Olabiyi Durojaiye
Encyclopedia
Olabiyi Durojaiye was elected Senator for the Ogun East constituency of Ogun State
, Nigeria
at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic
, running on the Alliance for Democracy
(AD) platform. He took office on 29 May 1999. He also uses the tribal title Otunba as a pre-nominal style, thereby highlighting his position as a chieftain
of the Yoruba people
.
He also graduated from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru
.
He worked for 35 years in the Nigerian public sector, including 28 years as a Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria
and the National Mint.
He worked with the International Monetary Fund
, the Federal Reserve System
in the U.S.A and the City University London between 1964 and 1982.
In 1992 he was a candidate to run for President of Nigeria on the platform of the Social Democratic Party
(SDP), losing to M.K.O. Abiola.
Abiola's subsequent election as President was quashed by General Ibrahim Babangida
, leading to a return to military rule.
in December 1996 Durojayi was arrested by the military regime of General Sani Abacha
, and was imprisoned for 560 days and mistreated while in jail.
A June 1997 report stated the 63-year-old lawyer was reportedly in poor health and suffering from high blood pressure caused by his treatment.
Durojaiye was an elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999-2003).
After taking his seat in the Senate he was appointed to committees on Judiciary, Establishment (Chairman) and Special Projects.
In December 2002 he recommended a life jail-term for anyone who perpetrated election fraud.
He won the AD primaries to represent the party in the Ogun East constituency in the 2003 elections, although he was threatened with legal action by Chief Adamo Olayinka Yesufu, a rival for the nomination.
In the event, the PDP candidate Tokunbo Ogunbanjo won the election.
, two months after she and her husband had marked their 50th wedding anniversary.
She was survived by her husband, six children and many grandchildren.
In a March 2010 interview Durojaiye, now in his late 70s, spoke out against the covert way in which President Umaru Yar'Adua's illness was being handled, with the President smuggled back into Nigeria at night and no reports issued on his condition.
Ogun State
Ogun State is a state in South-western Nigeria. It borders Lagos State to the South, Oyo and Osun states to the North, Ondo State to the east and the republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is the capital and largest city in the state...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic
Nigerian Fourth Republic
The Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
, running on the Alliance for Democracy
Alliance for Democracy (Nigeria)
The Alliance for Democracy was a progressive opposition political party in Nigeria. It was formed on September 9th 1998. At the 2003 legislative elections, 12 April 2003, the party won 8.8 % of the popular vote and 34 out of 360 seats in the Nigerian House of Representatives and six out of...
(AD) platform. He took office on 29 May 1999. He also uses the tribal title Otunba as a pre-nominal style, thereby highlighting his position as a chieftain
Chieftain
Chieftain may refer to:The leader or head of a group:* a tribal chief or a village head.* a member of the 'House of chiefs'.* a captain, to which 'chieftain' is etymologically related.* Clan chief, the head of a Scottish clan....
of the Yoruba people
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
.
Birth and early career
Durojaiye earned a BSc (Economics) London, and an LLB, London. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1979, and is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.He also graduated from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru
Kuru, Nigeria
Kuru is located on the Jos Plateau in north-central Nigeria commonly referred as the middle belt region of Nigeria. Located about 20 km to Jos on the Jos-Abuja highway in Plateau State...
.
He worked for 35 years in the Nigerian public sector, including 28 years as a Director of the Central Bank of Nigeria
Central Bank of Nigeria
The Central Bank of Nigeria was established by the CBN Act of 1958 and commenced operations on July 1, 1959.The major regulatory objectives of the bank as stated in the CBN act of 1958 is to: issue legal tender, maintain the external reserves of the country, promote monetary stability and a sound...
and the National Mint.
He worked with the International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
, the Federal Reserve System
Federal Reserve System
The Federal Reserve System is the central banking system of the United States. It was created on December 23, 1913 with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act, largely in response to a series of financial panics, particularly a severe panic in 1907...
in the U.S.A and the City University London between 1964 and 1982.
Political career
Durojayi was an elected member of the 1988/89 Constituent Assembly.In 1992 he was a candidate to run for President of Nigeria on the platform of the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The Social Democratic Party of Nigeria, popularly known as SDP, was a political party created to encompass the ideals of a center left political organization. It was one of the products of a democracy project by former President Ibrahim Babangida to have two detribalized political parties, one a...
(SDP), losing to M.K.O. Abiola.
Abiola's subsequent election as President was quashed by General Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
, leading to a return to military rule.
in December 1996 Durojayi was arrested by the military regime of General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
, and was imprisoned for 560 days and mistreated while in jail.
A June 1997 report stated the 63-year-old lawyer was reportedly in poor health and suffering from high blood pressure caused by his treatment.
Durojaiye was an elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999-2003).
After taking his seat in the Senate he was appointed to committees on Judiciary, Establishment (Chairman) and Special Projects.
In December 2002 he recommended a life jail-term for anyone who perpetrated election fraud.
He won the AD primaries to represent the party in the Ogun East constituency in the 2003 elections, although he was threatened with legal action by Chief Adamo Olayinka Yesufu, a rival for the nomination.
In the event, the PDP candidate Tokunbo Ogunbanjo won the election.
Later events
Durojaiye's wife Florence Olufunso Adejoke died on 6 June 2009, aged 72, in IkejaIkeja
Ikeja is an outer-ring suburb of the city of Lagos and capital of Lagos State. It is also one of Nigeria's 774 Local Government Areas . The Murtala Mohammed International Airport is located there...
, two months after she and her husband had marked their 50th wedding anniversary.
She was survived by her husband, six children and many grandchildren.
In a March 2010 interview Durojaiye, now in his late 70s, spoke out against the covert way in which President Umaru Yar'Adua's illness was being handled, with the President smuggled back into Nigeria at night and no reports issued on his condition.