Osinbajo @ 63: A Shiny Path Pumelled By Politics

By Augustine Adah

Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo, acquired an exemplary reputation as a technocrat in politics when he used the technicalities of the law to help Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to navigate the rough terrains of governance between 1999 and 2007.

As commissioner for justice and attorney general of Lagos State, Prof. Osinbajo also helped to enunciate the landmark justice reforms that have put Lagos State among the most proficient in the area of justice reforms.

The reforms helped to attract better brains to the judiciary in Lagos.

In addition, Osinbajo addressed access to justice for the poor by establishing appropriate institutions in the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) and the Citizens Mediation Centre (CMC).

He initiated some humanitarian serves which include free health care facilities, free legal services, social rehabilitation, and skills acquisition for the very poor, a regular soup kitchen service, and free shelter for young people without accommodation. 

Eight years after he left public service, Osinbajo bounced back albeit to higher office when he was placed on the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC as running mate to Muhammadu Buhari.

His choice being a Pentecostal pastor helped to assuage feelings of Buhari being an extremist Muslim in the Christian community.

As vice-president, Osinbajo brought much needed deft to the Buhari administration especially in the social welfare programmes that became about the most successful sector of the administration.

He was, however, derided in certain sectors for some of his gaffes especially in taking up the preceding administration. In joining the chorus against the Jonathan administration, Osinbajo was perceived in certain quarters as willing to cover his eyes to the malfeasances of his own administration.

Along the way the glory and shine with which many Nigerians regarded him depreciated as he was seen more and more as a politician.

Born on March 8 1957 at Creek Hospital, Lagos, Yemi is a professor of law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Osinbajo’s attended Corona School, Lagos for his primary education. During his post primary education at Igbobi College in Lagos, he won several awards that proved his academic prowess.

After his secondary education,  Osinbajo proceeded to University of Lagos for his under-graduate  programme between 1975-78.

There he obtained a Second Class Upper Degree in Law, and also won the Graham-Douglas Prize for Commercial Law.

Before joining politics, Osinbajo had worked in law firm where he served  as Senior Partner at Simmons Cooper Partners, Nigeria (a commercial law practice). He is also   a member of the International Bar Association,(IBA),  and the British Institute of International and Comparative Law and has served on the Nigerian Body of Benchers and the Council for Legal Education of Nigeria.

As Osinbajo turns 63 years old today, Nigerians would not forget in hurry his  performance as acting president when President Muhammadu Buhari was on medical vacation in 2016.

The report that Nigerian’s economic performance under him improved significantly endeared him to many Nigerians.

He is an ordained Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and an Emeritus Ambassador for the Environment in Lagos.

He is married to Oludolapo Osinbajo , granddaughter of the late  politician and statesman, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The marriage is blessed with three children.

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