Senate Leader's Day Of Honour:

The Secret Behind Sen. Bamidele New Doctorate Degree Award.

By Charles Segun Adegbite (With additional reports from Sesan Akinbowale and Segun Omo Ojikutu)

For the Majority Leader of the Nigeria Senate, Senator (Dr) Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, fondly called M.O.B, Saturday, February 10, was another historic day he would not forget in a hurry. It was a day of honour for him as he was conferred with Doctor of Public Law (Honoris Causa) by the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State.

Without mincing words, the town Oye-Ekiti stood still as men from all walks of life stormed Ekiti, the State that prides herself as Land of Honour, for the grand finale of the 8th Convocation Ceremony of the university.

As the saying goes, "A gold fish has no hiding place". So it is for this outstanding man and two other distinguished Nigeria lawmakers from the red and green chambers of the National Assembly: Sen. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, fondly called Yayi; who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, and Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi; Chairman, House Committee on Navy, who were also honoured with Doctor of Accounting (Honoris Causa) and Doctor of Political Science (Honoris Causa) respectively.

  

Why The Honour ?
For nearly two decades in Ekiti State, Bamidele's  good pedigree has earned him the motto: "Bibire Ko Se Fowora"(Good Pedigree Is Priceless) . This obviously was one of the major reasons the Vice Chancellor of the FUOYE, Prof. Abayomi Fasina and the university Senate and Governing Council sought for him, to honour him with the award.
    It was gathered that the process of getting Senator Bamidele for the award led to the arrival at honouring Senator Adeola for his good works at the Assembly and his senatorial district in Ogun State and Hon Gagdi's noteworthy activities in the House of Representatives and his Federal constituency in Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, PKK, Plateau State.

   

All came to give this man of the moment, Senator MOB, the solidarity he deserves as a worthy ambassador of Ekiti people in the National Assembly.

As the Chancellor of the University, His Royal Majesty, the Attah Igala, (DR) Mathew Alaji Opaluwa disclosed, the awardees were chosen following meticulous scrutiny of their activities, both in their constitutional mandate of lawmaking and the impacts they have created in the lives of their people through projects delivery and empowerment.

Who Attended?
The presence of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jubrin, who represented the Visitor to the university, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, added memorable glamour to the ceremony.
  He led other lawmakers from the upper and lower chambers of the National Assembly to the epoch making event.

The VIPs At The Ceremony
   Worthy of mentioning was the attendance of:
   Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, the Minister for State Environment, Dr Kunle Salako Iziaq, Senator Abdul Ningi(Bauchi), Senator Mike Okoye(Anambra), Senator Alwell Onyesoh(Rivers) Senator Iblis Ikra(Zamfara), Senator Babangida Uba (Kebbi).

  Other prominent personalities there included: The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Isiaq Oloyede, the Chancellor of the FUOYE, His Royal Majesty, the Attah Igala, (DR) Mathew Alaji Opaluwa, traditional rulers from different kingdoms in Ekiti State, top government functionaries from the federal and state governments, captains of industry, chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC , other political associates and friends of MOB, among other honorees with their family members.
  All came to give this man of the moment, Senator MOB, the solidarity he deserves as a worthy ambassador of Ekiti people in the National Assembly.

  Solidarity For A Worthy Leader
  His prompt actions in consulting and mobilizing security chiefs to quickly arrest the security challenges in his state, following the killing of two kings and abducting of a driver with school children recently; created additional good impression about him in the hearts of many Ekiti Kete and their monarchs.

  That bold moves, even as the state governor visited him in Abuja, resulted in the rescuing of those students and arresting of many suspects and beefing up of security in the state.

  

MOB has a good reputation for serving people and taking care of their welfare. This endeared him to his people and obviously led to the way many kings in the state honoured him with their presence at the conferment of the doctorate degree award on him on Saturday.

  Not His First Award
  This honourary doctorate degree was not the first a university has conferred on him. A year ago, the authority of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, JABU, Ikeji Arakeji, Osun State, awarded him Doctor of Public Administration (Honoris Causa)  in appreciation of his sterling leadership qualities, outstanding courage and excellent service to humanity.

