Mr. Adebayo Ojo is a man that could rightly be described as the proverbial cat with nine lives. He is an inspiration to those who life has thrown to the dungeons.
This is because he has been there himself, saw the bloody walls of the Nigeria prison yard and survived it. Mr Ojo was erroneously jailed and charged for murder. A death sentenced was subsequently passed. While waiting for his execution, the unexpected happened.
Do you remember him? One of his friends who attended his marriage ceremony asked.
His name is Adebayo Ojo. He was falsely accused of armed robbery and was sentenced to death at the age of 17, just about the same year he was planning to write his West African Examination Council- WAEC.
Mr. Ojo spent a total of 18 years in prison with no hope of being exonerated from a crime he never committed. His pleas were turned down. His innocence was thrown to the winds. The evidence before the judge was too heavy to let him go. It was simply a case of ill-luck. Mr. Ojo was never involved in the said armed robbery that led to the death of the victims, but he was a prime suspect. The prosecuting council proved their case beyond all reasonable doubt and Mr. Ojo was marked for death, waiting for the heavy hands of the men who will take his neck to the gallows.
Miracle, they say still happen. Mr. Ojo lived to experience the least expected event in his life that became the turning point in his life. While he awaited execution, the actual culprits were caught. Even after the culprits were caught and confessed to the crime, Mr Ojo was still held in custody with the death sentence hanging over him.
While in prison, he met Barrister Kingsley Ughe, GC1 of JLAA. Barr. Ughe taught him Literature and other subjects alongside other inmates. He also played a huge role in his sentence to be reduced to life imprisonment and finally a pardon.
“He got married recently. I was there alongside Barrister Kingsley Ughe”. His friend said.
