PERSONALITY PROFILE OF EYITAYO JEGEDE SAN
Eyitayo JEGEDE, Senoir Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, was born to the family of late Chief Johnson Bosede, the Odopetu of Isinkan, Akure, and Mrs C.O Jegede (need Asokeji) from Ipele town, near Owo.
Eyitayo JEGEDE’s late father, Chief J.B Jegede retired from public service of Ondo State in 1982 having joined the service of the Old Western Region in 1948. He was the Supervisory Councillor for Health in Akure Local Government and Treasurer of Anglican Diocese of Akure until he discontinued this service on the ground of failing health. His was a classical example of public service.
Eyitayo JEGEDE’s grandfather was Gabriel Jegede, a prominent trader during his lifetime. He was the Baba Egbe Onisowo Akure, a notable merchant in Akure dealing in Hardwares (heavy equipment, chains, firearms etc.), trading between and the coastal areas of (then) Western State.
A successful businessman by all standards with his vast residential estate in the heart of Akure township. Till date, the legacies of his age-long investment are still there for all to see.
Eyitayo is the fifth of the children of seven. The eldest is Mrs. Christianah Esho, a retired public servant now resident in United Kingdom; the second is Mrs. Mojisola Alex-Adedipe, a retired Nurse who was at some point also a Supervisory Councilor for Health in the Akure Local Government under Governor Adebayo Adefarati’s government.
The first male child in the family is Comrade Olugbenga Jegede, a retired public servant and politician. Comrade Gbenga Jegede served as Chairman of NULGE and Chairman of NLC and was also a Commissioner in the Civil Service Commission between 2010 and 2013. He presently serves as the Chairman of Ondo State Sports Council.
The immediate elder brother to Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, is Tokunbo Olumuyiwa Jegede who is the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Orange F.M Station in Akure.
The immediate younger brother, Mr. Olawale Jegede is a banker with the Fidelity Bank in Ibadan. The last of the children of seven is Mrs. Olubunmi Erebor who resides in Benin.
Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, attended St. Stephen’s “SA” Primary School Modakeke, Ife and was at Aquinas College Akure from 5th January 1973 to July 1978 for his Secondary Education. He was a Prefect at Aquinas College and took active part in Sports in the best traditions of the family. He had his Higher School Certificate Education at Christ School, Ado Ekiti, and was the School Volleyball Captain both at Aquinas College, Akure and Christ School, Ado Ekiti. He also captained the University Volleyball team at the University of Lagos where he had his Law Degree Course between 1980 and 1983.
Mr. Jegede, SAN, qualified as a lawyer in 1984 after the One Year mandatory programme at the Nigeria Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The One Year mandatory National Service saw Eyitayo posted to the then Gongola State where he eventually started his law practice. He was a counsel with the Law Firm of Murtala Aminu & Co., Yola for 12 years and practiced extensively in the Northern part of Nigeria where he made a lot of friends and built legal practice with special interest in litigation, Commercial and Cooperate law. He established the Law firm Tayo Jegede & Co. with officers in Yola and Abuja in 1996.
He engaged in extensive relationships. He was appointed a Notary Public by the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 1992 and was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on 16th December, 2008. He was deeply and actively involved in political cases and election petition matters, an area of law where his industry and practice is noted and respected.
In 2009, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, was appointed as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice under Dr. Olusegun Mimiko’s administration where he served in the first four years of the administration. Following the re-election of Governor Mimiko for the second term in 2013, Governor Mimiko again appointed Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, a position he still served till the end of Governor Mimiko era. He contested under the PDP governorship primary and won overhemenly.
