Top lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) emerged the Most Outstanding Constitutional Lawyer and Human Rights Activist of the year of 2017 edition of Prestige Excellence Award. The glamorous award is powered by Prestige International Magazine and Prestige Online, published by Timmary Communications.
A BRIEF PROFILE OF CHIEF MIKE A.A OZEKHOME, SAN, OFR, FCIArb, LL.D, D.Litt, D.A, HonDL, Ph.D, JD, HonMA (HC), LL.M, LL.B (HONS), BL, KSM, F.AES, FNIM, AMNIPR, F.ITMN, F.ICA, FchMC, FNIER, LFIBA, PEFON, FIARSA,F.hcd, FCLED, FIMC, FCIHCDN AKAPAKPA VIGHIVIGHI EDOLAND ENOBAKHARE BENIN KINGDOM
Chief Mike Agbedor Abu Ozekhome is a Constitutional Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, Pro-Democracy Campaigner, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM), Voice of the People (VOP), Senior Advocate of Nigerian Students (SANS), Notary Public of Nigeria, Patriot, Pan-Nigerian, Author, Motivational Speaker, Public Affairs Analyst and Knight of the Order of St. Mulumba (KSM).
As a student and lover of law, philosophy, literature, History, international affairs, and the scriptures, the author has a way with words and possesses profound oratorical skills which enable him strike the right chord, when he speaks, while painting mentally-recorded pictures with words.
The legal icon hails fromIviukwe town, near Agenebode in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. His late parents, Chief Abu Ozekhome and Chief (Madam) Alimoh Abu Ozekhome, though of humble backgrounds, were lovers of education, respected Chiefs and Community leaders, who inspired the young Mike and nurtured him with the best virtues and character that humanity can bestow – honesty, humility, fear of God, hardwork, selflessness, service to humanity, courage and daring bravado.
The Author attended St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Iviukwe, and St. Peter’s College, Agenebode, both in which he made the best results. Baptist Academy, Lagos, in 1975 and the University of Ife (now ObafemiAwolowo University, Ile-Ife), wherefrom he graduated in 1980, after losing one academic year to alter his original course of study from English language to law.
His university intership was always with peoples lawyer, late KanmiIsola-Osabu, while his NYSC was with the Federal Ministry of Justice, but seconded to the then National Provident Fund, Lagos.
By 1982, Dr Mike Ozekhome was back to Ife to pursue his Masters degree programme in Law. He also lectured simultaneously at the same Law Faculty. Many of his students are today Judges, Justices of Appellate Courts, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, top entrepreneurs, Diplomats, Captains of Industry, top military brass and Professors. He later joined the ever busy and pro-masses Chambers of the Late Chief GaniFawehinmi, where he worked, first as a junior counsel, later as a Senior counsel, and finally rising to the highest position of Deputy Head of Chambers by 1985.
Ozekhome has handled many epochal cases that have helped to define and shape Nigerian Legal jurisprudence and enthrone a regime of human rights, democracy, good governance and the rule of Law.
In 1986, he founded the law firm of Mike Ozekhome’s Chambers, with thriving offices in Lagos, Abuja, Benin City and Agenebode.
In 2005, he was a Federal Government Delegate to the National Political Reform Conference, representing Civil Societies. In 2009, he was a Federal Government delegate to the Vision 2020Conference, to help chart a course of making Nigeria one of the twenty leading economies in the World by the year 2020. In 2001, he had chaired the Federal Government Panel that recalled many politically victmised lecturers and students during successive Military dictatorships. In 2014, he was a Federal Government delegate to the National Conference, wherein he was nicknamed the “Cicero of the Conference” by the Conference leadership.
Using Law as an instrument of socio-economic engineering, Ozekhome in 1987 co-founded the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), the first Human Rights Organisation in Nigeria. He was the pioneer Director of Legal Services and member of its Governing Board. In 1998, he co-founded the Joint Action Committee ofNigeria (JACON), with the late Chief GaniFawehinmi, with him as vice chairman, publicity and publications. He had earlier in 1992, solely founded the Universal Defenders of Democracy (UDD), an international Human Rights and pro-Democracy league. He also founded the Democratic Rights Agenda (DRA) and Peace Initiative (PI), a peace building and conflict Resolution Centre. Ozekhome was detained several times, starting from 1986, on account of his Human Rights and Pro-Democracy activities, especially during repressive military juntas.
