Babafemi Badejo

Infobox Writer


imagesize = 150px
name = Babafemi Badejo
birthdate = birth date and age|1955|03|04
birthplace = Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria

Dr. Babafemi Badejo (born 4 March 1955) is a Nigerian political scientist, author, publisher and lawyer. He was born on March 4, 1955 in Ijebu-Ode, a town of about 222,653 (2007) people in Ogun State, Nigeria. He is husband to his wife, Mrs. Jumoke Badejo and a father of three daughters (Adeyinka, Tokunbo and Bidemi) and a son (Adebolanle).

Accomplishments

Badejo, prior to his current role as Head of Political Affairs at the UN Mission in Liberia, served as Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia. He led the international team that included: Italy, U.S., EC., EU, UK and the UN that sought to reduce the differences amongst principal Somali leaders that included the President, Prime Minister; the Speaker of Parliament and a group of recalcitrant Ministers. He also led an International Team of support for the Prime Minister of Somalia as the PM visited Mogadishu for the first time in 2005 during which time the PM escaped an assassination attempt. He represented the United Nations Political Office on Somalia (UNPOS) at the 9th Summit of IGAD Heads of State and was involved in the UN consultations with the IGAD Heads of State on peace and nation building in Somalia and coordinated and collaborated with the UN family, donors and NGOs on the development of a peace-building office for Somalia. He also worked with donors and the Kenyan authorities on the implementation of the resolution of the 9th IGAD Summit on Somalia.

Badejo played primary role in the design, negotiation and implementation of the Djibouti Initiative that set up national governance structures for Somalia after decade of civil strife. He also organised and participated in peace accord negotiations among Somali leaders that resulted in the Nairobi Declaration of March 1994.

He recently published a seminal best seller in Kenya on the biography of Raila Odinga, a foremost politician in Kenya.

Professional Life

1. Head, Political, Policy and Planning Section, United Nations Mission in LiberiaMIL, Monrovia Liberia (UNIMIL); January 10, 2006 to date

2. Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, (DSRSG) UN Political Office for Somalia; 1 September 2005 to 9 January 2006

3. Acting Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, UN Political Office for Somalia; 1 April 2005 to 31 August 2005

4. Officer-in-Charge, UN Political Office for Somalia; 1 January 2002 to 4 April 2002

5. Sr. Political Adviser, UN Political Office for Somalia, Dept. of Political Affairs, United Nations; 15 April 1995 to 31 March 2005

6. UNDP Consultant, South African Government Reconstruction and Development Programme; April 1995

7. Officer in Charge, Disarmament, Demobilization and Demining Div., UNOSOM II,, Somalia; August 1994-March 1995.

8. Sr. Political Adviser to the Special Representative of the Secretary General to Somalia; Feb 1994-August 1994

9. Political Affairs Officer, UNOSOM II, Somalia; May 1993-February 1994

10. Consultant, Development Economics, UNDP, 1994 Human Development Report, Nov 1993.

11. Publisher and Part Owner, “Friends Foundation Publishers Ltd.”, 1987-1993.

12. Consultant, Development Economics, UNDP, 1993 Human Development Report, August - October 1992.

13. Member, Nigerian Delegation to UN General Assembly (46th Session) Oct.-Nov, 1991.

14. Member and Secretary to the Nigerian Fact-Finding Team to South Africa led by General O. Obasanjo; September 1991.

15. Attorney, Nigeria, 1990.

16. Senior Lecturer, 1986-1993, Lecturer, 1982-1986, University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Raila Odinga Biography by Babafemi Badejo

Raila Odinga: An Enigma in Kenyan politics, a book by Dr. Babafemi Badejo traces the journey of one individual, Raila Amolo Odinga, as he negotiates the treacherous political terrain of post-independence Kenya. Dr. Badejo draws upon his enviable skills as a political analyst – he has served as a senior political advisor for the United Nations in Somalia and Liberia and wrote his PhD dissertation at UCLA on politics and planning in Pakistan – to construct a compelling account of key events in the conception and existence of the Kenyan state. His achievement is to render accessible both the complex political history of Kenya and the personal story of one of the most influential and controversial actors on the contemporary Kenyan political scene. "Raila Odinga: An Enigma in Kenyan Politics" is an excellent introduction for the uninitiated to the complex landscape of Kenyan politics.

