… Says his brilliance earned him the position, not his father's influence.
The Alumni Association of Ikolaba Grammar School, Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State (2000 set), has extended heartfelt congratulations to Olukayode Ariwoola Jr., the son of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, on his appointment as a Judge of the Federal High Court.
It would be recalled that the Director of Information at the National Judicial Council (NJC), Soji Oye, recently announced the appointment of Ariwoola Jr and 22 others as Federal High Court Judges,who will be swear-in on Wednesday, October 4,2023 in Abuja..
Members of the Alumni Association including Taiwo Oluwadare, Olanrewaju Amos, and Biyi Jesufemi, were effusive in their praise and felicitations for their esteemed fellow alumnus.
The Alumni said that Ariwoola Jr's outstanding qualities as a lawyer, as well as his exemplary track record earned him the position and not his father's influence.
The Association expressed their unwavering belief in his suitability for the esteemed position as a Judge of the Federal High Court.
The members also took the opportunity to address the concerns raised about potential bias in the selection process, given Chief Justice Olukayode Ariwoola's position as the chair of the NJC.
Reminiscing about the brilliant CJN's son during their secondary school days, the members marveled at his determination and brilliance, citing his outstanding results in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
According to them, Olukayode Ariwoola Jr. achieved a perfect score of A1 in all the subjects, earning him the opportunity to pursue a career in the sciences.
"However, he astounded his peers by opting for the arts, stating that he aspired to follow in his father's footsteps as a lawyer," the Alumni said.
The Association appreciated Ariwoola Jr. for bearing a striking resemblance to his father, both in physical appearance and behaviour which they viewed as a testament to his desire to uphold his father's legacy and contribute to the legal profession.
The statement read in part: "Olukayode Ariwoola Jr. was a determined and brilliant student during our secondary school days. We recalled when we sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), a JSS 3 examination to be promoted to Senior Secondary School, young Ariwoola scored A1 in all subjects.
"In those days, students with the best results were considered for the Science class and those with the worst results were considered for the Art class. But to our utmost surprise, Ariwoola Jr. opted for the Art class. Surprised by this decision, we asked why he preferred Art to the Science class, but his reply was, 'my dad is a lawyer, and I want to become a lawyer like my dad.'
"Olukayode Jr. Ariwoola, who has the same facial mark as his dad, walks like his dad, and has the same look and name as his dad, shows he is following the footsteps of his wonderful father, and critics should rejoice with them rather than criticizing them.
"We hereby join other well-meaning Nigerians, family, and friends in wishing you congratulations in advance as you take your oat of office as a judge of the Federal High Court on Wednesday, October 4, 2023."