In this post, Platinumtimes.ng chronicles the life story, family, career and networth of Festus Keyamo.
Festus Egwarewa Keyamo(SAN) is a Nigerian lawyer, columnist and human rights activist.
In April 2018, Keyamo was appointed as the director of Strategic Communications of the 2019 re-election bid of President Buhari. He is presently among the ministerial nominees by president Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Profile summary
Full Name: Festus Egwarewa Keyamo SAN
Born: 21st January, 1970
Place of birth: Ughelli, Delta State
Spouse: Isioma Irene Keyamo(divorced)
Education: Ambose Alli University,Ekpoma,Edo State
Political Party: All Progressives Congress(APC)
Career: Lawyer, human right activist, politician
Biography
Festus Egwarewa Keyamo helds from Efurun, Delta State. He was born on January 21 1970, at Ughelli in Delta State southern Nigeria Mr Matthias and Mrs Caroline Keyamo.
Keyamo had his primary education at Model Primary School and secondary education at Government College, Ughelli and obtained the West African School Certificate in 1986.
He later proceeded to Ambrose Alli University at Ekpoma, in Edo State southern Nigeria where he received a Bachelor of Law degree in 1992 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in December 1993.
He was married to his divorced wife Isioma Irene Keyamo on May 15, 2004, in Benin City and the marriage produced two children.
Career
He started his legal career in 1993 at Gani Fawehinmi’s Chambers in Lagos State after being called to bar. He stayed at the chambers for two years before he left and established his own Chambers.
He served as the principal attorney in the treason trial of Ralph Uwazuruike, the leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), as well as Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, the leader of the Niger-Delta Peoples’ Volunteer Force.
Keyamo was also a witness in Bola Ige’s murder.
He sued the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2008 over the improper selection of service chiefs.
Singer and stripper Stephanie Otobo, in 2017 accused Apostle Suleman Johnson of breaking a marital oath to her after reportedly engaging in multiple sexual encounters with her through her attorney Festus Keyamo.
Political career
He was among the nominated ministers of the second administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
After being screened by the Senate, he was appointed as Nigeria’s Minister of State for Niger Delta in 2019. He was then redeployed to Ministry of Labour and Employment by the former president Muhammadu Buhari.
Awards and nominations
In 2017, he was named among the Legal Practioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) as one of the renowned Nigerian Lawyer to be awarded the position of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
In 2017, he was also awarded the Global Human Rights Award by the United States Global Leadership Council in Washington for being a human rights activist.
In 2023 he was conferred with a national award by the former president Muhammadu Buhari.
In August, 2023 president Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated Festus Keyamo as a minister of the federation.
Networth
Festus Keyamo has an estimated networth of about $1.5 million dollars.