Kayode Eso

Samuel Obakayode Eso was born on 18 September 1925 at Ilesa, a city in what was then the Nigeria Protectorate.{{cite web|url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/an-epitaph-for-justice-kayode-eso/134552/ |title=An Epitaph for Justice Kayode Eso, Articles - THISDAY LIVE |work=thisdaylive.com |accessdate=28 April 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620135803/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/an-epitaph-for-justice-kayode-eso/134552/ |archivedate=20 June 2015 }} Both of his parents, Emmanuel Dada and Rebecca Omotola Eso, belonged to prominent chieftaincy families amongst the Ijeshas. Emmanuel's father, Chief Ifaturoti, held the Eso chieftaincy title, and it was from this title that their family's surname was derived.J.F. Ade.Ajayi and Yemi Akinseye-George, "Kayode Eso: The Making of a Judge", p 1.

He attended local schools in Nigeria before going on to Trinity College, Dublin, where he obtained bachelor's and master's degrees in Law with a specialization in Legal science in 1953 and 1956 respectively.{{cite web|url=http://www.punchng.com/news/eminent-jurist-justice-kayode-eso-dies-at-87/ |title=Eminent jurist, Justice Kayode Eso, dies at 87 |work=The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper |accessdate=28 April 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620160018/http://www.punchng.com/news/eminent-jurist-justice-kayode-eso-dies-at-87/ |archivedate=20 June 2015 }} He then went on to train at the Lincoln's Inn in London, where he was subsequently called to the bar.

In March 1965, he became the acting Judge of the High Court of Western Nigeria and a few years later, he was appointed to the bench of the Court of Appeal of Western Nigeria as a Justice.{{cite web|url=http://saharareporters.com/2012/11/16/eminent-jurist-kayode-eso-dead|title=Eminent Jurist Kayode Eso Is Dead|work=Sahara Reporters|accessdate=28 April 2015}}

In January 1978, he was appointed Chief Judge of the Oyo State Judiciary, a position he held until September 1990, when he was appointed to the bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.{{cite web|url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/11/justice-kayode-eso-death-shocks-family/|title=Justice Kayode Eso's death shocks family - Vanguard News|work=Vanguard News|accessdate=28 April 2015}}

Professor Yemi Akinseye George, SAN and Professor J. F. Ade Ajayi's book, titled The Making of A Judge, narrates the chronological episodes in the contemporary history of Kayode Eso's judicial activism.{{cite web|url=http://africanspotlight.com/2012/11/16/justice-kayode-eso-dies/|title=Justice Kayode Eso Dies|work=African Spotlight|accessdate=28 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040537/http://africanspotlight.com/2012/11/16/justice-kayode-eso-dies/|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tsHEBAAAQBAJ&q=The+making+of+a+Judge+by+Akinseye+george&pg=PA122|title=African Legal Theory and Contemporary Problems|isbn=9789400775374|accessdate=28 April 2015|last1=Onazi|first1=Oche|date=26 November 2013}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EFwSuuwM-EsC&q=The+making+of+a+Judge+by+Akinseye+george&pg=PR7|title=Converting Colonialism|isbn=9780802817631|accessdate=28 April 2015|last1=Robert|first1=Dana L.|date=2 January 2008}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NOwEMgAACAAJ|title=Kayode Eso|isbn=9789780294526|accessdate=28 April 2015|last1=Ajayi|first1=J. F. Ade|last2=Akinseye-George|first2=Yemi|date=15 June 2002}}

He is one of the members of the 8-man panel of judges at the Supreme Court of Nigeria that presided over the Awolowo v. Shagari case, in which Chief Obafemi Awolowo's petition challenged the declaration of Alhaji Shehu Shagari as the president-elect of the country after the 11 August 1979 presidential election.{{cite web|url=http://saharareporters.com/2013/01/26/awolowo-vs-shagari-day-law-died-nigeria-seyi-olu-awofeso|title=Awolowo vs. Shagari: The Day The Law Died In Nigeria By Seyi Olu Awofeso|work=Sahara Reporters|accessdate=28 April 2015}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cKegBgAAQBAJ&q=Justice+Atanda+Fatai+Williams&pg=PA62|title=Nigeria|isbn=9781598849691|accessdate=28 April 2015|last1=Falola|first1=Toyin|last2=Oyeniyi|first2=Bukola A.|date=24 February 2015}}

The court ruled that "Sheu Shagari won two-thirds of the total votes cast, having polled a total tally of 16.8 million with 11.9 million votes ahead of Obafemi Awolowo who polled a total tally of 4.9 million."{{cite web|url=http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/11/the-doctrine-of-substantial-compliance-a-doctrine-of-substantial-folly/|title=THE DOCTRINE OF SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE: A doctrine of substantial folly|work=Vanguard News|accessdate=28 April 2015}}

Chief Eso married Helen Aina (née Agidee) of Akungbene in 1954. They would go on to have two children together, Funmilayo Eso Williams (deceased, Feb. 2021) and Olumide Eso.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NOwEMgAACAAJ|title=Kayode Eso|isbn=9789780294526|accessdate=May 28, 2023|last1=Ajayi|first1=J. F. Ade|last2=Akinseye-George|first2=Yemi|date=15 June 2002}}

Chief Eso died on 16 November 2012 at the age of 87.

• Member, Nigerian Bar Association
• Member, International Bar Association
• Member, Nigerian Body of Benchers

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Category:1925 births

Category:2012 deaths

Category:Nigerian jurists

Category:People from Ilesha

Category:Yoruba lawyers

Category:Alumni of Trinity College Dublin

Category:Supreme Court of Nigeria justices