Read about A lawyer and former senator in the Second Republic, 91-year-old Kunle Oyero
When and where were you born?
I was born on the October 28, 1923, at Oyero, in Ogun State.
Were you named after the town?
No, the town was named after my family. Oyero is the name of a royal family. We are from Obafemi Owode Local Government, Ogun State. My great-grandfather was a prince from Iro, he established Oyero in 1932. My father, Emmanuel Idowu Oyero, was a very hard working farmer and also a chief in Abeokuta, apart from being a baale in Oyero.
He was so energetic that he owned farms in many places. He was quite prosperous as a farmer and owned several houses in Lagos and in Abeokuta. My mother, Maryan Omolola Oyero, was also a farmer. Then, palm fruits were plentiful in many parts of Western Nigeria. My mother was in charge of the palm fruits in the whole of Oyero. In those days, the women and men cultivated their different plots of land.
How was it growing up in those days?
It was not easy, but quite interesting. There was no primary school in my village then. But, the Anglican Church established primary schools in the region. There was a group of nine villages in the region. There was an Anglican School in the centre, which was a mile away from Oyero. We had to trek a mile every day to school in the 1930s. It took us about an hour to get to school every day. From Monday to Friday, we trekked to and from school. As children, we had no choice then. Although our father was not very literate in English, he loved education.
What’s your view about the attitude of children to education nowadays?
I think there was more dedication (to education) in my days. We knew our limitations and worked hard at overcoming them; whereas, things are easier now for the children. There are private and public schools. But, in those days, the schools were mainly established by the missionaries.
What schools did you attend?
I attended St. Paul’s School, Oluke, for my primary school education, from1930 to 1936. I moved to Abeokuta in 1937 and spent one year in St. Paul’s School, Igbore. Thereafter, I attended Abeokuta Grammar School, until 1945. From there, I went to England to further my education, because there were no universities in Nigeria then. I studied law in Hull University, England. Then, it was part of London University and called the College of London University. I was there for only one year because I couldn’t afford to continue my education. I didn’t have any scholarship then and my parents were farmers. I guess we wrongly estimated the cost of schooling.
What did you then do?
I came back to London and started working. I enrolled in a part-time school. I was working in the daytime and studying in the evening. I attended Kennington College of Law and Commerce, also a College of the University of London, only that it was part-time (night schooling), whereas Hull was full daytime. I returned to Nigeria in January, 1956.
What kind of jobs did you do when you were in England?
As a black man, there was little one could do. I worked in various industries. I worked in packaging, in Cadbury, the largest food factory in Europe. The last year before I returned to Nigeria, I worked in a laundry firm.
Where did you work on your return to Nigeria?
I started practising as a lawyer in 1956. When I first returned, it was compulsory in those days that one must belong to a chamber. Thus, I joined S.O. Lambo Chambers. Lambo became the first judge of the revenue court, now called the High Court. But, I left his chambers after 18 months to establish my own practice, C. Kunle Oyero and Co. Legal Practitioners, around 1958/59.
Do you still go to your chambers?
Yes I do. I still go to court also, but for very few cases.
How do you cope at your age?
It is by God’s grace. But in the last two years, I’ve not taken any new case, although I currently handle some community and personal cases.
Can you remember the prominent cases you handled in your law career?
They are many. I’ve handled quite a number of cases in my over 50-year law career. Some of the prominent cases were those which had conflict with the government. I offered a lot of free services then. There was the case of a royal family; the railway took over their land located in a large area in Agege without paying. I took over that case and we won it. I also handled cases involving the Cooperative Supply Association, a cooperative society, which I handled right up to the Supreme Court. I was quite a successful lawyer, although I say that myself. The last Chief Justice of Nigeria studied in my chambers. His name is Mudashiru, he’s from Kano. I can’t remember his surname. He was in my chambers for about a year or two.
In your opinion, what has changed in the practice of law in Nigeria today when compared to your early days as a lawyer?
I won’t say much has changed. For one, we still carry on the British tradition. But, one has to be honest in the law practice.
What are the differences between Nigeria of your days and now?
