*Reveals mentors who formed his life
*How he setup the primary on-line regulation agency
*His encounter with FRA Williams
By: Al Humphrey Onyanabo
As the pioneering Chairman of the newly created NBA Mentorship Committee, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, Officer of the Order of the Niger, OON, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Fellow of the celebrated Chartered Institute of Arbitrators within the United Kingdom, and the present Honourable Attorney General of Ondo State, is pushed by a profound ardour to impart the teachings he’s discovered all through his illustrious profession.
With unwavering dedication, he goals, together with different distinguished members of the Mentorship Committee, to show younger legal professionals the artwork of mentorship and management, filling a important hole of their authorized training.
“Law school has made them lawyers; our extant commission is to make them leaders and successful in the noble profession,” Dr. Ajulo declared, his voice tinged with a deep sense of function.
In a uncommon second of introspection, Dr. Ajulo reveals a humility that belies his spectacular accomplishments. “I don’t think I’m a spirit or anything special,” he says, his eyes shining with sincerity. “What I’ve accomplished, any other lawyer could do even better.” This conviction is rooted in his journey, which was formed by the transformative energy of mentorship and exhausting work.
As a younger regulation pupil on the University of Jos, his community of buddies, primarily socialites, impacted his early profession targets. He pictured himself turning into an leisure lawyer for the enjoyment of it. However, the steering of mentors and his tireless efforts carved a special path for him.
“Having received so much from mentors, what more could one want than to mentor young lawyers and assist them in achieving success in life?”
Dr. Ajulo’s eyes mild up as he remembers the influence mentorship has had on his enviable profession. He recalled the affect of Chief FRA Williams, a authorized luminary who impressed him as a pupil on the University of Jos. Without ever assembly him in individual, he devoured each regulation report and article concerning the authorized large. Mesmerised by Chief Williams’ accomplishments, Dr. Ajulo would attend court docket periods to observe him in motion, observing and studying from the Grand Master.
When your thoughts is mounted on a function in religion, windfall aligns the trail. So it was for Dr. Ajulo, then a younger State Counsel on the Federal Ministry of Justice, who discovered himself showing alongside “Timi the Law” on the Supreme Court in Abuja. When he launched himself as a long-time admirer, the famend lawyer was shocked, but impressed, by Dr. Ajulo’s boldness and admiration. That likelihood encounter turned the start of a mentorship that will form his authorized journey.
Dr. Ajulo’s mantra, “If you faithfully and sincerely follow seven successful lawyers, you will become the eight successful lawyer.” speaks to the profound influence of mentorship on his life. He has been lucky to have had an array of sensible mentors.
Men like Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams, SAN, the trailblazing first Nigerian Senior Advocate and one of many founding fathers of the Nigerian authorized occupation; the late, extremely revered Chief James Ajibola Ige, SAN, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; the revered Aare Afe Babalola, OFR, CON, SAN, an distinctive authorized icon and founding father of the celebrated Afe Babalola University; the unassailable Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association and distinguished constitutional lawyer; Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, a revered determine in authorized advocacy and public curiosity litigation; the ever-brilliant Dr. Tunji Abayomi, a famend constitutional lawyer and principled human rights advocate; others embrace Chief G O.Okay Ajayi SAN, Gani Fawehinmi SAN, Kanu Agabi SAN, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, J.Okay. Gadzama SAN, Femi Falana SAN, Ahmed Raji SAN, Adekola Mistapha SAN, and even Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, the present President of the Nigerian Bar Association, who providentially was a member of NYSC serving at Chike Chigbue (SAN) & Co. the place he did his regulation college externship.
Another of his mentors he loves to speak about was Hon. Justice Prafullachandra Natwarlal Bhagwati, Chief Justice of India, born in the identical 12 months as his father in 1921 and who died in 2017. The aged jurist taught him deep meditation methods and yoga.
Each of those direct and oblique mentoring relationships has performed an important function in his improvement, instilling values of exhausting work, resilience, and a steadfast dedication to excellence. Dr. Ajulo believes that one can all the time be taught distinctive qualities from any lawyer—not simply by way of shut interplay, however by observing with intention and keenness. He refers to this strategy because the shadow mentor method.
Today, he’s a strong testomony to the affect of mentorship, having turn out to be one of the distinguished and revered legal professionals within the nation. He has represented a outstanding vary of notable purchasers, together with almost all up to date heads of presidency, federal and state legislators, political, conventional, and spiritual leaders, blue-chip firms, authorities companies, worldwide organizations, and people from all walks of life.
He attracts inspiration from the phrase prominently featured on all his firm’s stationery: “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” This quote from Proverbs 22:29 within the King James Version of the Bible highlights the worth of diligence and ability, implying that such people are more likely to obtain prominence and recognition.
This Oxford-raised arbitrator has garnered quite a few accolades, awards, and recognitions from across the globe, all testomony to his unwavering dedication and excellence. He at present serves because the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice for Ondo State, which positions him as a member of assorted statutory and ad-hoc our bodies, together with the distinguished Body of Benchers, Council of Legal Education and the Judicial Service Commission. Additionally, he’s additionally the Chairman of the newly created Ondo State Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force and serves because the State Security Adviser on World Bank operations. Prior to those roles, he held the place of National Secretary for Nigeria’s third-largest political celebration, the Labour Party.
As a loyal mentee who has utilized each lesson in thought and follow, one in every of his notable achievements is pioneering improvements that mirror a visionary strategy to each regulation and mentorship.
Before 2016, when on-line companies had been nonetheless of their infancy, Dr. Ajulo launched into a revolutionary journey by launching Nigeria’s first on-line regulation agency, Kayode Ajulo & Castle of Law. This daring initiative stemmed from a visionary aim: to create a worldwide community of legal professionals able to offering swift, environment friendly authorized illustration anyplace on this planet. By harnessing expertise and collaboration, Dr. Ajulo sought to bridge geographical obstacles and redefine the authorized panorama.
