His firebrand approach to defending the law and the people involved revealed him before the activist, human rights lawyer and social crusader, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who absorbed him into his Chambers. And steadily, like the eagle he has come to be, he soared and gradually rose to become the Deputy Head of Chambers, a position he held till 1985.
Exactly three years after obtaining his LL.M degree, Ozekhome founded his own multi-office firm, Mike Ozekhome’s Chambers, in 1986 with offices in Lagos, Abuja, and not forgetting his home town, Benin City. His rise in the industry was phenomenal, breaking barriers and records, and transcending all known protocols. As a result, in 2010, he emerged as one of 19 senior legal practitioners conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria. It didn’t take anyone by surprise. It was an honour well deserved. He is known to have handled many epochal cases in the history of Nigerian legal system, and most them, probono.
It was at the instance of his Chambers that Ozekhome began his frequent visits to detention facilities over his constant confrontations with repressive juntas.
Most of the cases he handled have helped define, redefine and shape Nigerian legal jurisprudence, and at the same helped in enthroning a ‘favourable climate for the sustenance of human rights, democracy, good governance and the rule of law’.
No one will forget in a hurry the “Cicero of the Conference”, as he was nicknamed by the Conference leadership, for his sterling performance and contributions when in 2014, he represented the Federal Government as a delegate at the National Constitutional Conference.
Ozekhome’s contribution to judicial engineering and jurisprudence cannot be overemphasized. In 1987, he co-founded the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), known as the first human rights organisation in Nigeria.
In 1992, he founded the Universal Defenders of Democracy (UDD), an international human rights and pro-democracy league. He also founded the Democratic Rights Agenda (DRA) and Peace Initiative (PI), a peace building and conflict resolution centre.
He was also the pioneer Director of Legal Services and member of its Governing Board. In 1998, he co-founded the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON), with the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who was chairman as he maintained the National Vice Chairman, Publicity and Publications status.
As a selfless and influential human rights oriented figure, Ozekhome has attracted awards and honours, numbering over 300, from across the length and breadth of the country including academic and traditional. He is the Akpakpa Vighi Vighi of Edoland (Commander of the traditional Armed Forces of Edo land). This is a title that was jointly conferred on him at Ekpoma, Edo State, on March 2, 2002, by all the 72 Traditional Rulers of Edo State, a feat never before achieved by any person. He was also in October, 2021 conferred with the chieftaincy title of Ada Idaha Ke Efik Eburukutu Kingdom (pillar of strength of Efik Kingdom) by the Obong of Calabar, His Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V.
Other titles attached to the name of the legal luminary include the Okporokpo of Oleh Kingdom in Delta State, Eno-bakhare of Benin Kingdom, (Oba’s word is final), and Ikemba 1 of Ezebe Ancient Kingdom.
Ozekhome is an international personality, and has been featured variously in Dictionary of International Biography (“Who is Who in the World”), by IBC, Cambridge, England, 28th and 29th Editions, “Who is Who in Nigeria”, by NIBC, Lagos, “Who is Who in Nigeria,” by NewsWatch Publications Ltd, etc.
He is also a member of the International Bar Association (IBA), Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), African Bar Association (A.B.A), Pan African Lawyer Union (PALU), American Bar Association (ABA), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), National Executive Committee, Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Island Club, Usagbe Club of Nigeria, Etsako Club ’81, etc.
Among his academic honours are honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Doctor of Letters (D.Litt), Doctor of Administration (DA), Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD), Doctor of Letters (HonDL), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D), from various Universities in USA, United Kingdom, Israel, Nigeria and Belize City, Belize, Central America. And needless to mention the ever young legal icon is appreciative of his humble achievements.
As a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary International, Ozekhome’s philanthropic gestures are highly noted. He is an International Ambassador of Peace, honoured with the Global Peace Loving Citizen of the World, (GPLCW), the highest honour given out by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF).
He has been variously described as a “man who felt good is not good enough where better is possible”, and believes that “leaders make things possible; exceptional leaders make them inevitable.”