Many of us believed that things were better in the olden days. For instance, the state of electricity in the country today is worrisome. It was impossible to think of power failure in those days; we simply switched on the light at any time. Things were also easier for us in those days.
Where were you during the civil war?
I was in Lagos throughout the period. As young men then, we were not happy with the politicians. Before the civil war, we formed a club called the Nigeria Youth Congress. It was very militant. We were not in any political party, but the NYC was like an opposition. It must be respected in our history and the group was very influential because we pushed the politicians to action. In those days, there were two main social groups, the capitalist, led by England and the US; then the socialists, influenced by the Russians and the European countries. We were very close to the European countries because we were sending students to the socialist countries, and they respected us. At a time, we were imprisoned for about two months or so.
Why were you imprisoned?
It was during the trouble in the South-West, they called it wetie. Then, they were burning houses and people. In those days, except one belonged to our group, one could hardly pass through Ikorodu. But, we were accused wrongly — I, my friend then, Tunji Otegbeye, as well as Alade — who was the then President of the Polish Association — of organising the killings of a number of Hausas in Mushin and other areas. We were charged to court, but as soon as the military coup happened, the authorities forgot us in prison and left us there. This was in 1970. Luckily, we were released soon after.
Who were the other prominent members of the NYA?
There was Otegbeye, he was the first secretary, J.O.B. Omotosho, who was a lawyer, and our own side of the workers union, called the Nigeria Trade Union Congress. Wahab Goodluck was its president then, while S.U. Bassey was the secretary. We had many members all over Nigeria. I was the second secretary. We later formed our own political party called the Socialist Workers and Farmers Party. Omotosho and others moved and joined the party. I later became the president of the NYC before the military coup.
How long did the youth congress last?
It lasted for a long time. We started it in the 60s and the group was on until the 80s or so.
How did you become a senator?
Remember, we formed the Socialist Workers and Farmers Party, just before the military decided to hand over power to civilians in 1976-77. Then, (the late) Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a socialist and he formed the Unity Party of Nigeria. I was in that group. I was quite active in politics and I was a part of the first constitutional conference in the late 70s. After the conference, various political parties were formed and elections held. There were only three senators from each state then. So, I was chosen to become one. I was the senator for local government areas in Lagos up to the whole of Abeokuta. I was a senator for one term, from 1979 to 1983. This was during Shehu Shagari’s administration.
Did you know the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo personally?
Yes, he was my leader and he respected us. I’m an Awoist. Awolowo was a genuine man. You won’t believe that he left (schooling) in Primary Six. That made me to believe that once you reach the first stage, you can reach anywhere, if you are hard working. I’ve given out over 400 scholarships for secondary school pupils to mainly indigent students in Ogun and Lagos states because I believe in the grassroots. When I first started giving out scholarships, it was not deliberate. One of the Oyewole twins in Abeokuta told me about a girl who was in secondary school then but had no money to further her education. He asked if I could help her. That was how it started. I decided to help mainly indigent and disabled children. It was also due to Awolowo’s influence because he was a socialist. He was honest and very hard working and we followed his footsteps. He also showed us that you must help people who have not been as lucky as you are. Awolowo uplifted the West. He started free education and championed development; even some of the roads he built are still useful today. Yet, the roads they build nowadays deteriorate after six months or one year.
What is your view on youth political groups and youth activism in Nigeria today compared to your days?
Corruption is endemic in Nigeria and this has spoilt many things. I may be wrong, but the youth of today do not appear to be as patriotic as we were then. Now, they allow money and other things to influence them. But, they have an excuse; there is widespread unemployment in this country. When one is unemployed, one must look for money to eat. A lot of things happen when there is unemployment.
From your experience in the Second Republic, what do you think is the best system of government for Nigeria?
We started the American system of government, which we believed was better than the parliamentary system in the Second Republic. However, from my experience, the presidential system is very expensive. But, it depends on the people. In our days, politics was part-time. When I tell people that we earned less than 1,000 a month, they look surprised; as against now that they earn millions. I left the Senate in 1983 and became the Attorney-General of Ogun State. The governor then, I can’t remember his name now, persuaded me to become the state’s Attorney-General. There were a lot of intrigues everywhere. My tenure was cut short on December 31, 1983, when General Muhammadu Buhari took over power in a military coup.
