About three decades back, a certain Miss Olamide Alaaka, a Lower Six HSC student of Ilesa Grammar School, aspired to lead the school’s Literary and Debating Society, an academic-based peer group, founded by an alumnus and second republic governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande. Stiff opposition rose from an unlikely quarter.
Her immediate juniors in Form Five said over their dead bodies. Her brilliance was not in doubt. Her capacity was also unchallenged. Her budding beauty was also captivating enough. But tough mien, steely stubbornness and fiercely independent-mindedness reportedly made her unacceptable to the majority of those in the immediate junior class. They feared a possible tough time under her leadership. She persevered, weathered the storm and went on to win the election that ultimately divided the body.
Fast forward to decades after, the bold, beautiful and brilliant Ilesa-born Olamide is now Justice Olamide Folahanmi Oloyede of the Osun State Judiciary, precisely of the High Court in Osogbo, who is currently in the eye of the storm for tabling a petition before the Osun State House of Assembly seeking the investigation and impeachment of her kinsman, Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola and his deputy Osogbo-born, Ilesa-married, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, for alleged deliberate and criminal mismanagement of the state economy, culminating in non-payment of salaries and pensions for eight months with its attendant humanity crises.
The legislature further upped the impeachment ante by revealing it had requested the governor’s response to the civil and criminal allegations levelled against him and his deputy by the serving judge, a move that has heightened tension in the state, though political watchers are insisting that the legislative action is just a smokescreen to douse tension, considering the robust relationship between the executive and the legislature, controlled by the same political party.
Nonetheless, the step taken by Justice Oloyede is reverberating throughout the state, the nation and even beyond. The reasons are understandable. One, the petitioner is a female, which is quite uncommon in Nigeria’s political landscape. Two, she is a serving judge who by the ethics of her engagement should be seen and not heard where opinions are concerned as judges’ opinions are said to be reserved for the bench.
Three, she is of same Ijesa stock as the governor she is seeking his removal. Four, she is indirectly in the employment of the state where a conspiracy of executive and legislative arms could pressure the National Judicial Council (NJC) to ease her out of service. Five, the allegations she raised in the controversial petition are not only weighty but range from the civil to outright criminality. Six, if her petition succeeds in getting the governor out, she would be helping in taking her Ijesa people out of political reckoning in the state, where Aregbesola is the first Ijesa to rule.
But those who know the mother-of-four and passionate Grail Messenger very well disclosed to Saturday Tribune that she is not one for emotions or sentiments but a straight-shooter whose ‘Yes’ would not become ‘No’ overnight.
Such ramrod persona can be explained to be hereditary for an average Ijesa man or woman and the current political-cum-legal expedition of this judicial-activist who is also a cerebral writer, may not be unusual for those who have known Lamide since her secondary school days, through the tutorial classes of the faculty of law, Obafemi Awolowo University where she reportedly carved the niche of a no-nonsense woman for herself. But she cannot really be said to be a chip-off-the-block of her late lawyer-father, Chief Bode Alaaka. Those that lived around the family abode on Oke-Eso Street, Ilesa, still remember the “quiet lawyer whose children went to Ilesa Grammar School”.
While it would remain conjectural how Justice Oloyede developed into a fiercely independent-minded, tough-talking, devil-can-go-to-hell judicial and human rights fighter, what is not in doubt is her ability to take on establishments and dare glaring consequences. A source close to her told Saturday Tribune that her religious belief is a major driving force for her. According to the source, she is always heard saying “God will be angry with me if I know what is right and don’t do it”. She is said to be practically without friends among her judicial colleagues and squeaky clean of any corrupt acts on the bench.
When a source was told that the assembly may summon her to testify, the source assured Saturday Tribune that if such appointment is fixed for 9am, Olamide would be waiting for the lawmakers by 8am and would return fire for fire, while alluding to her total intrepidity.
While the jury is still out on whether her 30-page daring missive runs contrary to her judicial oath, the ethnic sentiment of her working against a fellow Ijesa and the allegation of her serving some unknown interests which are not altogether altruistic notwithstanding, she is already enjoying her heroine status in public opinion court as a true symbol of justice, fighting for the emancipation of the traumatised public servants and pensioners in the state as well as the entire citizenry which is wallowing in penury due to near-total collapse of the state’s economy.
While those in government are accusing her of serving parochial political interests with the widely-circulated petition, those applauding her as the true face of justice to humanity, alluded to the fact that with a salary of about N1.8 million monthly and about 20 more service years with prospects of career growth, she would not be taking such a risk with grave career consequences if she is not completely convinced of her convictions.
It should also be said she has a history of activism. As the Chief Registrar of Osun State Judiciary during the administration of former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, she fought battles with all judges of the state High Court and at a point, got suspended. She reacted by suing everyone to court over some administrative issues bordering on financial allegations.
Prince Oyinlola was said to have waded in and forced a truce that reportedly culminated in the withdrawal of her suit and lifting of the suspension. She later became the last judge to be appointed by Oyinlola. Again, the human rights community will remember that court Chief Registrar that stood for and by them one afternoon in July 2008 as they were arrested for protesting on the premises of the state High Court. Olamide offered, in writing, to be their witness against the state and the police.
But she really did not start on a war scale with Aregbesola. She reportedly supported the governor’s failed move to impose the then Lagos High Court judge and now Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole as Osun State Chief Judge. The failed judicial “coup” is said to have left rough patches in the relations between Oloyede and some of her colleagues.
It is obvious that she is doing well with her career and her activism. Whatever is serving as the catalyst has earned her universal applause.
Justice Oloyede alluded to something going wrong between her and the governor in the opening paragraphs of her petition, where she raised the controversy of a cancelled appointment and while she had to go to town with the governor without intimating him about the allegations.
While it would also remain conjectural at which point the centre gave way between the duo and why, a long drawn battle is surely ahead considering the pedigree and antecedents of this amazon and the man she has taken on. Both are marathon fighters who rarely quit. While the judge is expected in days ahead to prove what she referred to as O’ Fraud of Aregbesola’s administration, she has indeed served the state and the nation enough to discuss about the good, bad and ugly of the Osun State government. And she served it, a la carte.
