Celebrating an Uncommon Legal Prodigy on His 66th Birthday

By Godwin Iyinbor

This is quintessential Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN. Our own very Vintage professor. He has a chain of degrees that is arms length. A trailerload of laurels and awards from across the world.

Our Prof is no doubt a maverick, extra ordinary dancer, singer and performer.
You will think that with all that you know about him in the legal profession, that is all there is to him. You are wrong, dead wrong.
This is where he stands tall and stands out like an Iroko tree in the forest of legal titans; a collosus and giant among his peers. I refer to him as a man of many parts.

Take the learned Silk away from the LEGAL PROFESSION, which is his place of primary assignment from His Creator, and place him in any other field or profession, he will do just fine. He will still excel. This is where he stands head and shoulders above all other legal giants in Nigeria, past or present.

You think he will be like a fish out of water if you take him away from legal practice? No way. Place or plant him in the LITERARY WORLD and you will find out he is a great man of letters, a scribe of extraordinary learning, as he will make a big name for himself in that world, just as he has in the legal profession.

Place or put on him the PRIESTLY ROBE or CASSOCK, and you will be amazed at his deep understanding of the word of God. You will begin to wonder if that is not the Olunagbor of Uzairue’s original calling, and the best platform for him to ply his trade of winning souls for God’s Kingdom.

Place on him the glittering attire of AFRICAN TRADITION, and you will soon discover that the court room gladiator is very much at home as well, and that he will do just fine.

Remove Akpakpa Vighi Vighi of Edoland from these LEGAL, LITERARY, PRIESTLY and TRADITIONAL WORLDS, and place him in the ACADEMIC WORLD, and you will ask yourself, what has this leading human rights activist, pro-democracy and renowned constitutional lawyer been doing in the court room?

Now, plant the cerebral scholar in the WORLD OF ENTERTAINMENT, and the question you will ask is, where has this natural born talent been in all our Entertainment years, that he allowed amateurs to take over the arena.

Not many can match the orator’s DANCING AND SINGING skills and the incredible prowess of this sexagenerian on the floor.
He continues to marvel me how he achieves his dance steps, bending down low- very very low- at times on his knees, like a bubbling teenager on the dance floor.
Take multivational speaker and youths mentior into the WORLD of SPORTS,and you will equally find him at home there.
I can attest to this, as he squared up to me and bested me in the game of table tennis, a game where I pride myself a professional. Football? He still plays on the football pitch, 45 minutes aside, during his 35 years old annual AKPAKPA VIGHI VIGHI FOOTBALL TOURNAMENTS. He still scores goals in an amazing way and manner that surprise his footballer children marvel at.

In the waters (swimming), Royal High Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome, SAN, CON,OFR,FCIARB, LL.M, Ph.D, LL.D, D.Litt, D.SC, is like a fish at home in his natural habitat.He seamlessly summersaults in waters like a dolphin. Sounds incredible? But, true! That is why like an elephant, it is extremely difficult to describe this Catholic Church Knight of St Mulumba and extraordinary Author, journalist, columnist and historian,who has over 45 books to his credit and still counting. Yes, you heard me right.

Where else do you want to place or plant this philanthropist extraordinaire who has used the platform of the Mike Ozekhome Foundation ( MOF ) to uplift the downtrodden and most vulnerable of the society?

Is it in the medical profession? Yes, he is not a medical doctor, but he fathers some. Not only this, he has over the years discussed medicine and medical-related matters in many of his numerous annual lectures in such a way that will make Hippocrates green with envy from his centuries old grave. Prof. Ozekhome is thus equally at home in that area as in any other.

You will be amazed as to how marvelous he performs in thus special area and would wonder if that is not his natural calling.
Every profession, it appears, is his natural habitat. He is multi-talented, dexterous and versatile.

Just as he defeated that legal maxim, “ex nihilo nihil fit” (meaning, from nothing comes nothing), when from grass, he bulldozed his way to grace, he just keeps excelling every day.

I used the word ‘bulldozed” advisedly, as many will think these qualities of his simply came to him naturally and are therefore innate. Yes,some are. But, many are not. You need to be close to him to see him as he perspires in his practice and several undertakings up to 19 hours daily, to agree with him that success is more of 99% perspiration and only 1% inspiration.
Like he did to that Latin maxim, he has also rendered the idiom, “Jack of all trades and master of non” ineffectual, as he is a master of all trades that he lays his dexterous hands upon.

Perhaps, the only trade, profession or practice that he is not master of, is that which he did not venture into – 419.
Thank God, the Enobakhare of Benin Kingdom, Okaku of South Uneme and Oduevho of Okpella Kingdoms did not venture or put his hands and skills into such negative practices as 419, or else “Hushpuppi” would have been a learner under his feet and rever him as master.

In all that he does, the Ohamadike 1 of Obibi Ochasi, Okporokpo 1 of Oleh Kingdom and Ikemba 1 of Isiukwuato, has an eye for the minutest details and will not let go, unless he is certain it is perfect. He is guided by that biblical injunction on diligence, as contained in Prov. 22:29 – “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men”.

Indeed, for his diligence today, Prof. Mike Ozekhome SAN, the Asebigwe and Oliha of Weppa Wanno Kingdom stands before Kings and not mean men. And like a child, who has washed his hands clean, he eats with Elders.

A man in the mould of the Ba’Loro of Igando, the Agbamofin of Ijaniki Kingdom and Aare Maiyegun Bamofin of Ido Osun, Osun State, Mike Ozekhome SAN, comes once in a lifetime. And he is the one for our generation.

And for all these, you think I have said it all about the Onwa na ti loha of FCT? No way.

The script about Royal High Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, is still being written. It is a work in progress. An unfinished enterprise.
For all that he has achieved and for his impactful sojourn on earth, the Adenomo of Auchi Kingdom, Iyase of Okekpe Kingdom, Oghiakhiniamie of Ekeperi Kingdom and Ukinovha of Emailand never forgets the source of his existence – his Creator – and he never leaves anyone in doubt about it. His Creator in turn, never lets him down, or forgets him. He carries him in his mighty wings, showering his boundless grace upon him.

May God continue to use you to serve Him and work for mankind. AMEN!

We keep celebrating you sir!

Godwin Iyinbor Esq is the Deputy Head of Chambers (Admin) Mike Ozekhome’s Chambers