OUR personality this week is the Delta State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN. Recently, I visited him in his office, located at the palatial Prof Chike Edozien State Secretariat along Mariam Babangida Way, Asaba, the State capital.
My mission was to do an interview with him on Gov Sheriff Oborevwori’s first year in office anniversary, with the aim of finding out the role of the Ministry of Justice in advancing the M.O.R.E Agenda within the one year of the governors administration.
The focus was expected to be: Criminal Justice Administration under the Oborevwori administration.
Yours truly, prior to that visit, I had not met him. As expected, I had earlier booked an appointment for the interview, and at exactly 1. 52pm on the interview day, I was already at the waiting room of the Commissioner’s office.
I noticed that, visitors after visitors, who got there before me filed in and out to see the Commissioner, so I was patient, waiting for my turn. And to make my waiting longer, there was an official meeting of some officers of the Ministry with the Commissioner.
At some point, I became a bit restless, as the long wait did not fit into my busy schedule for the day, but anyhow, seeing the influx of visitors, my consolation was, “This Commissioner must be a very busy man indeed; I wonder if he ever has time to take care of his personal needs during official hours in the office”.
When it was my turn to meet with him, I was ushered in. But, to my surprise, my long wait turned out to be a worthwhile one as what played out has left an indelible impression in my mind, and has kept me wondering about the gentle and unbelievably humble nature of the Man, Mr. Ekemejero Ohwovoriole. My testimony is: Nothing is quite as sweet as meeting a humble and warm personality; and having to overcome the initial stress of waiting to meet with him”.
As I stepped into his office, face-to-face with him, what came out of his mouth was an apology for keeping me waiting; an indication that, even though he had to attend to the sea of persons that came to see him, he has the culture of not keeping them waiting longer than necessary. I hear he has the penchant for attending to every details on issues presented before him.
Even though my interview for the first year anniversary did not hold, as we had to schedule it for another day, his profuse apology to me for unknowingly keeping me waiting kept me wondering that we still have such a humble personality occupying a highly placed position in the Public Service. For this, Deltans need to be grateful to Gov Oborevwori for appointing him the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
For those who may not know this humble, yet successful lawyer, a quick look at his past and present works would food for thought.
He has represented Delta State in several precedents, setting constitutional cases at the Court of Appeal and at the Supreme Court. He has also partnered with Leading lights in the legal profession in Nigeria to prosecute and defend numerous high-octane election petitions, civil, and criminal matters at all levels and has made his mark over the years as a first rate criminal law, election law and commercial law practitioner.
In 2005, he was appointed a Notary Public and elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN in 2017 as a mark of excellence in law practice.
As a very active member the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Asaba Branch, he has made significant contributions to the building and development of the local Bar Center. This is in addition to other activities of the Branch.
Information has it that he is committed to continuous Legal Education of members of the legal profession in his branch and professional colleagues.
He served as a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Nigeria Bar Association from 2010 to 2017 under four consecutive administrations. During this period, he also served as a member of several strategic committees such as the Judiciary Committee in 2015 and the Administration of Justice Committee in 2016.
And very importantly, as a learned silk who abhors injustice, he was a member of the Human Rights Committee of the NBA, Ikeja Branch, and since he floated the AEQUITAS Chambers, he has sustained his pro-bono services to deserving organizations and indigent members of the society when the need arises.
He is a member of the International Bar Association, the Nigeria Norwegian Chambers of Commerce, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, member, Asaba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture; member, INSOL International and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators and many more.
LOOKING BACK:
An indigene of Agbon- Olomu in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr Ekemejero Ohwovoriole holds a Bachelor’s and Masters degree in law from the University of Lagos and was called to the Bar in 1995. Thereafter, he did his National Youth Service with Mrakpor and Ojo Chambers in Lagos, before embarking on active legal practice at the Chief M.P Ohwovoriole, SAN Chambers, in Lagos.
In 2003, he was invited to the Delta State Public Service as Special Assistant to a one time Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof Amos Aigbe Utuama. At the end of that tenure, he went into full time private practice, which gave birth to Aequitas Chambers.
AS ATTORNEY GENERAL AND COMMISSIONER FOR JUSTICE
On February 1, 2024, Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, was sworn in as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Delta State by HIS Excellency, the Executive Governor of the State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori.
Reacting to his appointment, the fillers in some quarters is that his return to the Ministry of Justice as Commissioner and Attorney General, years after he had served as Special Assistant in the same office, keeps him well at home with the requirements and demands of his new office, but this time, armed with greater experience from the Bar, business, social and political world.
Little wonder, therefore, on assumption of office, in a formal ceremony, held in Asaba, the State capital, he did not hesitate to express his commitment to upholding the Rule of Law in the governance of the State, and appealed to Deltans to sustain their adherence to it. He also pledged to diligently work towards achieving the administration’s M.O.R.E Agenda particularly in the area of enhancing justice delivery.
Reflecting on Gov Oborevwori’s emphasis on the Administration of Criminal Justice law and the Administration of Civil Justice law, he highlighted the pivotal role these laws would play in the policy direction of the Gov Oborevwori administration.
As a team player, Okemejero Ohwovoriole from the onset said: “I will build on the foundation and achievements of my predecessor, Mr. Isaiah Bozimo, SAN, for the overall benefit of the State government and Deltans in particular.
And to the staff of the Ministry of Justice, he sued for their support and cooperation, in view of their essential role in the success of his new assignment.
