By Dapo Ipoola

It is in the word of Jackie Robinson who said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other’s lives.” The timeless above truism must have been the motivating factor behind the passionate interest of Barrister Yemi Ayodele Ayeni, popularly known as YAA. As a born giver, philanthropic activities are his second nature. Countless others have been uplifted through his philanthropic gestures. Today, many are graduates, gainfully employed, got scholarships as a result of his relentless giving spirit which has saw many out of slough of despondency and squalor.

In the recently concluded convocation of the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, where he bagged the Vice Chancellor’s Meritorious Award for Youth and Community Development, he was moved to give a scholarship award to one Jumoke Olatunji, a 19-year-old diminutive undergraduate in the department of Linguistics and Languages. Jumoke was once desponded as a result of many factors militating against her academic pursuit but that was punctured by Barr. Yemi Ayeni who said, “I saw an exceptional circumstance in her case. Despite her growth challenges, she exudes confidence and a strong resolve to succeed. I want her to know that no disability can hinder her from achieving her goals.” As a prayer answered, the hapless undergraduate student heaved a sigh of relief from the financial burden against her academic pursuit. YAA’s succour to the less privileged was not limited to Jumoke Olatunji alone, he sponsors over 15 underprivileged students in FUOYE and other tertiary institutions across the country.

Just as no good deeds goes unnoticed, the FUOYE’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina could not mask his impression as he acknowledged YAA’s untiring contributions and impacts on the people, including serving as a role model by saying, “Your CV is superb, your coming home to give back to the society is challenging.” One will be surprised that a university community could be that observant of communal and societal kind gesture of an individual. The university management in their letter while conveying the intent of the award tells it all: “As an illustrious person and an exemplary leader in the contemporary Nigeria with positive impacts on the lives of the vast majority of people, as well as serving as a role model of emulation to the young people through your enormous contributions to the growth of the society, the university management desires to confer on your highly esteemed self, a Special Meritorious Service Award of Outstanding Performance in Youth and Community Development.” The above were the scripted words of the university management before the conferment of the award.

Amanda Gorman aptly captured it when he said, “You don’t have to be a poet,you don’t have to be a politician or be in the White House to make an impact with your words. We all have this capacity to find solutions for the future.” This is exactly what YAA typifies in our present society. Annually, he fetes over 1000 men, women, widows and youths across the state where he doles out cash gift for Xmas celebration, and free JAMB forms for students seeking admission into tertiary institutions. In his words, “I would not be happy knowing that a a family could go to bed without food in their stomachs, this is what I can do to alleviate my people’s suffering.”

YAA in his undergraduate days in the University of llorin was the Secretary General of the Student Union Government, and upon the creation of Ekiti State, he co-founded the Federation of Ekiti State Students Union, FESSU, and he became the President of FESSU, University of llorin chapter. While doing his master’s in Scotland, he demonstrated similar feat where he was elected as the Coordinator for African Students, and later a Senator at Edinburgh Napier University. After his Master’s studies, he was found worthy and nominated as the Excel student of the Year for his exceptional leadership and academic performance.

Wondering of how he has always been able to be the best will not be out of place, but before the curious peregrination of that, it will be pertinent to note that his social exposure and academic attainments place him ahead of his contemporaries. As bookworm, YAA holds a degree in Sociology from the University of llorin; MSc.in Business Management with Human Resources, Edinburgh Napier University Business School, Scotland, UK; LLM in Law and International Law, Robert Gordon University Law School, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK; LLB Hons in Law, University of East London, Nigerian law school and a Ph.D studies- in view. As a principal partner at YAA law consult, his legal knowledge cuts across corporate law, property transactions, civil and criminal litigation and arbitration. While he was in Royal Docks Law School, University of East London, he served as a Lead Counsel for a couple of years. As a way of honing his leadership skills, he was a member of Commonwealth Business Council, International Leadership Association, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, where he meritoriously served as a Board member of Governors, University of East London.

As a resourceful lawyer, he is a chartered arbitrator; member of the International Law Association; Human Rights Association, UK; Commonwealth Association of Legislative Counsel; Nigerian Bar Association; Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. YAA as an exceptional philanthropist is an individual with resounding impacts whose ripple effect had generated a cataclysmic effect of paradigm shift with abundant life for the have-nots.

Dapo Ipoola, a media consultant wrote in from Lagos.