A Honour Well Deserved
Does Senator Bamidele deserves the award of Doctor of Public Law(Honoris Causa) from that federal university? Well the answer is not far fetched.
Check his academic and professional profiles to make your judgement.

Here is a man who studied law and obtained Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with honours from the University of Benin, Edo State, over 33years ago(1990) and Barrister In Law(BL) from the Nigeria Law School, Lagos State, in 1991.

Prior to studying laws, he had bagged his first degree in Arts with Honours in Religions Studies at the then University of Ife(Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, Osun State, where he was a Student's Union Executive member, before he graduated in 1986.

Since that 1990 he obtained degree in Laws, his daily professional and political activities have consistently traversed the business of laws till date.
He has been operating in the three arms of government; the legislature, executive and the judiciary for over 30years.

Career In The Judiciary,  & Legislature
In 1992, after graduating from the Nigerian Law School and he was called to Bar by being enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1991, he started his law chamber, Opeyemi Bamidele & Associates, at Palm Avenue, Lagos State.

So, he began to engage in his legal practice. Soliciting and advocating for human rights; thereby specialising in Human Rights Law and International Jurisprudence.

In 1992, after contesting for House of Representatives elections and losing by a single vote, he was appointed as a political aide in the National Assembly, Abuja. And from that moment his practical knowledge of law making at the Nigeria hallowed chamber began to increase.

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Studying Abroad, Practising In USA
Following the political imbroglios of June 12 annulment in 1993 and the abortion of the third republic, Dr Bamidele returned to his law practice, with his chambers in Abuja and Lagos between that 1993 and 1995, when he travelled abroad, shortly after his wedding in Lagos State.

He pursued his Master of Laws(LLM) degree program at the world renowned Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, New Hampshire, USA, which he completed in 1996. He subsequently became a legal expert on Intellectual Property, with bias in International Parents, Trademark and Copyright Law, including the Licensing of International Technology Transfer, ITT.

A Call To Serve In The Executive
On his return to Nigeria in 2000, he joined the Lagos State Executive Council with his appointment as the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State on Political and Intergovernmental Relations.

He successfully combined this with his flourishing law practice as President of Amicus Law Associates and Principal Partner of Opeyemi Bamidele & Associates(A firm of Solicitors, Advocates and Arbitrators).

From that year, 2000AD, has been in the Executive arm of government as Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State (July 2000- February 2003) Special Adviser on Political Matters to the Lagos State Deputy Governor (February 2003-May 2003), Lagos State Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development in Lagos State (July 2003-2007) and Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy(2007-2011).

Adventure Into Legislature
In law making, Dr Bamidele got elected into the House of Representatives in 2011 to represent Irepodun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency and was a federal lawmaker till 2015.

After some political turbulence that cost him his return to the National Assembly in 2015, he returned to his legal profession, until the coast was clear again in 2017.

In view of his numerous qualities as a loyal party man, his leadership acumen, political skills, among others, he got the ticket to run for the Senate. The outcome of the political adventure, after escaping death by a whisker in 2018 was his election into the Senate in 2019.

From Bar To The Bench
Consequently, he continued with his law making, this time at the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
He was there and then appointed the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

Senator Bamidele in that October 2019, was also appointed as a member of the Nigerian Body of Benchers.

The body is concerned with the admission of prospective students into the Nigerian Law School.

The body also regulates the call of graduates of Law School to the Nigerian Bar and the legal profession in Nigeria.

The Asiwaju Of Lawmakers
Since there's no hiding place for a goldfish, Bamidele's efficient performances with his leadership inclination and skills, also led to his election as the Chairman of Southern Senators Forum in March 2021, by the senators from the southern part of the country.

In 2023, after his second term election into the Senate, he emerged as the Majority Leader of the Senate in June, at the inauguration of the 10th Assembly.

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Honour To Whom It's Due
His numerous contributions to the development of Nigeria, from the time he was the National President of the National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, in 1989/90 through the time he became National Publicity Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, between 2000 and 2003, to the time he was appointed the Chairman of different House Committees and Senate Committee, till he was elected chairman of the Southern Senators Forum, collectively paved the way for Law of Compensation to reward him.
Consequently, he was conferred with a national honour of Commander of the Order of Niger, C.O.N. by the then President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022.