In 1990, he was glowingly acknowledged by the Lawyers Committee For Human Rights, New York, in its 1989 and 1990 Annual Reports: “In Defence of Rights: Attacks On Lawyers and Judges”, as one victim of human rights abuses.
Ozekhome later founded Mike Ozekhome Foundation (MOF), a wholly philanthropic and charitable organization committed to helping the poor and the down-trodden. A consummate author who has written many Law and other books, he has attracted to himself numerous traditional and honorary Chieftaincy titles from across Nigeria, the most known of which is AKPAKPA VIGHI VIGHI OF EDO LAND (Generalissimo and Commanderof thetraditional Armed Forces of Edo land), a title jointly conferred on upon him at Ekpoma, Edo State, on March 2,2002, by all the 72 Traditional Rulers of Edo State, a feat never before achieved by anyone.
Ozekhome has received over 2760 Awards and Honours, both locally and internationally. He holds the Honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Doctor of Letters (D.Litt), Doctor of Administration (DA), Doctor of Letters (HonDL), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D), from Universities in USA, United Kingdom, Israel and Nigeria. (JD) Doctor of Jurisprudence (HonorisCausa) – Commonwealth University, Belize City, Belize, A Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, DrOzekhome is an InternationalAmbassador of Peace, honoured with the Global Peace Loving Citizen of the World.
He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration (FCIArb), Academy of Entrepreneurial Studies (F.AES), National Institute for Education and Research (FNIER), Nigerian Institute of Management (FNIM), Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (F.chMC), Institute of Corporate Affairs Management (F.ICA), Institute of Trade and Management of Nigeria (F.ITMN), Professional Excellence Foundation of Nigeria (DEPEFON), (Fellow, International Association of Research Scholars & Administrator (FIARSA),(Fellow, Chartered Institute of Human Capital Development of Nigeria (FCIHCDN).Honorary Special Marshal by Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), recipient of Herbert Macaulay Leadership, African Global Integrity, Legend and Hero of Democracy, ECOWAS, Niger Delta Excellence, “Legal Icon in Nigeria”, by Guardian Newspapers (2012), Most Outstanding Young Person in Nigeria Jaycees International, Peter Benson Human Rights awards, FIMC (Fellow, Institute of Management Consultants) (2017)etc.
Amongst others, DrOzekhome has been appointed Counsel, International Criminal Court, The Hague, The Netherland (2016), 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century – 9th Edition,by (IBA) (2016), Legal Adviser, Amnesty International (A.I.), Nigerian Chapter (1996), Chairman, Board of Trustees, Youth Enhancement Organization (YEO) (since 2008), Member, Transparency in Nigeria (affiliate of Transparency International (since 2008). MAN of THE YEAR for Nigeria, by the American Biographical Institute (ABI), USA, Secretary-General, United Cultural Convention (2013), International Man of the year by UCC (2013), “Ambassador of Nigeria”, by the World Forum Federation (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015), inducted in to the American Hall of Fame (2011), honoured with a medal as one of the “Great Minds of the 21st Century” by ABI (2011); “Lifetime Achievement Award” (2011), by UCC; etc. He has been featured in many Biographies such as“Man of the Year, 1999”, by IBC, Cambridge, England, “One of 2000 Intellectuals in the World” by IBC, (1999), “One of the outstanding personalities of the 20th century” by IBC, (2000), “One of the 100 sports personalities of the 20th Century” by Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Lagos State Chapter, One of the leading Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN (2nd Edition), published by GEM Communication Resources (May 2012).
He has been featured variously in Dictionary of International Biography (“Who is Who in the World”), by IBC, Cambridge, England, 28th and 29th Editions, “Who is Who in Nigeria”, by NIBC, Lagos, “Who is Who in Nigeria,” by NewsWatch Publications Ltd, etc.
Amongst others, Ozekhome is a member of the International Bar Association (IBA), Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), African Bar Association (A.B.A), Pan African Lawyer Union (PALU), American Bar Association (ABA), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), National Executive Committee, Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Island Club, Usagbe Club of Nigeria, Esako Club ’81, etc.
Married to a lawyer and gender crusader, Lady (Chief) Josephine Mike Ozekhome, LL.M, with seven children, Chief Mike Ozekhome, a teetotaler loves sports and music, reading and writing, hot argument and debates, philanthropy, travelling and nurturing pets and plants.