Babafemi Badejo, a Political Scientist and Lawyer hails from Nigeria. He was resident in Kenya for over a decade working on Somalia out of Nairobi. With his earlier calling as a University Senior Lecturer it is understandable that Dr. Badejo was able to undertake a painstaking research on politics in Kenya and blended this with 61 years of the life of a controversial politician to realize a truly impressive book.

The biography generated the following press releases

How opposition giants plotted to block Moi - The StandardPresident Mwai Kibaki, then the Democratic Party Presidential candidate, Raila Odinga and Charity Ngilu plotted to scuttle former President Moi’s swearing-in ceremony after the 1997 General Election, the new biography on Raila reveals. "Read full article:" http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143955434"

Raila: Kibaki Betrayed me - Kenya Times From Dr Badejo’s narration, Odinga’s fallout with President Kibaki in 2005 after the Memorandum of Understanding was buried in the past and never to be discussed, comes out clearly and that the Langata MP had initially suffered a similar betrayal informs the move. "Read full article:"http://www.timesnews.co.ke/16jul06/nwsstory/topstry.html

A love-hate affair with Moi, Kibaki - Daily NationIt has been written elsewhere that Mr Raila Odinga stands in the front row of those that will determine President Mwai Kibaki’s political future. It would appear from Babafemi Badejo’s biography that the President does not enjoy quite the same status in the life of the Langata MP. "Read full article:" http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=39&newsid=77343

’82 coup: Arrest Raila, say MPs - The StandardConstitutional affairs minister Martha Karua and 11 MPs have called for the arrest and prosecution of Lang’ata MP Raila Odinga over his role in the 1982 abortive coup...In the book, Raila’s biographer Babafemi Badejo says Raila facilitated the acquisition of a house on Ngong Road, which was used as a command centre by the plotters. "Read full article:" http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143955436

Raila's Biography Marks Step in the Right Direction - The StandardOverall, the book gives Raila's admirers and haters alike a pin on which to peg the politician. It is interesting that the writer gave both categories of people a chance to have their say on Raila and published the responses without interpreting or editing them. That is as delicate as it gets when writing about Raila. The book is a beginning in the right direction. "Read full article:" http://allafrica.com/stories/200607140075.html

Raila - the Man Behind the Mask - Daily Nation The Raila Odinga biography that was due to be launched in Nairobi last evening is a welcome addition to the rare collection of political biographies in Kenya. In Raila Odinga, An Enigma in Kenyan Politics, Nigerian lawyer and political scientist Dr Babafemi Badejo offers a sympathetic portrait of one of Kenya's most controversial politicians. The book is not just the story of Mr Odinga, but a study of the evolution of Kenya politics over the last 25 or so years. "Read full article:" http://allafrica.com/stories/200607130921.html

Book reveals how Ford was formed - Daily Nation One of the most contentious issues has always been about how and who founded the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (Ford). Babafemi Badejo's biography claims the seed of the idea was planted at a lunch meeting between Mr Raila Odinga and a US embassy diplomat, Alan Eastham, sometime after the latter's third detention stint. Raila then introduced Eastham to Mr James Orengo. A dinner was organised at the Mr Orengo's house, where the idea was crystallised further. "Read full article:" http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=39&newsid=77341

Book reveals the day Raila fled disguised as priest - The Standard There was a day Raila Odinga arrived in Kisumu, Ugenya and Bondo but the people who normally give him a rousing welcome could not recognise him... Travelling under different names, sometimes dressed as a priest and other times as a Sheikh, Raila staged a dramatic escape from Kenya by boat at night, through Lake Victoria to Uganda then to Norway, to avoid arrest just before a 1991 Forum for Restoration of Democracy rally at Kamukunji, Nairobi. "Read full article:" http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143955395l

Raila Unveiled - The Standard Raila Odinga "facilitated" those who planned the 1982 attempted coup on President Daniel Moi's Government. The facilitation included Raila securing a command post for the plotters on Ngong Road. This is according to a new book on Raila launched in a high-profile ceremony in Nairobi on Thursday evening. Segments of the book read like a thriller on Kenyan politics: These include details of the attempted coup, Raila's flight from Nairobi on the day of the coup, his life in detention and the crude but creative torture methods used on perceived enemies of the State in the heady single party days. "Read full article:" http://allafrica.com/stories/200607130921.html

