Chief S.A. Ajayi was a trailblazing Nigerian statesman who played a pivotal role in the country’s struggle for independence from British colonial rule. Born on December 2, 1910, a native Ogidi-Ijumu, in the then Kabba Province (now Kogi State), Ajayi was a passionate advocate for minority rights and representation. Ajayi’s most notable participation in the independence process was his role as a delegate to the (Lancaster House) Constitutional Conferences in London in 1957 and 1958. These conferences were pivotal in shaping Nigeria’s constitutional framework and addressing key issues that paved the way for self-governance/ Nigeria’s Independence in 1960.
Representing Kabba Division(now commonly referred to as Okun People) in the Northern Region House of Assembly (equivalent of a senator in the present presidential system of government) Ajayi brought to the table:
- 1) Advocating for inclusive policies that address the concerns of minority groups (in pre-independence) Nigeria: highlighting the need for equitable representation and protection of minority rights.”
- 2) The creation of a separate state from Kabba Division (Oyi Local Government, now known as Kogi West/Okun Land in present day Kogi state) to align his people with the Yorubas, with whom they share genealogical, historical, cultural, and linguistic ties. This move would help alleviate fears of marginalization and bridge the cultural and religious divide that has long existed.
At the time, the British government was hesitant to grant independence due to fears of ethnic tensions and the marginalization of smaller ethnic groups by the larger Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo majorities.
Ajayi, a polyglot fluent in multiple Nigerian languages, using himself as a practical specimen of a true Nigerian with deep understanding of Nigeria’s diverse multi-ethnic complexities haven lived and worked in several parts of Nigeria as a Translator, Local councilor, Trained Teacher and a civil servant.
S.A Ajayi while speaking at the conference, translated parts of his speech into several Nigerian languages, including Okun, Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa and others to drive his point home.
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Part of his powerful speech that resonated with British delegates reads: “I lived and worked in many parts of Nigeria with no generic hostility: Disagreement is human nature, not an exclusivity of a race or people, an example of this is the London-Nottingham minority agitation/riot happening right here in the United Kingdom. It’s time to let us go so we can proffer indigenous solutions to our challenges as a people.”
This submission resonated deeply with the British delegates. S.A Ajayi summarized his remarks by urging the British government and delegates from Majority ethnic groups of Nigeria to ensure that the rights and interests of minority groups are protected in the various sections of the constitution of a new Nigeria.
His deep understanding of Nigeria’s diverse cultures was instrumental in alleviating British concerns about the viability of a unified Nigeria.
By effectively advocating for the inclusion and protection of minority rights, Ajayi contributed to the agreements that reassured colonial authorities and facilitated the push toward Nigeria’s Independence in 1960. This distinctive participation earned him a badge of honor as a Nigerian Founding Father alongside great Nigerians like Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe and others.
