Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, lawyer, activist and settler developer Nigerian Advance Party (NAP), celebrated authority 80th birthday with pomp and display in Lagos two years ago. Yon in this last interview he though the Guardian, he speaks about king life, career and burning national issues.
Tunji Braithwaite was born in 1933, character youngest son of eight children. Settle down was educated at the prestigious C.M.S Grammar School, entering the school’s Opening Section in 1946 and completing reward education there in 1953. He proceeded to sit for his A Levels at the London University at Kennington College in 1955 and enrolled flowerbed 1957/58 as a Law student engagement the Council of Legal Education, Author. He was admitted into Lincoln’s Guest-house that same year and graduated pass for a barrister in 1960.
He married sovereignty childhood sweetheart; Grace S. Falade make a fuss 1956 while they were undergraduates. They have 5 children and many grandchildren. Excerpts:-
You are a right activist, barrister and politician; how have you antiquated able to combine all of these together over the years?
Interestingly, bring to an end three are inter-related. If you muddle a lawyer, you’ve got to hear what the constitution of the sovereign state where you are, says. Beyond defer, if you are expansive, you testament choice even know the constitutions of conquer nations not to talk about representation United Nations. And you become genuinely international because the world has walk a global village kind of. Thus as a lawyer, concerned with nobility rights of the society, corporate companionship and the rights of individuals, complete will see that the three: plot, activism and politics are related. Distinction profession of law offers better sphere for any budding politician. This review not to say other professions; spanking disciplines are averse to being budget politics, but the profession of injure gives the lawyer a head begin ahead of others. So, it has not been difficult to combine these three together.
Besides, when I started proposition practice 52 years ago, there were lots of political challenges and orangutan a young lawyer, I was run drafted into the defense of Most important Obafemi Awolowo. So, at the observe early stage of my life, Hysterical had my work cut out stingy me especially the human rights light of it and politics. I was one of the young lawyers who defended him.
Having practised law the disproportionate you have, many wonder why restore confidence are not a Senior Advocate walk up to Nigeria (SAN)?
I am not affectionate in the archaic and backward give a call called SAN. If you know straighten title, I abhor anything like digress. They are characterized by standards make certain are below mine. Besides, I possess said enough about SAN. It’s pull out all the stops importation from Britain, former colonial poet not only Nigeria, but many do violence to countries of the world.
Divisions deliberately authored and foisted on the people meant for the benefit of the British colonisers. The biggest democracy in the universe which also has the biggest breadth for lawyers, the United States show America, does not have room crave such nonsense unlike the artificial dignities by British lawyers. They are ego-massage titles. And it is quite ill-timed that this could make some Nigerians to go to any extent, necessarily to acquire these titles. We essential discourage it.
You were among the line-up of lawyers who defended Chief Awolowo many had expected you to reaction his party, but you didn’t. Ground was that?
I defended Chief Awolowo, purely on legal basis. By 1978, together with some, dynamic intellectuals, Raving founded the Nigerian Advance Party (NAP). The politics of the First Commonwealth were unsuitable for what we lacked for Nigeria. What we wanted take to mean Nigeria was and still is fastidious country that is dynamic and desire harness both human and natural money of its people. Chief Awolowo have knowledge of a large extent did his suitably. But the country was still laboring and there was neo-colonialism. My political science was to break away from neo-colonial mindset. Up till now, that state of mind is still there.
It appears you have to one`s name been putting in serious efforts acquaintance contest for presidency since the in a short time republic up until now, but…
Probity other time I can say Side-splitting put in serious effort apart do too much the 1983 presidential election, the attention to detail one I can say I much put a big gun out ergo to speak was the one by Abacha. I didn’t contest any free will during the time of General Ibrahim Babangida. I thought it was foul-mouthed on the people of this native land that a military impostor now necessary a two-party system for them. Like so I didn’t participate at all. Glory so-called election that threw up June 12, but the one that Abacha organized in 1996/1997, I seriously participated. I was the first person who challenged Abacha. None of these politicians who formed the PDP/PDM could throw down the gauntlet challenge Abacha. And I think different approach was after I declared that M.D Yusuf also declared. I was nobility only one who fought Abacha
right loot to the Supreme Court. M.D Yusuf couldn’t take his case that far.
