James Blyden Jenkins-Johnston

James Blyden Ayodele Jenkins-Johnston (also known as J.B. Jenkins-Johnston or Jenkins or JayBee) was born on October 2, 1946, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to James Blyden Jenkins-Johnston Sr., J.P., O.B.E.[1] and Marion Esther Jenkins-Johnston. He graduated Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English Language and Literature from Fourah Bay College (then University of Durham in 1969) where he was a member and Senior Brother of Excelsior Fraternity and a member of the Student Union Government. He went on to study Law in the United Kingdom in 1970 and was called to the English Bar at the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn/Council of Legal Education School of Law, London in July 1974.

Jenkins-Johnston returned to Sierra Leone and set up a very successful private general legal practice covering the whole of the country after being enrolled and admitted to practise as Barrister and Solicitor in Sierra Leone in December 1974. The practice, named Ayotunde Chambers (a combination of his and his wife's names), covered a wide area of practice.

Jenkins-Johnston was known for his "famous (open) letters" holding the government's feet to the fire and expressing the frustrations of many in Sierra Leone. He touched on everything from the state of public services to workers' rights to matters of the constitution.

On public services

In one such letter,[2] Jenkins-Johnston demanded answers from the President about unfulfilled election promises regarding the state of electricity supply in the country.

On workers' rights

When commercial bike riders were banned by the government from operating in the business district of Freetown, Jenkins-Johnston came to their defence and wrote a passionate open letter[3] in which he called for the immediate review or cancellation of that decision, describing the ban as a "violent punishment on both the riders and citizens, and considered the government’s move as not only unfair but illegal and unjust," noting that the ban was causing too much trouble to a substantial number of citizens.

On democracy, development, and the constitution

When it became clear that there would have to be a second round of elections at the 2007 General Elections, and the spectre of violence reared its head, Jenkins-Johnston wrote a wide-ranging impassioned letter[4] to the elected leaders of the respective political parties in which he implored them that "the old politics of violence, threats, coercion and intolerance is long dead, and as we all proved on August 11, 2007, Elections can and ought to be conducted in peace and tranquility, and with decency and maturity. As I understand it, “DEMOCRACY” is all about letting the people (the ordinary folk, or the common man if you like) have their say as to who is to lead or rule them, freely and without any threats, intimidation, coercion or violence whatsoever, that is the only power (a very potent power) that the ordinary citizens have, and it should not be taken away from them by anyone for any reason whatsoever." He also pointed out "that the Constitution clearly provided at Section 42 that if there was no candidate who polled 55% of the valid votes cast at the presidential election, then there must be a second round of voting between the two (2) who polled the highest votes in the first round within a period of 14 days."

Jenkins-Johnston receiving his GCOR from President Ernest Koroma on Independence Day 2012.

On Independence Day, April 27, 2012, Jenkins-Johnston was awarded Grand Commander of the Order of the Rokel (GCOR) by President Ernest Koroma, in recognition of 38 years of Distinguished Public Service as a General Legal Practitioner, Human Rights Lawyer and Social Commentator.

• Sierra Leone: Grand Commander of the Order of the Rokel (2012)