Christopher Oladipo Ogunbanjo (1923-2023)

Christopher Oladipo Ogunbanjo who died on Saturday, October 7, 2023 was easily one of Nigeria’s foremost corporate lawyers and philanthropists whose legacies will forever remain in memory as one who dedicated his life in service to mankind; a man whose quest was to touch lives positively.

In his early beginning as a corporate lawyer, he advocated for domiciliary accounts in Nigeria. His efforts towards this dream came to bear as it later became law through the promulgation of the Foreign Currency Decree 18 of 1985. Ogunbanjo was one of the few Nigerian businessmen who supported local equity participation in foreign firms operating in Nigeria.

As a lawyer, Ogunbanjo robustly blended jurisprudence with scholarship, thus distinguishing himself as a jurist of uncommon talent in interpreting corporate law which not only earned him a reputable position among the best of Nigerian lawyers during that era, but paved the way for him to be a significant shareholder in various Nigerian companies like, West African Batteries, Metal Box Toyo, Union Securities, ABB Nigeria just to mention a few.

Born on December 14, 1923 at Erunwon, in Ijebu Ode to Daniel Ajayi Ogunbanjo, a catechist, he had his early education at St. Philips Primary School, Aiyetoro, Ile-Ife and Oduduwa College, Ife in 1936. He subsequently moved to Igbobi College in Lagos on transfer in 1938 to continue his education. He had a brief working experience with the civil service before travelling abroad to be a trained lawyer.

As a civil servant, he worked as a junior clerk in the judicial department in Enugu in 1942 and was later transferred to Port Harcourt from where he travelled to London.

He left the civil service in 1946 to pursue a law degree at the University of London and graduated in 1949. He was called to the English Bar the following year and on his return to Nigeria, he worked briefly for H. O. Davies law firm before establishing his own law practice firm. His liberal and enterprising nature saw him partnering with two notable and renowned lawyers of the era, Samuel Ladoke Akintola and Michael Odesanya in 1952 and the firm was known as Samuel, Chris and Michael Solicitors. The partnership enjoyed comradeship until 1960 when it was amicably dissolved and his law chamber was renamed Chris Ogunbanjo & Co.

In life and in death Ogunbanjo rightly deserved the various encomiums showered on him for being an upright and erudite lawyer and philanthropist of repute. While announcing his passing, his family wrote, “Papa was an unwavering beacon of reassurance, courage and moral integrity for the entire family, truly embodying dedication and service to his country.” Ogunbanjo had a truly impressive career as someone who always gave one hundred percent for the worthy causes that he believed in; and he put his means where his heart was.

As a lawyer he was shrewd. As a philanthropist he was magnanimous. He was also a family man and community leader. In recognition of his numerous contributions to community development, he was honoured with the traditional titles of Olotu of Ijebuland, Larinja of Egbaland, Gbadero of Lagos, Lerinja of Egbaland, Baba Oba of Ijebu Imusin and Baba Oba of Erunwon Ijebu.

He would sorely be missed for his legal prowess, his philanthropic commitment and his determination to seek the best for mankind, his community, and country all through his entire life. Indeed, Ogunbanjo’s exemplary and selfless life constitutes an enduring legacy.