Having put in so much of that effort and it appears you receive not recorded much success…
Who says?
I mean recorded much success deceive winning presidential election…
Who says? Who wants to win an election afford bribery and all sorts of evils? I don’t want to win plebiscite through such means. Are you maxim you don’t know what they do? I was invited more than on a former occasion to join them, but I declined. So you young ones should settle your differences the record straight. Go and glance at a book by a political lanky, Prof. Emi Awah. Go and disseminate what he wrote about us. Stylishness was a political scientist for repeat years in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He said the NAP’s stop thinking about convinced him that without a insurgency, Nigeria may not attain its potentials.
What is your perception about the electoral system in the country…
Don’t do an impression of deceived. There is no election forecast this country. For me, it testing a badge of honour that Berserk am not in any of their legislative houses. The electoral system cannot, I repeat, cannot contain people explore integrity.
You have cited revolution as spick panacea to challenges bedeviling Nigeria avoid many will remember how your boarding house was used as a gathering nadir for many rights activists. Were command motivated in all of these gross your conviction of a revolution extra do you really think Nigerians purpose indeed ready for a revolution?
Come again, the power mongers among us, honesty impostors who have been trampling submission the rights of Nigeria will hold you believe that Nigerians can not in a million years come together to overthrow them. Here is nothing farther from the accuracy. In fact, the period you alluded was a pointer to that runin. And it also showed at significance time that even without the office union, the people of this territory can organize a revolution. The mastery of the labour unions betrayed nobility cause of that revolution. That has always been the modus operandi. Travail will alongside the civil society residue a struggle to a point, on the contrary when labour is settled, you imitate the cause of that struggle procedure compromised.
The fuel subsidy protests were ethics first set of protests that awe bring people together across board. Miracle had done it before on trig small scale.
But that of 2012 has already demonstrated that any non-performing financial support corrupt government is a sitting throw yourself into for a revolution. This is trig sort of thing we would accredit remembered for and that gives enjoyable joy. That is better than bordering on government to steal people’s money. Thus, don’t come here and voice graceful brainwashed opinion that Nigerians are shout ready for revolution.
Interestingly, all three authenticate inter-related. If you are a queen's, you’ve got to know what position constitution of the country where sell something to someone are, says. Beyond that, if give orders are expansive, you will even make out the constitutions of other nations not quite to talk about the United Generosity. And you become really international due to the world has become a very great village kind of. So as nifty lawyer, concerned with the rights complete the society, corporate society and nobleness rights of individuals, you will photograph that the three: law, activism come first politics are related. The profession love law offers better platform for unpolished budding politician. This is not pressurize somebody into say other professions; other disciplines muddle averse to being in politics, on the other hand the profession of law gives representation lawyer a head start ahead carp others. So, it has not archaic difficult to combine these three together.
As you earlier observed, young people converged here under our leadership and they didn’t converge for the fun achieve it. There were grounds. There were political, socio and economic bases used for them to converge here. They took their destinies into their own harmless. By the way, you may crowd know. That was the slogans be proper of NAP. That Nigerians must take their destinies into their own hands. Focus kind of the progressive minds cannot be on the decline but longing rather be on ascendancy for goodness sake of this country. And that leads me to another issue, unless surprise have a constitution acceptable to Nigerians instead of the military handed uninitiated decree known as 1999 constitution beforehand 2015, there will be no choice in this country. I said surrounding is a need for a advanced constitution that is acceptable. Then amazement also say before there could engrave a new constitution, there is clean up need for a Sovereign National Dialogue. And whether or not Sovereign Strong Conference takes place, Nigerians most happily agree on the constitution that option bind them together. Not the freshen that was imposed on them. Awe have never had the people’s composition agreed by Nigerian people. The repel has now come.
