Surajudeen Basiru: I bear no grudge against those who expelled me from university

By PAUL UKPABIO  August 28, 2021

Former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Osun State, Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru is a lesson in determination to succeed in life. 

It was as if the whole world had crashed on him when the vocal, young, courageous activist student and his team members were shown the way out of the ivory tower in an unceremonious way many years ago. Today, he holds sway as a senator of the federal republic and chairman of the Senate committee on media and public affairs.

 In this interview with PAUL UKPABIO, he recalls that dark moment and how it turned round to impact positively on his life.

In what ways would you say that your childhood influenced your current status and personality?

I think it did in many respects. My early background has shaped my personality and what I do today. Ultimately, whatever we are in life is the totality of our experiences. I grew up in a modest family, had early education in Arabic and Islamic studies and also western education. When I was in secondary school, I was active in academic work and social life. I was a member of the cultural and dramatic society, and I left the school in the capacity of the public relations officer for that group. I also featured in many of the plays that we had then, which in a way honed my communication skill and ability to play distinct roles. I was also an assistant prefect, which also formed my early leadership experience. Though an arts student, I was the captain of the Mathematics class.

After that, I was briefly at the Islamic Theological School before proceeding to the University of Ilorin where I was active as a campus journalist, member of the Fire-Point Press Club, where we published a magazine which built my writing skill. I joined the social and political movement on campus. We formed cultural and current affairs association, an ideological group where we reviewed books on a daily basis and made ideological discussions.

 

I was also active in the students’ union. I contested and won the position of Assistant Secretary in the Arabic Students Association. In my second year in the university, I became the Assistant Secretary General of the students’ union and Clerk of the congress.

You were also active in students’ politics…

Yes. After my sojourn at the University of Ilorin, I was at the University of Lagos, where I studied Law and I was active in the Law Society as well as the student politics and the pro-democracy movement. I was active in the United Action for Democracy; Campaign for Democracy; Democratic Alternative and several other pro-democracy and human rights organisations.

 

As a legal practitioner, I honed my legal skill in a top commercial firm, Olaniwun Ajayi, and later joined as a partner, Muiz Banire Associates and was eventually appointed as a commissioner. All these formed the totality of what I am today.

 

Earlier, you said you went to an Islamic Theological School. Were you at any point thinking of becoming an Imam or a spiritual leader?

Actually, I did that in concomitant with the western education. In every Islamic home in Nigeria, especially the part where I come from, we take it as important to ensure children have knowledge of Islam. We see it as part of growing up. Moreover, that was my major at the University of Ilorin: Arabic and lslamic Studies. Possibly, if I had been allowed to graduate, maybe I would have taken a career in Islamic scholarship before I ended up studying Law at University of Lagos. Yes, I might have been a scholar in Islamic theology, but that would not have meant that I would have been an Islamic leader. But even as at now, I get involved in matters of religion. I believe that being in this world means that we are here for a purpose and the purpose is to serve the Almighty God.

 

What motivated you to study Law and advance to get a PhD?

I will say that my studying Law was accidental; it was as a result of my involvement in students’ union activities at the University of Ilorin. I was expelled together with some other student leaders and we felt that it was better to proceed to another institution to pursue another degree. One of our friends just said, ‘Why don’t we study Law, since we had already studied arts?’ That was how we enrolled for JAMB and we passed and were given admission. At the Law School, I was the third best in my set and I won the Graham Douglas Prize for Best Student in Corporate Law. I took some time to practice before enrolling for master’s programme. I was encouraged by one of my lecturers, Prof Imran Oluwole Smith, a leading scholar in Property Law, to enroll for PhD, and that was it. Part of my thesis has been published as a book in secured finance law.

Now that you are a successful lawyer, do you regret being expelled from the University of Ilorin?

There are no regrets. It was part of learning. I did not