a new route to obtain the much eluded justice, and that involves charging the custodians of the law to court.

Consequently, the ADC has filed a lawsuit before a High Court in Abuja involving the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, over concerns arising from the ongoing leadership dispute within the party.

Also joined in the suit is the National Judicial Council (NJC), which the party said had not addressed issues it raised regarding the handling of a case challenging the leadership of former Senate President, Senator David Mark, within the ADC.

The lawsuit, dated June 4, 2026, was filed by the National Welfare Secretary of the ADC, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who is seeking to be joined in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the Mark-led leadership of the party.

According to the suit, Ukandu expressed concerns about the handling of the matter and alleged that the actions of both Justice Tsoho and Justice Peter Lifu, the judge assigned to hear the case, could affect confidence in the proceedings.

The lawsuit further stated that the assignment of the case to Justice Lifu stirred concerns among some members of the party, who believe the process may not guarantee a fair hearing.

The legal action marks a fresh twist in the leadership dispute within the ADC, which has attracted significant political attention ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Aside Justice John Tsoho, other defendants are the National Judicial Council (NJC), and Justice Peter Lifu, a judge newly assigned to hear the suit challenging the Senator David Mark-led leadership of ADC.

The plaintiff, who was seeking to be joined in the Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the Mark-led leadership, accused the chief judge and Lifu of manifest bias, and willingness to do the biddings of persons against the interest of the party.

Ukandu, in the suit he personally filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, faulted the chief judge for reassigning the suit to Lifu, in alleged disregard of the orders of the Supreme Court as well as Justice Emeka Nwite of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court, who initially heard the suit brought by Gombe against the party.

The plaintiff, in the suit marked FHC/ ABJ/ CS/ 1165/2026, recalled that an appeal from an interlocutory decision of Nwite rose to the Supreme Court, wherein the apex court on April 30, 2026, “made an order of remittance of Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025: Nafiu Bala Gombe VS. ADC & 4 ORS back to Justice Emeka Nwite for continuation of hearing of pending applications challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court.”

He stated that upon resumption of hearing before Nwite, the plaintiff wrote to the chief judge praying for a reassignment of the matter to another judge of the Honourable Court.

Ukandu stated, “All the defendants’ counsel, including counsel to the applicants seeking to be joined in this matter, opposed the said application by the plaintiff’s counsel and Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite thereafter adjourned the matter sine die pending the service of the said letter by the plaintiff’s on all the parties in the matter, outcome of the letter by the 2nd defendant and the furnishing of the CTC of the judgement of the Supreme Court to the court.

“Without complying with the orders of the Supreme Court and Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite, the 2nd Defendant in abuse of his judicial powers reassigned this matter,” to Lifu.

He added that the third defendant, on his part, pretending not to see the order of Nwite, went ahead and fixed the matter for hearing for June 3, 2026.

Ukandu further recalled that ADC had on May 7 informed the public through a press release that the chief judge had planned to reassign the case to another judge favourable to the plaintiff.

He said the party had “warned against such unethical practice but the 2nd Defendant despite the public outcry reassigned the suit to the 3rd Defendant who have been nick-named as ‘Wike Judges’.”

He stated that the third defendant had started presiding over the matter, despite taking judicial notice of the orders of the Supreme Court and Nwite, and that the matter came up for hearing before the third defendant.

Though neither the Federal High Court nor the National Judicial Council had publicly responded to the issues raised so far, it is imperative to to state that the ADC appears to have lost interest in both the judiciary, which it believe is kowtowing to the dictates of Gombe, and by extension the body language of the Federal Government.

The ADC appears to have managed to draw the sympathy of the public as a group known as the Grassroots Mobilization Network (GMN), has lent their voice to the supposed injustice leveled against the Mark-led ADC, raising concerns about the handling of the matter, and calling for transparency in the judicial process.

The group alleged that the judiciary was being used to target opposition parties.

The group expressed concern over what it described as growing public distrust in the judiciary and called on relevant authorities to ensure fairness and transparency in the handling of politically sensitive cases.

While Nigerians await the outcome of the litigation, and other resolution of other sundry issues arising from the ADC and the judiciary, the party is going ahead making last minute transparent efforts to nominate a suitable running mate to bear the presidential flag with the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Among the party’s shortlists are the first runner-up in the presidential primary, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Akinwumi Adesina, Emeka Ihedioha, Emeka Nwajiuba and Chief Dele Momodu.

Headline

Gunmen Abduct Ex-Power Minister Adelabu’s Sister, Her Two Sons in Ibadan

Published

1 week ago

June 3, 2026

Eric

Suspected gunmen have abducted the sister of a former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The family of former minister and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) confirmed the abduction, disclosing that Mrs. Olaide John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons were kidnapped by the gunmen on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

According to a statement issued by Adelabu’s media aide, Femi Awogboro, the victims were kidnapped at about 7:30am while Mrs. John-Paul was taking her children to school.

Mrs. John-Paul, the youngest of five children of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke Adelabu, reportedly retired voluntarily from her career at First Bank Pension Custodian in 2025 before relocating to Ibadan with her children.

She was said to be making arrangements to join her husband, who had earlier relocated to the US.

The family expressed deep concern over the development but stated that security agencies had already commenced efforts to rescue the victims and apprehend those responsible.

“We are pleased to confirm that security operatives have swung into action and preliminary investigations have commenced in earnest,” the statement partly read.

While appealing for calm, the family urged members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified information that could undermine ongoing rescue operations.

“We are deeply distressed by this unfortunate incident, but remain hopeful that the victims will be rescued safely. We appeal to the public to remain calm, avoid speculation and support ongoing efforts with prayers,” the statement added.

The family also called on anyone with useful information that could aid the rescue operation to promptly share such intelligence with security agencies through the appropriate channels.

It assured that it would continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities and provide updates as investigations and rescue efforts progress.