One Good Turn, Deserves Another
  In appreciation of the honour given the trio of the lawmakers through the conferment of the awards, Senator Bamidele spoke on behalf of them.

  While speaking to the university community, he assured them that they  (honourary awardees) have jaw jawed on what to do; and part of their desires was to turn a part of the university to a construction site as soon as they could .

  He disclosed that the rest of the details would be worked out with the Vice Chancellor and the university authority.

Governor Oyebanji's Input
  The governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, who observed that the three honourary degree awardees were worthy of the honour.
    "I have watched with rapt interest the phenomenal growth of this university from 400 to 51,000 students in less than eight years. It can only get better. And that is a testament to the quality of management that we have in place.
    He urged the graduands to ensure that they do not forget to hone their skills with their education and make the best out of the knowledge acquired.

  He enjoined the fresh graduates to arise and shine; to make use of the education and skills acquired in that university with whatever talents God has deposited in them to make success of their own life.

He commended the guest speaker, Professor Ishaq Oloyede for the thought provoking lecture he delivered at the ceremony.

"Your lecture is a masterpiece everyone here today must have." The governor told Prof Oloyede.

Success, Failure: Two Sides Of A Coin

The guest speaker, Prof Oloyede did not mince words in describing success and failure. Failure, according to him, could be a stepping stone to success.
     He cited highly successful people who had experienced failure in their life also, as a way of motivating the fresh graduands. He mentioned the likes of Opray Winfrey, Bill Gates and Abraham Lincoln,  among others.

He said:” One truth about life is that success and failure are two sides of the same coin; just like happiness and sadness, day and night, positive and negative.

" The two opposites dominate and animate life but when they are understood, the undesirable opposites could be minimized all together at individual, societal and national levels. It is all about doing the right things and doing things right,“ he added.

   ”

One truth about life is that success and failure are two sides of the same coin; just like happiness and sadness, day and night, positive and negative.

He then urged the graduands to do everything to sustain success they already achieved in their academic life, as they go into the corporate and business world.

FUOYE, A Fast Growing University
  The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fasina, in his speech, disclosed his fruitful journey of three years, and many achievements his administration could point to.

He listed many new courses the university has embarked on and more laudable programmes his administration was planning on  to further put the University on a global map.

The FUOYE, according to him, has succeeded in adding new academic programmes like: Medicine and Surgery, Data Science and Analytics, Agric Business Management, and other agric courses; MBA, DBA, MFA, DFA, PDFM, M.Sc, Ph.D. (Business ​​Administration), MSc. Ph.D. in Public Administration and Finance, ​​MPA, DPA. Affiliated Colleges, Sandwich Programme, Part-time Programmes, Distance Learning Institute, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, FUOYE Business School, and many others.

Prof Fasina disclosed that FUOYE has undergone a total of 49 accreditation exercises in her bid to promote a culture of excellence. More so, many staff members have been promoted from the ranks and file to the top senior academic and non academic staff of the institution.
The University has also established international and local collaborations/linkages with: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Vienna, Austria, Dc Montfort University, United Kingdom, on the establishment of ​​ Artificial Intelligence, Robert Boyle Institute, and many others.

 

We are not surprised that this great institution has decided to honour him . We know Senator Bamidele as someone who always stand for his state, the country and the humanity as a whole. We urge you to continue on this trajectory .

President Tinubu's Message
The Visitor to the University, President Tinubu, who spoke through his representative at the ceremony, Senator Barau, described the honourary awardees as people of sound pedigree.  "...particularly the leader of the senate who has been doing very everything within his powers in the senate to protect the interest of his state.

“We regard his (Bamidele) as a patriot who stands for the interest of this country. We are not surprised that this great institution has decided to honour him . We know Senator Bamidele as someone who always stand for his state, the country and the humanity as a whole. We urge you to continue on this trajectory .

“Senator Olamilekan is also someone who is always standing for anything that will promote the interest of his people of Ogun state and indeed the entire country . That was why the two of you were singled out for this honour among 109 of us." Sen. Barau said.

He explained that the president was committed to investing in education.