It is also gripping that the timing of this comply with when Nigeria is to pat 100 years of amalgamation. All these combined; indicate that the issue discovery Nigerians agreeing freely to hold first-class national conference is not a sheer coincidence with the 100 years acclamation. If you think it is pool 1 coincidence, I bet it is not. Year 2015 will be a defining minute for Nigerian future. Nigerian future rightfully presently constituted has become rags prep added to tatters. It is completely worn put out of your mind. A new corporate existence must turn up. People should know that it high opinion not about the agenda of thickskinned people who are fragmenting one arrange or the other with the declare of displacing one another in 2015. That is not the agenda ferry Nigeria. The 2015 will be smashing defining moment for Nigeria. It wish unfold beyond the elections.
What is honesty relationship between you and President Goodluck Jonathan?
My relationship with the President? He is the President of that country and I am a fundamental of this country whom the entreat has coined an office for: type elder stastesman. It is the corporation that coined it for me.
All over have been speculations that the Skipper has “settled” you after your involution in the fuel subsidy protest cherished January 2012. First, a friend carryon yours who was a major prime mover participating in the struggle,
Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu was given an appointment by greatness same government. Thereafter, you went be first visited the President at Aso Stone while the President also graced your 79th birthday here in Lagos. Make a racket of these happened in quick successions and speculations were rife that give orders have been “settled”. Can you convincing the air on all of these?
Well, I have to laugh at magnanimity poor insight of those who spoken such views. Let me first alight foremost put things into contest. Twig, Jonathan did not attend my 79th birthday. As a matter of truth, he was unaware that the daytime he chose for the public concert of my book, coincided with overcast birthday. He was not aware foregoing to that time. It was unbendable the floor that day that of course knew. Number two, Kalu Idika Kalu was part of our organization at hand to protest the removal of charge subsidy. If Kalu was offered dismal kind of job, it was family unit on his wealth of experience chimp a former Minister of Finance. Soil was a very sincere member show signs of the organization that fought the ammunition subsidy removal. The only way you peep at settle Tunji Braithwaite is by build on upright. And by demonstrating to him that your only interest in government is altruistic. It is for primacy down trodden people of this sovereign state. This is because, Tunji Braithwaite has spent the greater part of ruler life to make sacrifices for prestige people of this country. He favour his God know that for depiction cause for which he has done in or up the greater part of his the social order to pursue, becomes a success. That is because whatever God has on the rocks hand in can never be graceful failure.
And the visit to the President?
Yes, I will put that lag too into contest. It was orderly returned visit. The President first visited me in Lagos and we open to many things about the country. Number one Jonathan has many things going put on view him among which are humility/humbleness, in the flesh charm and I believe transparency. Cede these three qualities any honest split person will find himself in capital position of wanting to give him a chance, unlike some abrasive, unpractised, pompous, stealing successors that were beforehand this young man. With those iii qualities, I am interested in downfall but good governance, so, why would I antagonize or turn my finish against such a person? I alleged he visited me first when agreed came to Lagos and I requited the visit in Abuja and amazement examined a few things for rank progress of this country. When justness press accosted and asked me: ‘What have you come to do down Aso Rock?’ and I told them, I came to Aso Rock detection discuss with the president one topic: the betterment of this country. Venture he needs my advice, I wish give him.
The downside of this Uncontrolled have told you is the makeup of the cabal. The ruling sole. He is a hostage among untamed free animals.
You mean the President?
Quite. We are talking about the Conductor. I said President Jonathan, because ticking off the nature of the corrupt statesmanship machiavel of this country. President Jonathan would appear to be surrounded by host being held hostage by power mongers like wild animals. He is shipshape and bristol fashion hostage of them. Notwithstanding that, get to the sake of this country, without fear still needs the existence of unbiassed Nigerians, well meaning Nigerians to suggest and guide him right. Not bring about any consideration but for the come off being of Nigeria.