Author Explains Why MP is a Political Enigma - The Standard Raila Odinga's biographer Babafemi Badejo set out to write about the man because he felt Raila was "an enigma". Babafemi said he was attracted to Raila's courageous and daring politics. He could not understand why Raila abandoned the Opposition to join Kanu. He got more interested in Raila when the MP took on Moi in the run-up to 2002 elections. "Read full article:" http://allafrica.com/stories/200607140070.html

Book reveals toture secrets - The Standard he secrets of the Nyayo House torture chambers, the police state that Kenya had become in mid 1980s and the 1982 failed coup have resurfaced with a chilling impact in the biography of a man who went through it. Details of what happened to those who fell victim to state repression read like scenes from a horror film as detailed in Raila Odinga’s biography unveiled on Thursday. "Read full article:" http://www.eastandard.net/hm_news/news.php?articleid=1143955312

Femi Badejo Foundation

Babafemi Badejo is also the founder of the Femi Badejo Foundation, a private, non-profit organization that promotes the study and knowledge of the game of chess. The foundation perceives chess as an academic and social developmental tool. The foundation sponsors annual chess tournaments in two categories: Under 14 and Under 10 On a broad scale, the foundation seeks to partake in future endeavors geared towards academic and social development in collaboration with individuals or other organizations. Femi Badejo Foundation Mission

• Expand opportunity to reach full potential • Improving academic skills

• Increasing attention spans of children

• Improving decision making skills and being aware that there are consequences for every action

• Increasing self-confidence • Awakening an interest in learning and achievement

Dr. Babafemi Badejo founded the organization as an effort to contribute to the academic and social development of the Nigerian youth. Doye Olugbemi, Solicitor & Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, is the serving Secretary-General of the Foundation. The Femi Badejo Foundation is mainly funded from the salary of Dr. Babafemi Badejo. Unsolicited voluntary support had been received from Mr. Bright Alexander Ogbebor, Hon. Justice T. Oyekan-Abdullahi, Engr. Dipo Oyewole. A $1,000 birthday gift was presented to the founder by his children to be used for the foundation.

External links

1. Raila Odinga Biography: http://www.badejo-on-raila.com/

2. Center for Research and Dialogue: http://www.crdsomalia.org/badejo.shtml

3. Somalia Steps on a path to fragile peace in a shattered country: http://www.unis.unvienna.org/pdf/somalia.pdf

Publications

1. Babafemi A. Badejo, Raila Odinga: An Enigma in Kenyan Politics, (Lagos & Nairobi: Yintab Books, 2006)

2. Babafemi A. Badejo, “Managing the Somali Conflict Post Mbagathi Conference,” Adebayo Adedeji, et al., eds., Africa Conflict, Peace and Governance Monitor, 2006 (Ijebu-Ode: ACDESS, 2006), pp. 158-171.

3. Babafemi A. Badejo, “Governance in Kenya after Moi,” Adebayo Adedeji, et al., eds., Africa Conflict, Peace and Governance Monitor, 2006 (Ijebu-Ode: ACDESS, 2006), pp. 183-200.

4. Oyeleye Oyediran & Babafemi Badejo, “The Political Bureau Report and Government Reaction,” in Kusa (ed..), Political Economy of Nigeria under Babangida, Lagos: Malthouse, 1999 (forthcoming).

5. Babafemi A. Badejo, “Party Formation and Competition,” in Larry Diamond et.al. Transition Without End, (Colorado: Lynne Reiner, 1997) also published in (Ibadan: Vantage Publishers Ltd., 1997) pp. 177-203.

6. Babafemi A. Badejo, "The Associative Sector and the Poor in Africa," in Hans D'Orville (ed.), Leadership for Africa, (N.Y., Africa Leadership Foundation 1995), pp. 257-259

7. Oyeleye Oyediran, Remi Anifowose, Babafemi Badejo, et.al, Government for Senior Secondary Schools, Books I, II, III, (Lagos: Longman Nigeria Ltd., 1990/1992).

8. Femi Badejo, "The Political Implications of the African Economic Community", in M.A. Ajomo & Omobowale Adewale, (eds.), African Economic Community Treaty: Issues, Problems and Prospects, (Lagos: Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, 1993) pp. 68-76.

