Guardian

RENOWNED American black leader, Martin Luther King Jr., in one of his foremost statements, asked an instructive question: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others…?”

This aphorism aptly epitomizes the character and nature of Chief Christopher Oladipo Ogunbanjo, who sees service to the society and humanity as a way of life.

The revered lawyer and industrialist, who celebrated his 89th birthday on December 14, 2012, has always demonstrated his heart for service in all his life endeavours. This has made his admirers to trace his background to being a son of a clergyman.

Ogunbanjo, who bestrode the judiciary in the 60’s like a colossus and highly reputed for his exploits in Maritime and Commercial Law practice, today, remains a reference point to younger lawyers, who call him the doyen of Maritime Law and Admiralty Law Practice.

His law firm, Chris Ogunbanjo & Company, is a correspondent firm to many international law firms doing business in Nigeria.

Chief Ogunbanjo’s deep knowledge of Maritime Law led to his choice on many occasions as a leader of the country’s delegation to several international conferences on Maritime Law. These countries include Canada, Italy, France and the then Soviet Union.

As a leading international law firm, he has law offices in many parts of the world.

His chamber has continued to provide comprehensive global service to national and multi-national corporations, financial institutions and governments. His entry into the industrial arena was very easy because of the vast experience he acquired in the corporate legal practice.

Ogunbanjo’s upbringing within the precincts of the church, undoubtedly, shaped his character, and molded him for service to the society.

Even at 89, it is difficult to know that Chief Ogunbanjo has come of age because of the enormous energy and strength he still devotes to his service to humanity.

The lawyer -turned industrialist understands the place of sincerity and integrity in real service, hence, his refusal to sacrifice sincerity and integrity for anything. He believes that such virtues cannot be bought or measured with money.

Born on December 14, 1923 to Reverend Canon Daniel Ajayi Ogunbanjo and Mrs. Christianah Towobola Ogunbanjo (nee Idowu), Chief Ogunbanjo is the first son among the seven children in the family.

He was raised within the premises of the Church of the Epiphany, Erunwon, Ijebu-Ode. His father had served initially as a Catechist together with his primary assignment as Headmaster and later the first Vicar of the Church.

His early education saw him through various primary schools: they were St. Matthew’s, Imodi, Ijebu-Ode where he lived with Mr. E. A. Ogundipe, St. Philip’s, Ile-Ife where he schooled when the father was transferred to St. Paul’s Church, Aiyegbaju. It was from there that he gained admission into Oduduwa College, Ile-Ife as one of the foundation students.

His interest in service was honed at the Oduduwa College, where he joined the Scout Movement.

His devotion to the Scout Movement led to his appointment as Assistant Commissioner (Development) at the National Scout Headquarters.

From 1938 to 1941, Chris, as he is popularly referred to, was at Igbobi College, Lagos, to complete his secondary education, where he came out in flying colours, which earned him exemption from London Matriculation. After serving as a clerk in the judicial department of the colonial service from 1942 to 1947 during which he passed the intermediate LLB, he proceeded to London in January 1948. In June

1949, he obtained the Bachelor of Law Degree.

In 1950, he was called to the Bar in Lincoln’s Inn. That same year, he was enrolled as Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Ogunbanjo started Legal Practice in 1950 as a partner in a law firm then known as Michael, Chris & Samuel (made up of Michael Odesanya, now a retired judge, the late Chief Samuel Akintola, former

Premier of Western Nigeria and Chief Christopher Ogunbanjo).   The office was situated at Tinubu Square in the heart of Lagos.

However by mutual consent, the firm was dissolved in 1961, paving the way for the establishment of Chris Ogunbanjo and Co. with him as the Principal partner.

His law firm was primarily a Commercial Law firm and is perhaps, the biggest in this field in Nigeria. The firm has been a breeding ground for many successful lawyers in Nigerian legal practice.

The reputation of the firm facilitated the nomination of Chief Chris Ogunbanjo as the retainer Solicitor for the Nigerian Industrial Development Firm in 1962. Chief Ogunbanjo, at present, is the principal consultant of the firm.

