***Urges the public to ignore attention-seeker
Renowned lawyer and social justice crusader, Dr Olukayode Ajulo, OON, has vehemently dismissed a slanderous publication that labelled him an “enemy” of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.
The publication, attributed to one Seinde Arekemase, a self-proclaimed US-based academic, where he described the lawyer as one of Akeredolu’s enemies, has been described by Ajulo as a baseless attack.
In a statement released by his aide, Sadiq D. Jobi, Ajulo called Arekemase a “phantom,” emphasizing the lack of evidence of any research publications or academic presence online. He exposed the true identity of the slanderer, stating that he hails from a family that has been a recipient of Ajulo’s generosity over the years.
“Some people only have nuisance value, and their vituperations are not worth responding to. Besides appearing as a shadowy figure who is cowardly in manner, the pseudo-Arekemase, a supposed PhD holder, has not a single academic publication or any traceable digital footprint on Google and Google Scholar. Such a person, ordinarily, is not worth expending any energy on. Even, enquiries from Ikun-Akoko and particularly from the traditional ruler revealed that no indigene of the ancient town bears such a name. However, for the sake of posterity and to prevent the perversion of history that true accounts must be made public, indeed, we are exhorted by the psalmist in the Holy Bible to “answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own conceit”. Ajulo’s aide said.
Ajulo’s aide, asserting that the supposed author is a mere phantom for lack of evidence of traceable records confirmed that his principal is not unaware of the true identity of the alleged slanderer, saying “he is not bold enough to append his name to his “chronicles of lies”.
“The true author of that article is not a stranger to Dr Ajulo, Indeed, he is someone who hails from a family that has been a generational recipient of the Ajulo family’s generosity over the years. You know a writer by his use of words. This individual was still in touch with us a few months ago for assistance to relocate and find his feet again. So, you can imagine the kind of character this is. Whilst he begs with one hand, he uses the other hand to author a cowardly and slanderous piece calculated to cast aspersion on his benefactors.
“It is self-evident that the author of that piece is on a campaign of slander, inspired and fuelled by malice. However, he is oblivious to the long-standing relationship between Dr Oluwakayode Ajulo, OON and Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN. Dr Ajulo is connected to the Governor as a responsible citizen of Ondo State, as a lawyer and as a fellow communicant of the Anglican faith where Dr Ajulo is a Diocesan Registrar and Governor Akeredolu is a proud Chancellor in his Diocese”
The statement confirmed that Dr. Ajulo has maintained a rich relationship with Governor Akeredolu who has been a respected senior lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and President of the NBA long before he became Governor, noting that it is puerile for anyone to pen frivolous allegations intended to malign the personality of Dr Ajulo.
“Governor Akeredolu SAN and Dr. Ajulo together with the likes of Prof. Wole Soyinka, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Buba Galadima, Late Yinka Odumakin and other eminent Nigerians have championed many issues of national importance over the years, particularly when Late President Yar’adua was sick as a President And just recently, Dr Ajulo enjoined the people of the State to pray for the Governor and his deputy and also came out stoutly in defence of the same Governor Akeredolu over what he termed an invasion of the Governor’s privacy when an amateur video emerged showing the Governor’s feebleness and vulnerability during his birthday celebration. It is therefore very delusional for any coward to entertain vain imagination that years of mutual collaboration could be destroyed by some scanty strokes of a slanderous keyboard or a poisonous pen.
“The author’s intention is clear: like a weasel, he seeks to sneakily curry Governor Akeredolu’s favour by creating fictional enemies for him. In the same vitriolic piece, the coward author, overburdened with shame to dare append his true name, also alleged that Dr. Ajulo had paid the embattled Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa a visit in his office after which he proceeded to meet with Afenifere elders to hatch a conspiracy against Governor Akeredolu which was made manifest in the recent press conference by the Afenifere leaders in the State.
“While the eminent Abuja-based lawyer reserves the right to visit whoever he wishes as he lives in a free country and there is nothing wrong in visiting political leaders, for the sake of the public to whom Dr. Ajulo owes a debt of truth and forthrightness, it is pertinent to state that the alleged visit to the Deputy Governor’s office never occurred and must have happened only in the author’s fevered imagination. Indeed, in over twenty-three years of Nigeria’s democratic history, Dr Ajulo has never visited the office of any deputy governor in Nigeria, including his home state, the Sunshine State.”
The statement added that “Ajulo remains a staunch advocate and defender of democratic ideals and notwithstanding the nefarious intent of cowardly and malicious individuals who trade in slender trafficking to curry favour, the lawyer’s identity cannot be confused with the various political merchants for whom it is now open-season in Ondo State with the next gubernatorial election on the horizon.
“It is obvious that all these machinations are born out of frantic positioning for 2024, and as the time draws near, the public will witness many more antics of these self-serving and amoral persons for whom persons like Gehazi and Judas persist as mentors. Dr. Ajulo has no enemies; indeed, the only persons who may be his foes are despots and other persons who are opposed to the democratic ideals to which he remains committed.”
The lawyer’s aide, who urged the public to ignore the attention-seeker whose mission to divide and destroy is already DOA- dead on arrival, reiterated Ajulo’s position that the Ondo elders deserved commendations. He said they have served the State and the Nation diligently and their intervention towards resolution of issues plaguing Ondo State into crisis can not be discounted for selfish interests.
“That something happened before does not make it automatically correct. Where has substantial development occurred amid a crisis? Only an enemy of the State would fault this genuine effort geared towards the stability of the State. The elder must remain resolute in this quest to bring lasting peace to the State as well-meaning Ondo State citizens are standing with them” He concluded.