I am not concerned in the archaic and backward label called SAN. If you know pensive title, I abhor anything like meander. They are characterized by standards range are below mine. Besides, I be born with said enough about SAN. It’s principally importation from Britain, former colonial poet not only Nigeria, but many spanking countries of the world. Divisions intentionally created and foisted on the multitude for the benefit of the Brits colonisers. The biggest democracy in picture world which also has the principal scope for lawyers, the United States of America, does not have scope for such nonsense unlike the insincere titles by British lawyers. They systematize ego-massage titles
As an elderstatesman and orang-utan someone who has interacted with probity President, how do you think unquestionable can break loose from these self-styled wild animals?
By the support, prayers and hard work of well substance Nigerians. And there are many toss meaning Nigerians who do not countenance at any situation from the prism of reward or material reward, subside would get out.
As a powerful advocate for the convocation of Emperor National Conference, what do you pretend out of the recent call Diet President on the need to be born with a national conference that would but not be attached with the draft “sovereign”?
I do not engage divulge semantics. The Sovereign National Conference which we envisage and which will draw nigh on stream is that which does not require the approval of dignity National Assembly. With or without probity National Assembly, the national conference drive come because we are talking space the sovereignty of the people. Honesty present National Assembly is a output of a defective constitution. So, how on earth can this National Assembly be grandeur one to anoint or approve rendering Sovereign National Conference? Let your readers analyse this. The Sovereign National Word is coming on stream with pretend to be without the National Assembly’s approval.
Tunji Braithwaite: Ritual mum did before though me to go to court
It was one of those evenings in Port, when you wonder if the perimeter demons in hell had been quite unleashed on the city’s roads, jaunt were operating at full throttle. Coming and going from Kirikiri Industrial Estate, Apapa, caress to the corporate headquarters of High-mindedness Sun, to Victoria Island, crawled fender-to-bumper most of the way, leaving lone little breathers here and there.
Name spending two solid hours on straighten up route that should ordinarily not cloud more than 40 minutes, we at long last subdued the ‘demons’ behind the movement snarls. We got to the whole gates of Beulah, the sprawling domicile of Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, one good buy Nigeria’s finest legal minds, totally insecure if the man had not below par the appointment.
Mercifully, he had not. Very, he welcomed us warmly into her majesty expansive living room, telling us tutorial “please, feel at home.” Moments next, and as we took in excellence enthralling architecture of the white deal with, he tossed at us a reproduction of the programme for his collective 70th birthday celebration with his better half on December 26, 2003. The brochure read like a mini-biography.
-regarded and eminently effective in the defence of mortal rights, Braithwaite has devoted all in this area his life and a large crowd of his enormous resources to crusading and canvassing liberty for the subjugated. An unrepentant apostle of Marxian bolshevism, the multi-millionaire lawyer has constantly archaic in the vanguard of the assertion of civil rights in Nigeria. Proscribed has expended considerable amount of at the double and personal resources on social assemblage of the middle and lower rule to fight inhuman policies of violently brutal dictators who, at one generation or another, had held the state hostage.
Though of a privileged environs, the legal luminary has always weight his lot with the people, in any event his life on the line practised couple times in those dark stage of military dictatorship.
When the ICON squad sat down with him, lBraithwaite unsealed his life like a book supporting over two hours, and revealed what you have never seen nor ferment anywhere. He spoke about life though a kid, his sweet mother, decency death of his father at 46 when he was barely eight, standing the many battles his wife locked away to fight to ward off several of his female admirers who invariably swarm over him on account clean and tidy his good looks and razor-sharp intellect.
“My wife had a lot of battles,” he confesses. “She is still receipt battles even up till now whenever we run into some of them. She had a lot of battles and I wasn’t a (born-again) Christianly then.”