Having joined the Board of Directors of Phillips Nigeria Limited in 1958, Chief Ogunbanjo and Chief S. L. Edu in June 1960 became shareholders of the Dutch Company.

Chief Ogunbanjo’s business interests in glass production, banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals, food, paper conversion and others justified the reference to him as a Captain of industry.

In the area of public service, he has been able to show by example that bridges can be built across social, racial, ethnic and religious divide. He was one of the first people to make their homes available for the first set of Experimenters in International Living in 1958 and 1959.

He was among the Nigerian delegation to the 23rd Session of the United Nations in 1968 when the civil war was on.

In 1972, Chief Ogunbanjo was appointed the first Chairman of the Nigerian Council of Management Education and Training, the governing body for Centre for Management Development. That added responsibility led his tour of management facilities in the United States of America, India and the Philippines, The result of the visits were the establishment of the Centre for Management Development in Lagos. He engineered the transformation of the Nigerian Building Society into Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria in 1976, the formulation of Nigeria’s Industrial Policy (1984), which led to the establishment of the Raw Material Development Council, the review of Draft Companies Decree (1988), which culminated in the Companies Degree (1990).

The highly revered corporate player has continued to typify nobility.

Apart from his stupendous riches, the Olotu of Ijebuland has over the years lived a lifestyle of panache and finesse that many younger corporate players are emulating.

A good family man and rallying point for members of the extended family, Chief Ogunbanjo is an epitome of transparency, honesty, accountability and a strong believer in social stability as a pre-condition to social progress and development.

He was the Chairman and Trustee, Ogun State Development Trust Fund, a former President, Ogun State University Development Foundation, founding member and former President and Patron Nigerian American Chamber of Commerce, founding member and Patron Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce, Patron, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines & Agriculture (NACCIMA).

Founder and Chairman, The Chris Ogunbanjo Foundation, with ‘The Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution’ (C.P.C.R.) and ‘The Centre for the Promotion of Industrial Society and Private Enterprise’ (C.I.S.P.E.) as the operating arms. Founding member and [ast President of the first Lions Club in Nigeria.

Chief Ogunbanjo holds a Doctor of Civil Laws (DCL) degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University (1987), Doctor of Laws (LL .D), and University of Lagos (1988), Doctor of Science (D. Sc.), Ogun State University (1990), Doctor of Technology and former Chancellor Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) (2001), Fellow Nigerian Academy of Education (1997).

Officer of the Order of Orange Nassau Netherlands (1981),
Writer - ‘Nigeria’s Economic and Industrial Development - Which Way?’(1983),

‘Nigeria - The search for economic stability’ (1986) and ‘Nigeria’s Economic Reforms - Current Issues’ (1998), President of Metropolitan Club Lagos (2005 - 2008),

He held the title of  “Father“ of the Ijebu Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Lay President (Baba Ijo) Church of the Epiphany Erunwon Ijebu-Ode, and President Young Men Christian Association  (YMCA) of Lagos.

He is holder of many chieftaincy titles. The Olotu of Ijebuland, the Lerinja of Egbaland, the Gbadero of Lagos, the Asiwaju and Baba Oba of Ijebu Imusin and Baba Oba of Erunwon Ijebu.

Chief Ogunbanjo’s philanthropic gesture has benefited many people in Nigeria through various bodies established by him. These include: The Chris Ogunbanjo Trust Fund (University of Lagos) for prizes in Company Law and Land Law; the Elias Chair of Jurisprudence (UNILAG); the construction of a 24-stall market in Erunwon, the Community Centre at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and the Rev. Daniel Ajayi Ogunbanjo Community Centre, Ago Iwoye.

A devout Christian and a man of steadfast faith, Chief Ogunbanjo personally sponsored the construction of The Church of the Epiphany, Erunwon, Ijebu-Ode in appreciation of God’s abundant blessings on him, his family and the community in which he was born and raised.