You were involved in politics and practised as a lawyer, you must have made a number of influential friends…
Quite a number of my friends are gone, while many of my colleagues who were on the bench are retired. The young people there now call me daddy.
What is the difference between the Senate in the Second and Fourth republics?
In my days, there was more discipline. Also, ours was part-time. You go to your regular job in the morning, and then we resumed our sessions in the Assembly in Lagos at 2pm.
What’s your advice to our current senators and legislators?
They must be patriotic and be prepared to work hard. They have what one could describe as a sinecure now. People said they should do part-time but they have refused. They earn millions every year. That’s not helpful to Nigeria. We don’t have much money. One of the problems when they had (Chukwuma) Soludo (former Central Bank Governor) was that about a third of Nigeria’s income was being spent on the legislature. That’s too much. My advice is that they must fight corruption, which is everywhere. They have to work hard for the development of the country and to reduce unemployment. But with the salary the legislators are paid, there is nothing they can do about it. They should become part-time legislators. Also, it is not good that our political parties and politicians do not have clear-cut ideologies. Politicians keep changing parties. During the first constitutional conference, we tried to write into the constitution that once one changed parties, one was out. But it is not so today. Selfish interests and the politics of the stomach are affecting our national development.
Tell us about your marriage.
I’ve had three wives. I first got married in 1956 when I returned to Nigeria. I met my wife through a mutual lawyer friend who first introduced us to each other. My first wife died in 1985. I later married an Igbo woman. She too died three or four years ago, but she didn’t live with me. That was why I married my current wife in 1985. We met at the office of my brother-in-law where she was working as a secretary. I had my eldest son in 1957. I have many children.
How would you describe your experience in marriage?
I’ve been fairly lucky, in that I’ve been happy with my wives. It was due to circumstances that I married three wives. Being an active man, I needed somebody to take care of the home front. Seriously speaking, I have lived with two women.
What’s your advice to young couples?
They have to be tolerant. When two people are together, they must be tolerant and understanding. There is no magic to happiness. Also, having an affair outside of marriage is not worth it. Human beings are human beings, and anybody who thinks that the woman in the house may not be as good as the one outside is wasting his time. It all depends on one’s relationship and understanding with people. It’s very important. Once you are nice to people, people would also be nice to you too.
What do you think about divorce?
It’s not worth it. Once one makes up one’s mind that, “I want to live with this woman,” it should be for life. My current wife is very understanding. I’ve also been lucky with my children. My first son is a medical doctor. He was in the Lagos State Civil Service. My second son retired as an Air Commodore, but I had wanted him to study law.
Did any of your children take after you?
Yes. I have a daughter who is a lawyer.
What’s your favourite food?
I like beans and plantain.
You don’t sound or look your age. How do you keep fit?
It’s by God’s grace. Also, I’m fairly disciplined; I don’t smoke, I do social drinking occasionally. I avoid things that militate against my health. For example, I’ve not been taking milk and sugar for many years. So, I don’t drink tea. I take black coffee. I used to do exercises, but I stopped recently because of the pains in my leg. But I’m still fairly active; I do a lot of walking around to exercise my legs. I wake up half past 5am and wake everybody up. I don’t go to bed until about 11pm. I watch the evening news between 9pm and 10.30pm, and then I say my prayers before I go to bed.
What’s your hope for Nigeria?
Development is slow in Nigeria. But, the current President is doing his best. He’s reviving the railways. Maybe he has not done as much as I expected with the roads. Nigeria Airways is gone, it’s part of mismanagement. I hope that people would be more dedicated particularly to reduce unemployment. The senators should be more patriotic and ensure they stop corruption, but it may not be easy.
Your mother lived up to 104. Do you want to live up to that age as well?
Yes, my late mother died at the age of 104 in 1990. My people want me to live beyond that. But I told them 100 is sufficient for me.
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