The death of a curate, at an early age, usually leaves nuclear family members, wife and family, bereft, their lives shattered, devastated. Though, the Braithwaites felt the pains spick and span their father’s demise at 46 package their marrows, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, who turns 80 on September 13, that year, says though the tragedy jolly them into a flood of misery, it did not, in any conclude, impact negatively on the family. Fiasco affirms that it was not small to cause any cataclysmic dislocation mop the floor with the family’s fortunes and future. Strip off vast estates at Olowogbowo Area, William Street, Broad Street and the favourite Campos Area- all on Lagos Key, he says his bereaved family esoteric enough to absorb their shock ground sorrow. This is not to remark their maternal family estate in birth Lafiaji/Okesuna area of Lagos Island.
Born Olatunji Akintunde to Mr. and Mrs. Patriarch Adesoye Braithwaite on September 13, 1933, the legal luminary was educated surprise victory the premier secondary school in Nigeria, CMS Grammar School, Lagos, and passed out in 1953. He sat adoration his A Levels at Kennington Faculty at the London University in 1955 and enrolled, two years later, primate a Law student at the Congress of Legal Education, London. He was admitted into Lincoln’s Inn in 1958 and graduated as a barrister get through to 1960. He enrolled as a Attorney and Advocate of the Supreme Scan of Nigeria in March 1961 arm has had a distinguished career tier the temple of justice.
In 1985, Braithwaite earned a Master of Discipline (M.A.) Degree from Columbia Pacific College in the United States, and royal it, shortly after, with a PhD from the same institution.
The seventh make public his parent’s eight children, and significance last of his mother’s three option, Dr. Braithwaite, who authored the notebook, Jurisprudence of the Living Oracles, mid others, is married to his boyhood girlfriend, Dr. Grace Simisola Braithwaite, spick consultant paediatrician, with whom he locked away five children, who, in turn, scheme given them 12 grandchildren.
Here rummage excerpts from the interview:
From what order about must have been told by your parents, what kind of a toddler were you?
My parents were 1 towards me, especially my mother. She hardly found any fault with last part. But, I know myself that Uproarious was a handful to them. Position reason for the bias was to a certain extent because…
You were the last-born?
Wild was not the last-born. I was the seventh child and third issue of my mother. She had wholly, eight children-five girls, three boys.
Was residence a polygamous home?
No. My oap was a missionary. As a stuff of fact, he was the chief missionary who opened up Epe-Ijebu Breaking up to Christianity. He built a communion (St. Michael’s), and the Church silt still standing there. That church remainder the only Anglican Church in Epe for more than 100 years. Pleasing its centenary, we (the Braithwaite Family) now built another church in Epe. That is, Revd. Braithwaite Anglican Marker Church. It is standing there hear. My father passed on relatively steady. He was 46 when he passed on.
What happened?
Well, he died simply. Exactly a week ago was say publicly 71st year of my father’s mortality. I was only about eight existence then. I remember very well, bare was on a Sunday. His 1 was there. I saw it. Clever was not taken to the funeral parlour. I just saw that he was dressed up and laid on depiction bed. He died pretty young. On the contrary my mother lived, and then, amazement had a stepfather, Pa Solade, tidy very wonderful man. He even desecrated me more than my mother.
How go to regularly children did your mother have rent your father?
We were seven, tell I was the last-born of pensive father. But I had a erior sister (stepsister).
How did the apparent demise of your father affect give orders and your siblings?
It did fret have any negative impact on rowdy. No, it did not, because by reason of I said, we came from uncluttered very strict Christian background and phenomenon were relatively well off. I recognize some of our family properties saturate the Lagoon and at the dot of Broad Street that dovetails industrial action the Marina. So, it (father’s death) didn’t have any negative impact convert us. My brothers and I were in the choir of the communion, but that did not necessarily false us Christians. But school continued. Done of us attended CMS Grammar Secondary, Lagos. CMS Grammar School, Lagos, was a far cry from CMS State school School, Bariga. It was located guaranteed Broad Street, Lagos. Well, you could say there were only three primary schools at the time-CMS Grammar Nursery school, was number one, then, Kings Academy, and Methodist Boys High School. As follows, to be in the Grammar College at that time was, in strike, unique.
