By Dr Wahab Shittu
The launch of former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida’s book “A Journey in Service ” had other side attractions, one of which is a reaffirmation of Prof Yemi Osinbajo SAN, GCON’s rating as a stellar public speaker.
This trait is generally acknowledged by all, whether or not one agrees with his politics.
It can be said that this trait is renowned and world class and qualifies to be regarded as divine in the class of distinguished orators in history such as Martin Luther King Jnr. Barrack Obama and others of that hue.
In 1974, the former vice president as student of Igbobi College Yaba won the African Statesman intercollegiate best speaker’s prize. As Wemimo Ogunde SAN will later confirm to me, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo always led Igbobi College in major debating competitions in his days at the college, and always excelled with unprecedented oratory.
I had a first hand knowledge of his gift of oratory when l encountered him as my Law of Evidence lecturer in 1986 at the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos. Yemi Osinbajo, I recall will enter the class and dazzled the students in a moving lecture for one and half hours, holding just a pen.
He had the reputation of citing cases and all other authorities of-handedly ” Lai wowe” in flawless English and remarkable brilliance.
The former vice president brought this trait to bear in his eight years sojourn as Vice President during the Buhari presidency. He was to replicate this trait at the launch of two books in honour of former President Muhammadu Buhari last year in Abuja.
Outside power, l can confirm that Vice President Osinbajo SAN, GCON has been a well sought after public speaker around the world. An unconfirmed source disclosed that the former president earns good fees deploying his talents as a public speaker in choice engagements around the world.
Little wonder, his appearance and brilliant delivery at the Babangida’s book launch was greeted with unprecedented applause. He was the star boy of the book launch drawing intermittent applause and appreciation from the distinguished audience including the author of the book and our stellar President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
Indeed as a first rate public speaker, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo SAN GCON is both a delight and a treasure.
It can be said in his favour that in former Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo SAN, GCON, you have established a legacy of public speaking.
Shittu is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
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