Ogun Central: Yemi Oke Seeks Mandate

Sola Adeokin

In the Nigerian socio-political and economic space, the Egba people of the Ogun State Central Senatorial zone occupy a prominent place, achieved by distinguishing themselves in various endeavours. The zone which has six Local Governments areas- comprising Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Obafemi-Owode, Ifo, Odeda and Ewekoro – is home to educated and politically conscious people, who have played key roles in the national affairs.

Prominent among these are former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Ernest Shonekan, former head of the Interim National Government (ING), late Chief D S Adegbenro. The zone also produced the late Chief MKO Abiola, winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election, the famous Ransome-Kuti family, Chief Adetokunbo Ademola, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, renowned medical doctor and founder of the St. Nicholas Hospital Lagos, Dr. Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi, and foremost banker, Oluwole Adeosun, among several other illustrious sons and daughters of the zone.

For a people whose political consciousness could be regarded as one of the highest in the country, it is hardly surprising that all the senators that have represented the zone at the National Assembly in the Fourth Republic are people who have distinguished themselves in their professional endeavours. As a matter of fact, three of them had been Commissioners in the State before being elected into the Senate while the current representative spent two terms as governor of the State.

For the records, representatives of the zone at the Senate since the return of democracy in 1999 include Dr. Femi Okunrounmu of the Alliance for Democracy (1999 to 2003); Ibikunle Amosun of Peoples Democratic Party (2003 to 2007); Dr. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello of Peoples Democratic Party (2007 to 2011); Gbenga Obadara of the Action Congress of Nigeria (2011 to 2015); Dr. Lanre Tejuoso of All Progressive Congress (2015 to 2019) and Ibikunle Amosun of All Progressive Congress (2019 till date). Amosun is the only person so far re-elected.

As 2023 beckons and gladiators begin to jostle, one name that is likely to cause a major disruption in the highly sophisticated Egba politics is a young legal luminary, seasoned scholar and internationally acclaimed expert, Professor Yemi Oke.
Information has it that Oke is in the process of consulting major political actors and notable leaders in Ogun State and particularly Ogun Central Senatorial zone

Oke’s resume is widely perceived as solid. Born 49 years at Itoko-Arinlese, Abeokuta in Abeokuta South Local Government, attended the famous Baptist Boys’ High School (BBHS) Abeokuta; University of Ilorin where he studied Law; Nigerian Law School and Osgoode Hall Law School of the York University, Ontario, Canada (on full scholarships), for his LL.M and P.hD.

He is also thought to have requisite political experience having been exposed to national and Ogun Politics the early 80s through his late father, Chief Kasali Oke and late Uncle, Chief Muftau Osayemi (Baba Oja). He began playing active politics from 1989 under the Zero party era and thereafter twice contested for the Abeokuta South Federal Constituency for the House of Representatives, in 2007 and 2011. He has also served in several agencies, commissions bodies and other statutory institutions in Ogun State and at Federal level as technical expert and consultant.

An Egba High Chief, Professor Yemi Oke holds the title of Bada Baamofin of Egbaland as well as other chieftaincy titles in Egba Kingdom. He is a member of Abeokuta Club, Abeokuta Sports Club, Abeokuta Golf Club, Unilag Senior Staff Club, Federal Civil Service Club, and other several social clubs in Lagos and Abeokuta.

He is currently a Professor of Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos; Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration of Nigeria (FCArb), a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCITN) and a pioneer Electricity Law scholar in Africa. He is a foremost Energy law expert of African origin globally.

PYO, as he is fondly called, has written 10 major law textbooks on Energy Law, Electricity Law; International Institutions, and over 120 law articles in international and local journals.
He is the Managing Partner/Founding Principal, MJS PARTNERS, which also has other subsidiaries.
It is no surprise therefore that in the emerging political calculations from Ogun Central Senatorial Zone, he represents intellect, integrity and experience that will be put into the services of his people if he is elected into the Senate in 2023 on the platform of All Peoples Congress (APC).