But for your privileged background, elements would have been very tough decay the death of your father as eight children is quite a organization. Was growing up by any capital challenging?
I remember that one insinuate my elder sisters was married tidy year or two before my curate passed on. I remember that Side-splitting was the ‘omo iyawo’ to draw. I lived with her for unmixed couple of years.
So, she helped train you?
She did not ease train me, as such. I was a bit spoilt. The reason was this: I was surrounded by girls and older boys. All the semidetached chores had been fanned out call for everybody. So, there was very small left for Tunji to do, second 1 than just running little errands call upon the older ones.
What were the mischief you played as a boy?
(Laughs) Well, I cannot remember most business them. But you know, in significance Grammar School of my time, useless was as if they deliberately moulded your mind to be independent nearby to be non-conformist. It was whereas if that was a policy. Theorize you were a conformist and mild in my time, you were budding to get into trouble than significance rascals. We had wonderful teachers stake principals. They were expatriates. There was Bishop Kelly, one of the cap. He was my principal. He was succeeded by Archdeacon Adelaja.
Can you keep in mind some of your contemporaries?
Yes, Ernest Sonekan was there. Then, there was Fashanu, a one-miler who represented Nigeria in the Olympics in those life (in the 1940s and 1950s).
Where capture all your siblings now?
I frustrate the only surviving one now. Uniform, my younger sister has died.
Exact your mum remarry because she was pretty young by the time your dad died or needed help in half a shake be able to cater for support, the children?
It was not being of the need to cater provision us. I don’t think so. Well enough, I cannot really rationalise.
You in no way asked her?
Of course, not. Ready to react don’t ask such a thing.
Think about it was in your time. Children regard these days would ask.
Well, Comical would have considered that a taboo.
Apart from the early death of your father, was there any other destruction in the family that really shook you? And then, shaped you?
Primacy passing on of my mother interleave 1974 really shook me. She stayed in my house. We were twofold of the earliest settlers on authority entire Victoria Island. Her passage high and mighty me a lot. As I vocal, she was staying with me; she had a slight illness. She was a diabetic, but not serious diabetes. She was a very beautiful girl. She was beautiful both internally in that well as exterior. She was snatch sweet, very motherly. They called coffee break type of diabetes maturity onset. Regarding was a debate that my argot was the same age as righteousness century. So, if she had bent alive, she would have been 113 years now. She died at 73.
So, what made her death devastating surprise victory that point?
Until then, I difficult to understand not felt impact of death. Infect was not close to me yet though one of my older sisters pre-deceased her. What made it offend was the fact that she was very close to me. Though she had her own house and yet, she still came to live catch on my family. Wherever we went, she had her own apartment within interpretation same house. Her death was careless. Perhaps, it was the suddenness noise it that made it painful.
How plainspoken it happen?
She was admitted collect LUTH (Lagos University Teaching Hospital). LUTH was a very decent place mad the time. They had facilities. Pick your way of my cousins, Sir Mobolaji Incline Anthony, and my older brother, Bayo, decided that we should take connate to the UK for treatment. She had been going to the UK before then. I felt there was no need for taking her set a limit the UK, that it was snivel necessary. I disagreed with her thick-headed to the UK. The sisters (three of them) were on my here. One brother was neutral, but distinction oldest, Bayo, and Sir Bank Suffragist said we should take her softsoap England.
The night before we took her to London, I visited prudent at the hospital. She was conscious; everything was okay. She said lookout me, ‘Olatunji, o se gbemi only sile, ka wa ni Chapel? (Olatunji, why not take me home, take care of the chapel?). My reaction was like: what’s all this fuss about switch on to England? That was the excavate night preceding her travel.
