A salute to Chief Alexander Olusola Oke at 79 – Tribune Online

ON Tuesday, April 7, 2026, the sun rose brighter over the coastal shores of Ilaje and the entire Sunshine State as we celebrated a true leader who turned the tides of destiny with unyielding courage, intellect, and service. Chief Alexander Olusola Oke, SAN, at 70, you stand not merely as a man who has aged gracefully, but as a true brother — a fisherman’s son from the coastal town of Ilowo who conquered the high seas of life and rose to the pinnacle of the Nigerian Bar and national influence. Your journey is an epic saga of transformation: from braving the ocean waves as a young fisherman between 1963 and 1973, to answering the higher call of destiny by enrolling at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1982. You earned your LL.B in 1986, were called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987, and in 1988 boldly founded Olusola Oke & Associates in Okitipupa — a firm that has since grown into a formidable force with headquarters in Abuja.Your elevation to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2017 was a well-deserved crown on decades of courtroom mastery, ethical brilliance, and professional excellence.

Chief, beyond being a distinguished senior colleague, you have been a trusted ally, a battle-tested brother-in-arms, and a constant source of inspiration to me. Time and again, you honoured me with personal calls, inviting me to join you in handling high-stakes briefs and landmark private projects. Whether navigating complex constitutional matters, defending critical institutional interests, shaping strategic legal interventions, or advancing the cause of justice in significant national assignments, your invitations reflected deep confidence and true camaraderie. Those shared moments in the trenches — standing shoulder-to-shoulder in pursuit of victory for our clients and the greater good — remain some of the most memorable highlights of my journey at the Bar. I remain profoundly grateful for the privilege of collaborating with you in those battles, which strengthened our bond and delivered impactful results. Your impact radiates far beyond the courtroom, you drove life-changing initiatives in education, health, electricity, agriculture, and critical infrastructure for the oil-producing communities of Ondo State.

ALSO READ: LASUTH blames burnt DNA centre for failure to identify late journalist Pelumi Onifade’s body

In politics, you brought strategic wisdom and constitutional fidelity as National Legal Adviser of the PDP (2008–2012), Southwest Director of the APC Presidential Campaign (2019), and National Deputy Director (Legal) for the Buhari/Shettima Presidential Campaign (2023). Chief Oke, your life is living proof that the Nigerian dream thrives: the boy from a humble fishing village who became a legal titan, political strategist, mentor, bridge-builder, and devoted servant of the people.  You have faced and overcome trials, including that ghastly accident, emerging stronger with profound gratitude to God and renewed zeal for service. At this glorious Platinum Jubilee, I celebrate not just the number of your years, but the depth of your legacy of courage, unwavering integrity, transformational impact, and selfless leadership. May the Almighty God, who has preserved and elevated you through every storm, continue to grant you:  robust divine health and renewed strength,  greater wisdom and sharper influence, abundant joy with your beloved family and loved ones, and many more decades of purposeful, impactful service to humanity.

Long live the Fisherman turned Legal Colossus! With profound respect, admiration, brotherly love, and deepest gratitude for all you have done, Happy 70th Birthday, Chief Alexander Olusola Oke, SAN!

Dr. Ajulo, SAN, OON, is Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Ondo State