SIX years after leaving office, former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday said although his administration made some mistakes between 1999 and 2007, he was proud of them because today, they are ‘successful mistakes’.
Obasanjo spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State at the 50th Anniversary of Chief Afe Babalola’s qualification as a lawyer.
The event was held at the Bar Centre of the Ibadan branch of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
At the event were President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by the Solicitor- General of the Federation Abdulahi Gulak, Governors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun, represented), Police Affairs Minister, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), former Ekiti state governor, Chief Segun Oni, Justice Emmanuel Olayinka Ayoola (rtd) guest lecturer, Chief (Mrs) Folake Solanke (SAN), Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN), Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Alhaji Lasun Salami (SAN), Mr Jimoh Ibrahim.
Also present were the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Frederick Obateru Akinruntan, Ewi of Ado Ekiti, and others.
Obasanjo said: “When I was looking for somebody to take the leadership of UNILAG and I picked Babalola, some people said I made a mistake, if it was a mistake, it was a successful mistake”.
He noted that while some people go through life without making any tangible mark, the legal luminary made a great difference, saying, “part of the gains of the ‘mistake’ was Chief Afe’s making UNILAG the best while piloting the affairs.
“During his tenure, the Vice-Chancellor was adjudged the best, while the Pro-Chancellor himself became the best in the country. The mother of all the ‘mistakes’ was that the exposure and involvement of Babalola in the affairs of UNILAG led to the establishment of Afe Babalola University of Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD)
“If you have not seen ‘instant wonder’, go to ABUAD. I have been there on several occasions. Babalola used the Pro-Chancellor of UNILAG experience to decide to build what today is the best and fastest-growing private university in the country,” the former President said.
He went further in chronicling his past achievements which some considered as blunders: “There are many Nigerians but there are not many good Nigerians. I ended the civil war; I drew up a successful programme for smooth transition; spent over three years in prison; became President after several persuasions, yet all these were blunders. If they were, then I admit to be a blunderer,” he said, amid applause.
Obasanjo gave the defence against a recent allegation by Brigadier -eneral Alabi Isama (rtd) in an interview with a national newspaper that he committed lots of blunders when he was the leader of the country.
Ajimobi, who described Babalola as father of all and a quintessential legal icon, noted that Babalola had not invested sufficiently in Oyo State, saying that the ABUAD should have been sited in Ibadan where he started his professional career and achieved so much from.
A lecture entitled: “The future of Law in Nigeria” was delivered by a former Supreme Court Judge and former Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice
Emmanuel Ayoola.
Two books were also presented by Chief Wole Olanipekun and Prince Lateef Fgbemi (SANs).
Ayoola stressed the need to improve legal education to boost the practice.
“First, our legal education should be re-invigorated and made more robust. For instance, we should begin to encourage inclusion of comparative law in every aspect of our legal education.
“We can only neglect the history of the principles of the common laws at a disadvantage. Our law faculties should be fully equipped with access to jurisprudence and decisions of other jurisdiction and systems to protect our laws.
“We delude ourselves in this country. If we believe that we can be a great nation without a great legal system. The path to the greatness of our nation is through a reliable, efficient, trustworthy and value-driven legal system.
“Our method of teaching should be oriented towards original thinking. Not only should we intensify continuing judicial education but also palpable demonstration of learning should be an indispensable yardstick for appointment to our superior courts.
“Rekindling awareness of the larger purpose of law that the profession serves contributes to interest in professionalism rather than commercialism.
“Aare Afe Babalola throughout the 50 years that I have known him, has always exhibited these virtues. There is hope that our legal system will do the same.
Olanipekun described Babalola as a reformer, revolutionary and educationist, “who pressed the amber light where you need to put brake”.
Responding, Afe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who was full of appreciation to all who honoured him, however said that against the allegation of Ajimobi that he had not done enough for Ibadan, where he rose to the height he had attained, he said he had done so much in terms of infrastructural facilities, including a well-stocked library, which has been a source of learning encouragement to many.