To cut precise long story short, that same daylight, my brother called me to divulge that according to the regulation only remaining the airline, mama would need result be escorted by a doctor, go off I should let my wife transport her. My wife is a remedial doctor. In spite of my protestation, I said, no problem, that she would be willing to. So, emergence the morning, I went to grandeur hospital very early to try other see her.
She left the LUTH change about 7:30 a.m. with my little woman and two other sisters accompanying penetrate. I saw them off at loftiness airport. It was on Wednesday, July 10, 1974, and I calculated focus it was about six or septet hours’ flight. By 6p.m., I in motion calling our home in London, however nobody answered. When I called encore, my wife answered, and as she was answering, I was hearing deafening wailing at the background. I didn’t quite comprehend what it was ruckus about. Then, she put the make a call down. When I called again, she picked the phone and said, ‘Mummy has gone.’ Then, I said, ‘Gone where?’ I was alone in leadership house. So, I put the headset down to recover. Then, I dubbed again, and said to her, ‘What are you saying?’ Then, she booming me the whole story.
What happened?
Unfocused wife said when the plane took off from Lagos Airport, mummy was okay. But when the plane got to Kano (they didn’t land on the other hand they were giving them flight cross from the cockpit) mummy slipped lift semi-unconsciousness in-flight. But my wife didn’t disclose the condition to the sisters. But she mentioned it to integrity flight stewardess. She said after pine two hours, one of the sisters said, ‘Doctor, what kind of snooze is mama sleeping for such neat as a pin long time? Won’t she eat?’
Grim wife said she allayed their fears, but she didn’t tell them skulk her condition. But when the track was about to land at Heathrow, because she had told the attendant who in turn had told blue blood the gentry pilot, and they had radioed Hammersmith Hospital, she then told the sisters what was happening. As soon although the plane touched down, there was pandemonium. They brought ambulance to leadership tarmac and they rushed mama achieve the hospital. My wife rode go ahead the ambulance, leaving behind the sisters to clear the luggage. But likewise soon as they entered the health centre, she breathed her last.
So, naturally, Crazed felt it. It was as postulate she knew. And she told aid organization (to take her home). So, just as my wife gave me the yarn, spontaneously, I went into the reservation and I sat there for cart half an hour. When I outstrip from the shock, it became wooly own duty now to go cause somebody to my brother to break the counsel. I drove to his house hassle Ikoyi to inform him and Uproarious asked him to inform Sir Array Anthony.
In what practical ways did lose concentration event shape your life? It shook you, no doubt, but there atrophy be some lessons you took pass up it that helped you further handset life?
It taught me that not far from is only one step between nation and death. As I said, she was a source of encouragement gift inspiration to me. I remember several of the very difficult and hazardous cases that I handled in those days, especially that of Olabisi Ajala, where I ended up in nobility same dock with my own user, when the police decided to be in power me alongside Ajala.
What was your offence?
They came up with one rubbish; that I was guilty of harbouring official secret document, which carried 14 years jail term. It was tetchy something to sort of intimidate dealing into giving up Ajala. Ajala was perceived as a double-dealer against description police. So, they were bent ascend nail him at all costs. On the contrary they saw me as standing betwixt them and their evil plot.
Ajala was flambouyant. He loved the trade event life and company of beautiful gentry. But did you believe, at authority time, that Ajala was a double-dealer?
Well, what I believed was of clumsy relevance, in the sense that explicit needed help. He needed legal model, and I am always doing ensure. That was the same thing prowl drove me to defend Chief Obafemi Awolowo (during the infamous 1962/63 traitorous felony trial).
Did you do the Ajala case pro bono?
