By Chuks Eke
Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor Esq KSC, human rights activist and lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB has lauded a foremost Nigerian legal luminary, Prof. Mike Ozekhome SAN for his recent professorial appointment as Visiting Professor, by TETfund’s Center of Excellence in Public Governance and Leadership.
Ejiofor said Ozekhome’s appointment did not come as a surprise to those who knew his towering contributions to law, leadership and public service.
In a press statement issued on Monday titled: “Celebrating Prof. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, the Akpakpa Vighi Vighi of Edo Land on his 8th professorial appointment, Ejiofor noted that the appointment also marked a distinction that speaks volumes of his enduring intellectual authority.
According to Ejiofor, “The appointment is not just a feather in his cap. It is another star in a constellation formed over the decades”.
“In the rich cultural tapestry of Edo Land, titles are never given lightly. They are earned through years of uncommon service, unwavering courage, and the indelible mark one leaves upon humanity”.
“In the living chronicles of Edo Land, certain names are not merely mentioned; they are etched in gold, sung in the marketplaces, whispered in the corridors of power, and preserved in the hearts of the grateful. One such name is Prof. Mike A. A. Ozekhome, SAN, CON, OFR, LLD, PhD, the Akpakpa Vighi Vighi of Edo Land, a tireless sentinel whose eyes never dim in the cause of justice”.
“This honour was not bought, not lobbied for, and not bartered in smoky rooms. It came, as all true honours do, unsolicited, undeniable, and unstoppable, earned seamlessly through decades of excellence, advocacy, and selfless dedication to humanity”.
“For us, this is more than an academic laurel. It rekindles vivid memories of a chapter in our struggle when Prof. Ozekhome’s name became synonymous with unflinching courage. In the legal battle for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, he stood at the frontlines, not as a hired gun, but as a champion moved by conscience and principle”.
“He fought in the courtroom with the precision of a master craftsman, and outside it with the passion of a prophet. His advocacy did not end at the bar table. From America to Asia, Europe to Africa, and across Nigeria, the case became a constant theme in his lectures, speeches, and interviews”.
“He fearlessly challenged the persecutors, dismantling their false narratives with evidence-backed arguments. His voice rang out like a war trumpet against injustice, tearing down the weapons of falsehood with the sword of truth”.
“He committed his personal resources, his time, and his influence, even when many shrank back for fear of being profiled, hunted, or maligned. I know this because we were together, and I was a witness”.
“Few know the depth of that moment in history. We stood at the brink of victory, the T’s nearly crossed, the I’s almost dotted, when treachery crept in. The “merchants of fame” and backroom schemers, acting under dubious and ill-conceived deals, moved to halt the tide of freedom. They succeeded in delaying it, but they could not erase the fact that Prof. Ozekhome had brought the cause to the threshold of triumph. Yet, even in the face of sabotage, he stood tall”.
“You poured in your personal resources. You bore the brunt of the arrows meant to break the resolve of any man. You never flinched, even when many who now pretend to be bold fled into silence. I saw it. I lived it. I will never forget it’.
“Prof, this is also a plea from those of us who know the value of your heart: forgive the ingrates, the ones who, having drunk from your well of sacrifice, now throw stones at the source. Those whose families will never, in their lifetime or generations to come, touch even a fragment of your achievements. They forget that the evil men do now walk with them, and that ingratitude carries consequences, swift, sharp, and inescapable”.
“Today, the once-topical case they hijacked has vanished from the lips of the world. Silence now cloaks what once roared. But your legacy, Prof, is not measured by their betrayal. It is measured by the hope you stirred, the doors you opened, and the truth you championed. History has already begun to vindicate you”.
We, people of good conscience, urge you: let not their treachery discourage your humanitarian heart. Let the bitterness of their ingratitude be the whetstone that sharpens your resolve to keep standing for the oppressed, the voiceless, and the deserving. For the Almighty God, who lifts without limit, will continue to strengthen, elevate, and protect you in every sphere. Amen.
Congratulations once again, Prof. Mike A. A. Ozekhome, SAN, the Akpakpa Vighi Vighi of Edo Land, the Legal Iroko of our Age, and above all, my eternal mentor. Edo celebrates you. Nigeria salutes you. Humanity thanks you. History will never forget you.
