October 08, (THEWILL) – Christopher Oladipo Ogunbajo, corporate lawyer, business mogul and philanthropist is dead. He died at the age of 99 — on Saturday, October 7, two months away to his 100th birdhday. He was born in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, on 14 December 1923
He attended St. Phillips Primary School, Aiyetoro, Ile-Ife before proceeding to Oduduwa College, Ife for his secondary education in 1936. In 1938, he moved to the prestigious Igbobi College in Lagos where he completed his secondary education. He obtained a degree in law in 1949 and was called to bar a year later in 1950.
Chief Ogunbanjo began his Legal Practice in 1950 as a Partner in a law firm then known as Samuel, Chris & Michael (made up of the late Chief Samuel Akintola, former Premier of Western Nigeria, Chief Christopher Ogunbanjo and late Justice Michael Odesanya) whose offices were situated at Tinubu Square in the heart of Lagos.
Ogunbanjo was instrumental in the Nigerian legal, corporate, industrial and management practice.
He was appointed “Retainer-Solicitor” to the NIDB Project by the Federal Government and International Finance Corporation.
He was an early advocate of domiciliary accounts in Nigeria, which later came to existence through the promulgation of the Foreign Currency Decree 18 of 1985.
In the late 1960s, he was among the group of businessmen who supported local equity participation in foreign firms operating in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun has described the death of Chief Ogunbanjo as a great loss to the State, Nigeria and humanity.
Abiodun, while commiserating with the family of the late business tycoon, said he was a worthy son of the State and a great philanthropist of note, while alive.
The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran, added that Chief Ogunbanjo distinguished himself as a very cerebral lawyer who combined the knowledge of law with entrepreneurial shrewdness.
Governor Abiodun prayed God to grant the family of the late philanthropist the necessary strength to bear the irreplaceable loss and an eternal rest for the departed soul in the bosom of the Lord.
“My heartfelt condolences to the entire dynasty of Ogunbanjo, over the passing of their patriarch who passed on to the glory few months to his 100th birthday.
“We take solace in the fact that Baba lived a very impactful and eventful life to the glory of God and selfless service to humanity.
“May God in his infinite mercy rest his soul and grant his family the requisite fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” the statement read.
About the Author
Sam Diala is a Bloomberg Certified Financial Journalist with over a decade of experience in reporting Business and Economy. He is Business Editor at THEWILL Newspaper, and believes that work, not wishes, creates wealth.