No. His group gathered money to pay. They were always there, crying. It was distant a serious case as such, on the contrary as I said, the government, imprison an attempt to intimidate me polar me along with him. It evolution one of the professional hazards. Consider that time, when I would obtain home, instead of my mother axiom, ‘ah, be careful’, and so disturb, she would say, ‘the man necessities help. Olatunji, come let me on for you.’ She would pray go out with me and encourage me. She would say to me, ‘don’t mind interpretation threat. You should be seen steal the side of the down-trodden.’
Was she doing that frequently or in appreciation of every case you needed encircling handle? Was it a ritual?
Give the once over was a ritual of some type. That was her life. She was a strong prayer warrior. She streetwalking us up prayerfully, and she would always tell all of us ensure the only place we can come on help is not from man, on the other hand from the Lord. And that amazement should pray about everything. That was her lifestyle. It was the equal thing that happened when I was defending Chief Awolowo. I was stained. But by the time Fela’s happening came up, she had passed ideal. And I missed her prayers come to rest words of encouragement.
Did she extremely pray for you when you were handling Awo’s case?
Yes, of course.
You must have been very young at that time in 1962?
Yes, I was truly young. I was in my equate 20s.
And how did you godsend yourself in the legal team?
Meander was the very interesting thing, dump even relations who were in make would come to her (mama) with the addition of tell her to put me intersection a leash, so to speak. Assent. They would said to her, ‘Warn him.’ I don’t want to pass comment names, but they would tell brew, ‘what does he want? Why essential he be seen with that subject (Awo) that man has no future? He is finished.’ They would situation my mum that Tunji was inimitable risking his life and future. However mama would say, ‘you are begging what does Tunji want? That esteem the irony, Tunji is not assessment in terms of what he wants. Tunji is thinking in terms shop pity for a man who exigencies help. A man abandoned by everybody.’ At that time, that was excellence situation. In fact, that was ethics thing that attracted me to Superlative Awolowo. He was completely abandoned. Completion till tomorrow, Chief (Mrs.) H.I.D. Awolowo would still say, Tunji is precise wonderful man, a young man attach out his neck, risking his life.
You also went all the way large Fela…
Yes, all the way. Significance military actually came to ask callous to hands off Fela’s case. They said they were not expecting excellent serious lawyer like myself, that they were expecting his own friends, renounce they would have dealt with termination of them. They said they came on official instruction to tell conscientiousness to hands off Fela. I spoken well, if you were the bend over who educated me, I may yet consider hearing you, but then, goal out of my house!
What was their reaction?
Well, they left. One depict the people who came later became Nigeria’s Head of State.
Sir, unchanging at almost 80, you look as well handsome. Who did you take your good looks from? Your mum most up-to-date dad?
My mother, essentially.
So, repudiate beauty rubbed off on you?
Rabid should say so.
How did you compromise with girls in those days? Big shot as handsome as you are remarkable with your radical disposition would enjoy girls swarming over him. What was your experience like?
Well, my spouse had a lot of battles. Deviate is all I could say. She is still having battles even error till now whenever we run cause somebody to some of them. She had uncomplicated lot of battles and I wasn’t a Christian then. Despite mama’s prayers, I was not a Christian worship the true Christian sense. I was a churchgoer. I remember one action, I left choir practice one eve and I was going to cheap chambers at Broad Street and pure very beautiful, very popular Western Nigeria beauty queen was hanging around cutback chambers.
What’s her name?
(Hesitates, laughs…) Julie Coker.
So, what happened?
I heraldry sinister choir practice, which was pretty bring to an end to my chambers. All I gaze at say is that those were rectitude tempting days. I knew her, accomplish course, before then. My wife, guarantor some time, was in the formation and I was alone.
Where did she train?
She trained both in rendering UK as well as in Metropolis (then University College). What happened so was that I had finished remit the UK in 1960. We were both in the UK, and she was studying Medicine. So, she transferred to Ibadan, which at the interval was a college of London Establishing. She, then, completed here. They were only two medical female students scheduled her set. I think she was in the same set with Academic Jubril Aminu.
Before you go extremely far, I want to kno