Olumide is the son of the late Justice Kayode Eso. He talks about his father’s law years with GBENGA ADENIJI
Can you give a brief profile of yourself?
I am Olumide Eso. I am an architect. I am the son of the late Justice Kayode Eso and Mrs. Helen Aina Eso. I come from a family of four comprising my parents, an elder sister and myself. My sister, Funmi Williams, who is a lawyer, works with the Osun State Government as a special adviser on women affairs.
What memories of growing up with your father do you recall?
When we were growing up, my father was a disciplinarian. He had philosophies and principles which he felt were necessary to guide him and his family. The principles bordered on core Christian values. During our childhood years in Ibadan, Oyo State, he used to drive a Volkswagen. I used to wonder then why he chose the car brand because most of other parents had very big cars. But he was decided not to take things he should not be taking. That was his nature. He was also a family man who gave us his attention anytime we required it. There was no time we approached him that he didn’t stop whatever he was doing even if he was in his study or discussing with people. My father never hesitated to listen to us. It was really fantastic the way he gave us his time and attention.
Did he create time to take his family out?
My father believed in travelling. He travelled to several countries and took members of his family along. We travelled with him during our early years. He took us to Egypt, Greece, Japan, Bangkok, Singapore, US, UK and so on. He took us to watch plays whenever we were abroad and we went for dinners afterwards. My father also took us to Takwa Bay, Yankari Game Reserve and Ikogosi Warm Springs among other interesting places in Nigeria. He used to take us on fishing and hunting expeditions because he loved nature. Like I earlier stated, my father was a family man. He ensured that we got everything we needed not everything we wanted. He also made sure that a child didn’t get something because his or her sibling got same thing. He ensured that one was deserving of what one got or requested.
You grew up seeing law books, why did you choose to study architecture?
It is true I grew up seeing many law books because my father kept a library of law books. He was much involved in law because it was his passion. I chose architecture because I don’t have oratory skills required for the law profession. My passion was for architecture when it was time for me to choose the course to study. I was initially not good at Mathematics but it improved greatly when I got admission into Howard University, US where I read Architecture. I also studied at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, US, for a master’s degree in Architecture.
Did your father influence your career choice?
My father never influenced my choice of career. He allowed us to choose what we wanted to study and he nurtured it. He directed us on the way to go. My sister chose Law of her own volition and my father encouraged her.
How did he relax?
Whenever he returned from work, he loved to play the piano and to work on his computer. He loved listening to classical music. He also enjoyed listening to Fela’s songs because of Fela’s philosophies which spoke about seeking the best for humanity. He enjoyed Fela’s songs because of his passion to make sure the common man gets justice. He liked to dress appropriately for different occasions. My father was a dandy.
How did your mother handle the home when your father was involved in some celebrated cases?
My father was involved in many celebrated cases. Some of them included the one involving Prof. Wole Soyinka who he acquitted on facts, the law and the landmark translation of 2/3 of 19 states. He believed that one should do justice though the heavens fall. But most importantly, the home was calm. He didn’t bring his work home; he separated the two. My mother, who is currently in the UK, is a very calm woman. She is my father’s opposite. She was able to make sure that things went the way they should. I remember when my father bought her a new car and told her that the car was parked in the garage. She didn’t go out to see the car until the next day. That shows her kind of person. She is very simple with a beautiful heart. She was the one that ‘generated’ the influx of visitors into the house. My father was very abrupt and distant. He was careful not to allow many people get close to him because of his profession and position then. My father had a lot of acquaintances but not many friends. He kept a distance from people because he didn’t want to be compromised. But my mother opened the door and allowed whoever wanted to come in to do so. During my growing up, I didn’t have a room because the one meant for me was always given to cousins, aunts and friends who came to visit. It was later that a room of my choice was allocated to me.
Who were his friends?
The friends my father kept included Prof. Festus Ade Ajayi and Justice Emmanuel Ayoola among others. Besides, his friends also included legal luminaries from the High Court, Appeal Court, Supreme Court to students of law faculties in Nigeria. At that stage, he had become freer after his retirement.
