Justice Ajama: Fulfilled in Retirement

Etofolam Sydney

To many who understand the popular Yoruba poetry, ‘Ise L’ogun Ise’, Justice Christopher Ebaragha Tamuno Ajama, who retired from the Ondo State Judiciary will always remind you that it should be the watchword of every young man who strives to be the best in life. It simply means hard work is the way out of poverty. One of the very few men from Arogbo-Ibe Kingdom who possesses vast experience as a teacher, lawyer, farmer and a diligent servant and equally turned out to be the first from Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State to be appointed a High Court Judge.

A legal practitioner of repute, Justice Ajama is not only a principled builder with a progressive mindset, he is a blessed father that positively affects every area he finds himself – farming, construction, religion, family, history or even politics.

Justice Ajama, still witty with a strong knowledge of local and international politics, born on the 5th of April, 1950, grew up in Ogidigba, goes down memory lane to explain how his environment played a huge impact in his life. The retired Judge explains that while starting his primary education at the Local Authority Primary School and living in the village, he was equally assisting his mother Mrs. Alice Maromapa Ajama who caught fishes in the river as a means of complementing her trade.

In 1960, he moved to Arogbo to stay with his father, Mr. Nathaniel Ajama, the first to open a bread factory and distribution business in Okitipupa, the Southern part of Ondo which was already making waves, so he could complete his primary education at St. Peters UNA Primary School, Arogbo in 1961. Thereafter, he moved to Okitipupa with his father who had already become a regional distributor of bread in the between 1961 and 1965. He worked in the family business while waiting to commence his secondary education. His elder brothers were still in secondary school, hence he had to wait for his father to raise enough funds which will take care of the additional bill..

In 1965, the young Christopher wrote the Common Entrance Examination to Ondo Boys High School and was offered admission. There he excelled in learning and was inspired by the popular Yoruba poetry “Ise L’ogun Ise” – a poem that preaches hard work to every progressive minded youth. He reads this poem till date not just to his offspring but also to friends and relations who visit him from time to time.It is boldly written in a board strategically placed in his Living room for all to read and get the message.

His academic and other experiences exposed him into what life entails as he finished top of his class in 1970. He went ahead to write the London GCE where he made all his papers. Having completed his Secondary Education, the search for a job began. He moved to Lagos to stay with his elder brother, late Mr. Theophilus Elehibiri, a Police Officer.

In 1972, he had his first job with the Nursing Council of Nigeria (NCN). While working in Ibadan, he wrote the preliminary exam to further his education at the University of Ibadan and was admitted but due to paucity of funds, opted for Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo where tuition was free to study English and Geography Education.

He graduated from the College of Education in 1976 to become the first Ijaw man from Arogbo to attain this height and was amongst the first set of NCE graduates to be mobilized for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the then Oyo State (now Osun State) where he was posted to Government Teacher Training College Ilesha.

After Teaching in Four different Teacher Training Colleges during his NCE and service year, he got his first official teaching job with Divisional Teacher Training College, Ile-Ife, Osun State in 1977. While at Ilesha, he encountered a Canadian lady who advised him to pursue a career in Law because he was argumentative in nature. She accompanied him to University of Ife (now OAU) to obtain the admission form but was disappointed to find out that the University no longer offered part-time studies in Law. Thus, he applied to the University of Nigeria Nsukka (Enugu) and was offered to study Law on a part-time basis. He was school mates with Pastor Chris Okotie, Onyeka Onwenu and former Minister of state Petroleum Dr. Ibe Kachikwu. He left the Divisional Teachers’ Training College in 1977 to commence his studies in Enugu and worked as a teacher at Queens College, Enugu for five years.

When he graduated with LLB Hons in 1982, he proceeded to the Nigerian Law School in Lagos and was called to Bar in 1983. On leaving Law School, he had his first practice with Gboyega Famodu & Co. before working with Chief J.O. Nyiwari & Co, a foremost Ijaw lawyer, all in Lagos.

Justice Ajama is quick to tell you that the year 1985 was a ground-breaking for him as he opened his chambers, C.E. Ajama & Co, Opokio Chambers at No 34 Mba Street Ajegunle, Apapa Lagos and practiced there till 2002 when he was appointed High Court Judge in Ondo State. He is the first Ijaw man in Ondo state to attain this height, a position he occupied till he retired. During this period of service as a High Court Judge, he served at Ondo, Oka, Ifon and Akure High Courts.

Vastly experienced in judicial matters, he was appointed Chairman, Ondo State Chieftaincy Review Commission by former Governor Mimiko and equally became the first Ijaw man to attain such height after his retirement. This service he diligently rendered until 2016. He is the current Chairman of the Committee on Alternative Dispute resolution of the Federal University of Technology Akure.

During his service years, Hon. Justice Ajama attended several refresher courses for Judges and Khadis organized by the National Judicial Institute (NJI). In 2005, he participated in the Executive Stress Management Workshop organized by The Byron Institute. In July, 2010, he was a participant in the Law Pavilion Training on Electronic Law Report and Research. Also in 2010, he participated in the

International Bar Association Conference held in Vancouver, Canada. In 2013, he attended the International Bar Association Conference held in Dublin, Ireland. In S September, 2011 he attended the 29th International Symposium on Economic Crime in Jesus College, Cambridge, England.  In search of inner peace and knowledge of God, Justice Ajama in 2014 and 2015, embarked on Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and later became a Justice of Peace.

Interestingly, while Justice Ajama retired from the Ondo State Judiciary, his wife Mrs. Grace Ajama who has been holding forth at home looking after the family decided to study law. Mrs Ajama who said that she was challenged to study law after seeing her husband obtain NCE and degree in law, rising to the position of a State Judge before retiring, having reached the pinnacle of his chosen profession. She decided to dust her books and enter the classroom to study law. On graduation she proceeded to the Nigerian Law School in Bwari, Abuja. She is expected to graduate later this year.

The baby of the Ajama family Priye Ajama is also expected to proceed the law School into the Law School after graduating from the Igbinedion University in Okada, Edo State. Another daughter of Justice Agama, Keni Ajama is also studying law as a second degree after obtaining a Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy, Achievers University Owo. She is also expected to graduate this year.

Justice Ajama who is blessed with 12 children amongst them 11 graduates, will always tell you that there is no short cut to success while education is key to attaining lofty heights with the attendant respect it accords you. An avid reader who cannot be caught sitting idle on Sundays and other days without serious involvement church activities. He wants Government to always pick interest in developing the undertreated areas while advising that the Ondo state government should look seriously into the appointment of another Judge from Ese-Odo to give the indigenes of the area a sense of belonging.