Yoruba Lawyers Disavow Purported EBF Adoption

Our attention has been drawn to the purported adoption made by
Mr. Ranti Ajeleti in the name of Yoruba Lawyers at the just
concluded EBF meeting held at Port-Harcourt.

We as concerned bona fide Lawyers of the Yoruba extraction felt
slighted ,betrayed and insulted by the conduct of Mr. Ranti Ajeleti
who claimed to be representing EGBE that has not held any meeting
in the last three years. The Egbe has technically ceased to exit
upon the demise of our revered leader, Chief Bandele Aiku SAN, (may
God grant his soul)and the fallout of the adoption brouhaha
preceding the 2014 NBA national election in which three highly
respected and well qualified candidates of our extraction contested
after the issue of adopting a single Candidate for the office of
the President of NBA could not be achieved after several meetings
of Egbe Amofin and Elders of Yoruba .

Consequently,,all the candidates were allowed to go into the
race and the rest is now history.

A Second group of Yoruba Lawyers that emerged was the Southwest
Lawyers Forum which is made up of progressive minded lawyers of
Yoruba origin.

The fractitious situation of an uncoordinated Egbe remained
until the demise of our most revered leader Chief Bandele Aiku SAN
,and regrettably culminated in Egbe’ s inability to call a meeting
to even disscuss Chief Aiku ‘s final burial rites.

The Southwest Lawyers has held several meetings to give Lawyers
of Yoruba extraction a common platform. . Mr. Ranti Ajeleti was at
Port-Harcourt on the bill of his sponsor(s). We learnt reliably
that flight ticket with accommodation and logging inclusive was
provided for him to ensure his presence at Port Harcourt

Undoubtedly ,the action of Mr. Ranti Ajeleti is dictated by self
interest and driven by his paymaster and therefore, could not
represent the decision of the Egbe Amofin. His purported
ratification did not enjoy the imprimatur of any of our revered
leaders. Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN was the deputy to Chief Bandele
Aiku SAN. Naturally, he is the next in rank but was not contacted
nor consulted by Mr. Ranti Ajeleti. Chief Gboyega Awomolo SAN,
Chief Femi Falana SAN, the only Governor among in Egbe , Governor
of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, Prince Lateef
Fagbemi SAN, Mrs Funke Adekoya, SAN, Asiwaju Niyi Akintola, SAN and
Chief Emmanuel Abiodun, were not consulted before Mr Ranti Ajeleti’
s political misadventure to Porharcourt.

Let’s check the precedent of adoption by Egbe in order to
properly situate the propriety or otherwise of Mr. Ranti Ajeleti’s
insult on Yoruba Lawyers..
It was never the tradition of Egbe Amofin that Yoruba Lawyers will
ratify candidates of other fora in foreign land .

The tradition is that whatever the decision of any regional
group within NBA like EBF such decision will be communicated to
Egbe in writing and shall be discussed at a general meeting or the
meeting of Elders before a decision is taken..

The Yoruba Lawyers did not adopt any Candidate at the last
election because the procedure/conditions for such exercise were
not met by the Arewa Lawyers Forum whose turn it was to produce the
President.

The adoption ratified by Mr. Ranti Ajeleti was done in his
personal capacity and lack the support of Yoruba Lawyers . The
action of Mr Ranti Ajeleti is a denegration of the ideal of
Omoluabi (virtuous person) which is the hallmark of the Yoruba race
and therefore stand rejected.

SIGNED
CONCERNED YORUBA LAWYERS.

Our attention has been drawn to the purported adoption made by
Mr. Ranti Ajeleti in the name of Yoruba Lawyers at the just
concluded EBF meeting held at Port-Harcourt.

We as concerned bona fide Lawyers of the Yoruba extraction felt
slighted ,betrayed and insulted by the conduct of Mr. Ranti Ajeleti
who claimed to be representing EGBE that has not held any meeting
in the last three years. The Egbe has technically ceased to exit
upon the demise of our revered leader, Chief Bandele Aiku SAN, (may
God grant his soul)and the fallout of the adoption brouhaha
preceding the 2014 NBA national election in which three highly
respected and well qualified candidates of our extraction contested
after the issue of adopting a single Candidate for the office of
the President of NBA could not be achieved after several meetings
of Egbe Amofin and Elders of Yoruba .

Consequently,,all the candidates were allowed to go into the
race and the rest is now history.

A Second group of Yoruba Lawyers that emerged was the Southwest
Lawyers Forum which is made up of progressive minded lawyers of
Yoruba origin.

The fractitious situation of an uncoordinated Egbe remained
until the demise of our most revered leader Chief Bandele Aiku SAN
,and regrettably culminated in Egbe’ s inability to call a meeting
to even disscuss Chief Aiku ‘s final burial rites.

The Southwest Lawyers has held several meetings to give Lawyers
of Yoruba extraction a common platform. . Mr. Ranti Ajeleti was at
Port-Harcourt on the bill of his sponsor(s). We learnt reliably
that flight ticket with accommodation and logging inclusive was
provided for him to ensure his presence at Port Harcourt

Undoubtedly ,the action of Mr. Ranti Ajeleti is dictated by self
interest and driven by his paymaster and therefore, could not
represent the decision of the Egbe Amofin. His purported
ratification did not enjoy the imprimatur of any of our revered
leaders. Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN was the deputy to Chief Bandele
Aiku SAN. Naturally, he is the next in rank but was not contacted
nor consulted by Mr. Ranti Ajeleti. Chief Gboyega Awomolo SAN,
Chief Femi Falana SAN, the only Governor among in Egbe , Governor
of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, Prince Lateef
Fagbemi SAN, Mrs Funke Adekoya, SAN, Asiwaju Niyi Akintola, SAN and
Chief Emmanuel Abiodun, were not consulted before Mr Ranti Ajeleti’
s political misadventure to Porharcourt.

Let’s check the precedent of adoption by Egbe in order to
properly situate the propriety or otherwise of Mr. Ranti Ajeleti’s
insult on Yoruba Lawyers..
It was never the tradition of Egbe Amofin that Yoruba Lawyers will
ratify candidates of other fora in foreign land .

The tradition is that whatever the decision of any regional
group within NBA like EBF such decision will be communicated to
Egbe in writing and shall be discussed at a general meeting or the
meeting of Elders before a decision is taken..

The Yoruba Lawyers did not adopt any Candidate at the last
election because the procedure/conditions for such exercise were
not met by the Arewa Lawyers Forum whose turn it was to produce the
President.

The adoption ratified by Mr. Ranti Ajeleti was done in his
personal capacity and lack the support of Yoruba Lawyers . The
action of Mr Ranti Ajeleti is a denegration of the ideal of
Omoluabi (virtuous person) which is the hallmark of the Yoruba race
and therefore stand rejected.

SIGNED
CONCERNED YORUBA LAWYERS.