When in October 2017 Kabiyesi Olufemi Adewunmi Ogunleye concluded his first degree in Law from Crescent University, Abeokuta at age 73 and he ‘threatened’ us his friends that he would go for an LLM after his Law School, we did not take him seriously. He successfully finished at Law School and was called to the Bar in 2018 and we thought that was it.
But that was not it for the restless Towulade of Akinale, Afogunlana f’ade, Delesolu 1, Arole Olowu of Ancient Owu Kingdom of Ewekoro Local Government Area in Ogun State.
The former Head of Public Relations of the defunct Nigeria Airways and former Senior Correspondent of the defunct Daily Times was one of the graduands at the 9th Post Graduate Convocation Ceremony of Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State last Thursday, 20th August 2020, with a Masters in Law, LLM. So, three years after his first law degree, Kabiyesi has added another feather to his already full cap as he continues to serve his people as their traditional ruler.
The 76-year-old veteran journalist cum veteran public relations practitioner already has several professional qualifications in his kitty, including the University of Lagos Diploma in Mass Communication and he also went to the Daily Times Training School where he came first in their course in 1972.
While in Nigeria Airways, he attended training programmes at Boeing in the United States, with Fokker Friendship in Holland, Airbus Industry in France, IATA in Geneva, British Airways in London and Ethiopian Airline, before retiring from the airline in 2000 as General Manager, Public Relations.
For his legal training, Oba Ogunleye started with a Diploma in Law at Crescent University, Abeokuta. At the end of the course, he made an Upper Credit and the school authorities told him that his result was good enough to enroll for a degree in Law. That was how he embarked on the LLB degree programme which ran between 2011 and 2017.
As a journalist in the 60s and 70s, he worked for the Morning Post, Middle Belt Herald, New Nigerian and Daily Times, although he continued to write for Vanguard on aviation matters even after he left Nigeria Airways.
As a traditional ruler, he started out as Baale in 2004 and was later made an Oba in 2006 by the Olowu of Owu. His title has been elevated into the Egba Traditional Council and Ogun State Council of Obas and he has about 60 Baales working with him in his kingdom, ironing out issues relating to security, family problems, inter-township relations, and matrimonial conflicts, among others.
Kabiyesi Olufemi Adewunmi Ogunleye and I met when he was Public Relations Manager of Nigeria Airways and I was Airport Correspondent for Radio Nigeria from late 70s to early 80s.
While Kabiyesi was PR Manager of Nigeria Airways, Lai Mohammed, yes, the same Lai Mohammed, was PR Manager of Nigeria Airports Authority, both organisations operating out of the same airport in Ikeja, Lagos. Both Lai and Femi (he was just ‘Femi’ that time O, bearded, casual and humble) were the major contacts we as Airport Correspondents had to deal with as far as news about the aviation industry was concerned. There were old fellow Airport Correspondents like Jimmy Aderinokun of Daily Times, late Seinde Dagunduro of New Nigerian and others. Of course friends from The Punch down the road at Onipetesi, close to the airport in Ikeja, like Eric Teniola, Toye Akiyode who later went to edit Vanguard, and Demola Osinubi who was later to became Punch’s Managing Director, would always stray in because the airport was the scene of action, especially when heads of state, foreign ministers and politicians like Zik, Awo, Aminu Kano and Waziri Ibrahim will be passing through. Of course, Bayo Osiyemi would also drop in, especially when he started holding sway as Lagos State Governor Lateef Jakande’s spokesman.
But back to our humble Kabiyesi Olufemi Ogunleye; he knew how to circulate news among us and his friendly disposition is legendary. I am sure his course ‘mates’ at Crescent and Babcock Universities as well as at the Law School would have been awed by his openness.
Now, he is eminently qualified to sit and discuss anything meant for ‘learned’ people which regular folks like us dare not. Don’t put it past him to target a Doctorate in Law in the near future. After all, he is only just 76 and as he said in an interview, age is in the mind.
Congratulations to you, Kabiyesi Oba Olufemi Adewunmi Ogunleye as you bask in the glow of your latest degree. Epa.com.ng wishes you more years of service to God and humanity, particularly your people in Akinale Community in Ogun State.
IMAGE CREDIT: Oba Ogunleye
Epa Ogie Eboigbe, veteran journalist, broadcaster and public affairs specialist writes on, and analyses current and historical issues with a ‘wise pen’.