Did you watch him preside in court?
Yes. I watched him a number of times. I witnessed when he delivered judgments in some murder cases in Akure, Ondo State.
You said he was a disciplinarian. How did he punish any erring child?
My father never used the cane on any of his children. I cannot remember any day he used either a whip or the cane on us. But whenever we did anything wrong, he would talk to us and thereafter play his piano to calm himself. One good thing about him was that he would apologise if he was at fault. He never revisited issues once he had spoken candidly about them. He didn’t bear grudges. As we grew older, anytime he was upset about anything, all I had to do was to gently say ‘dad’ and touch his hand. He would immediately calm down. At a point, I became a substitute for the piano (he burst into tears).
How close were you to him?
We were quite close. It becomes important for one to get closer to one’s father when one also starts having children. One will see that there is more to life than oneself alone. At a point, he was doing a bit of business on our behalf. We had to key into the idea because we saw ourselves as partners in progress. We used to joke that he was a temporary custodian of our wealth and we needed to know how to expend it. My father retired at 65 and that was when he started making money. He didn’t make money from the bench but as soon as he retired, he was sought by many companies all over the world. He was called the Bill Gates of arbitration because he took arbitration to another level.
When you were abroad studying, how often was he visiting?
My father visited the two of us often while we were studying abroad. I was studying in the US while my sister was studying in the UK then.
How did he handle misunderstanding with his wife?
My mother is a beautiful, calm woman. I say this with all honestly. I never witnessed a moment when my parents were upset with each other. It never happened.
What ideals have you learnt from him?
I have learnt honesty, humility, transparency and integrity. My father advised us to be disciplined in all we do and to always stand on the side of truth.
How has his name opened doors for you?
My father was not one who used his name to influence anything. As his children, we don’t do the same. Yes, his name open doors but I must say that his name doesn’t open doors within the circles of people who don’t like integrity, honesty and transparency. The name does not mean anything to this kind of people. But my father’s name opens doors from people who value truth, uprightness and honesty. The name means so much to these people.
How did he like to dress?
Like I earlier said, my father was dandy. If the event was traditional, he would wear agbada and slant his native cap at the tip in a particular way as a form of expression. If he wore a suit, it was impeccably worn. He also wore coloured waist coats. His socks, shoes and ties were superb.
What was his best meal?
He loved eko (pap) and efo (vegetable soup). As a true Ijesa man, he also loved pounded yam. My father’s mother and his elder sister, Adeyemi, used to cook the efo for him when he was young. They would add locust beans, a bit of pepper and little palm oil. It was crunchy when cooked in a metal pot for him. He grew up loving it. My father loved his sister so much that when she died, he cried. That was the first time I saw my father cry.
Did he have a favourite drink?
He was a connoisseur of good wine. He subscribed to magazines that publish articles on wines. He visited wineries. If he visited any country, he would check wineries to taste the best ones. At the end of every meal, he drank wine. He also created a cellar for wines.
Was he involved in any sports?
He really was not but he enjoyed keeping animals such as chicken, rabbits, peacocks, horses, ostriches and so on.
Where were you when he died in 2012?
The entire family was with him in London when he passed on. We later took his body to Nigeria for burial.
What was your first reaction when he died?
My father had prepared us 10 years before his death. That was how he conquered death. He had told us where he wanted to be buried and the type of music he wanted to be sung at his funeral. He was a realistic man. He knew that death is what every human owes life. He saw many people die so he knew he had to be ready too. There was nothing else because he had already told us what he wanted us to do when he died. In particular, he told us to look after our mother because he loved her so much.
What was his favourite quote?
He actually loved two quotes. The first, “The best thing to do is not always the most convenient thing to do. Leadership is not about convenience. Leadership is best depicted by example.” The second one is a Latin legal phrase: “Fiat justitiaruatcaelum” meaning, Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
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