9. Babafemi A. Badejo, " Fundamental Human Rights", in Oyeleye Oyediran, Introduction to the Nigerian (1989) Constitution, (Lagos: Project Publications Ltd., 1992), pp. 53-72. 10. Babafemi A. Badejo, "The Judiciary", in Oyeleye Oyediran, Introduction to the Nigerian (1989) Constitution, (Lagos: Project Publications Ltd., 1992), pp. 101-118.

11. Babafemi A. Badejo, "Women's Quest for Political Leadership in the Third Republic: Problems and Prospects" in Oluremi Jegede et al., (eds.) Women and Leadership (Lagos: NAUW, 1991), pp. 23-27.

12. Babafemi A. Badejo, "Democratic Governance and the Party System in Nigeria: The Place of Ideology and the Challenges Ahead," Nigerian Journal of Economic and Social Studies, Vol. 33, 1991.

13. Babafemi A. Badejo and Stephen Ayo Ogunyemi, "Integrating the Past with the Present: An Exercise in Futility," in J.A.A. Ayoade, A.A.B. Agbaje (eds), African Traditional Political Thought and Institutions, (Lagos: CBAAC, 1989), pp. 175-186.

14. Babafemi A. Badejo, "Nigeria and India Relation 1960-1986: A study in South-South Cooperation" in B. Akinyemi, S. O. Agbi and Femi Otunbanjo eds., Nigeria Since Independence: The First 25 Years, Vol. X, International Relations, (Ibadan: Heinemann 1989), pp. 87-104.

15. Babafemi Badejo, "Economic Diplomacy in a Trapped Economy: Assumptions and Prospects of the Nigerian Experience," Nigerian Journal of International Studies, Vol. 15, Nos. 1 & 2, November 1991, pp. 93-111.

16. Babafemi A. Badejo, "The Socio Political Implications of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP)" The Journal of Business and Social Studies, New Series, vol. 7 No. 1, December 1984 (Published 1990), PP. 57 -64.

17. Babafemi A. Badejo, "Nigeria's Economic Relationship with Brazil and India: An Assessment of South - South Cooperation," Nigerian Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 16, No. 1, 1990.

18. Oyeleye Oyediran & Babafemi A. Badejo, " The Progressive Peoples Party And The Progressive Parties Alliance In The Nigerian Second Republic," ODU, New Series, No. 36, July 1989, pp. 75-88.

19. Babafemi A. Badejo, "Socialism Under Bhutto: An appraisal of Policy and Performance," South Asia Bulletin, Vol. 8, No. 1 & 2, 1988, pp. 27-32.

20. Babafemi A. Badejo, "India's African Policy," Nigerian Journal of International Affairs, Vol. 10, No.1, 1984, pp. 48-62.

21. Babafemi A Badejo ,"Pakistan: Ayub’s Demise Revisited," Asian Affairs, Vol. 5, No. 2, (1983), pp. 31-36.

22. Babafemi A. Badejo, "Planning for Social Justice: A Critique," The Journal of General Studies, Vol. 4, No. 1, (1983), pp. 65-73.

23. Babafemi A. Badejo, "Green Revolution in Pakistan: Lessons for Nigeria," Journal of Business and Social Studies, New Series, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1982, pp. 17-29.

24. Babafemi A. Badejo, "Some Methodological Issues in the Relationship Between Politics and Planning in the Post-Colonial State, "The Journal of General Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1, (1982), pp. 50-66.

References

[Babafemi A. Badejo, Raila Odinga: An Enigma in Kenyan Politics, (Lagos & Nairobi: Yintab Books, 2006)] Raila Odinga: An Enigma in Kenyan Politics

[Babafemi A. Badejo, “Managing the Somali Conflict Post Mbagathi Conference,” Adebayo Adedeji, et al., eds., Africa Conflict, Peace and Governance Monitor, 2006 (Ijebu-Ode: ACDESS, 2006), pp. 158-171.] Managing the Somali Conflict Post Mbagathi Conference

[Babafemi A. Badejo, “Governance in Kenya after Moi,” Adebayo Adedeji, et al., eds., Africa Conflict, Peace and Governance Monitor, 2006 (Ijebu-Ode: ACDESS, 2006), pp. 183-200.] Governance in Kenya after Moi