Two distinguished members of the UK Diaspora African Community - Rev Esther Abimbola Ajayi and 'Femi Okutubo, have been granted the Freedom of the City of London.
Rev Esther Ajayi is the large-hearted Philanthropist and Senior Pastor of Love of Christ Generation C&S Church while 'Femi Okutubo is the Publisher of Trumpet Media Group and Founder of the GAB Awards.
Rev Esther Ajayi flanked by Clerk of the Chamberlain's Court and the Beadle
Rev Esther Ajayi flanked by Clerk of the Chamberlain's Court and the Beadle
'Femi Okutubo in a warm handshake with the Clerk of the Chamberlain's Court - Craig Murray
'Femi Okutubo in a warm handshake with the Clerk of the Chamberlain's Court - Craig Murray
In separate Freedom Enrolment Ceremonies held at the Chamberlain's Court of the City of London at Guildhall, Ajayi and Okutubo declared that: "I do solemnly swear that I will be good and true to our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second; that I will be obedient to the Mayor of this City; that I will maintain the Franchises and Customs thereof, and will keep this City harmless, in that which in me is; that I will also keep the Queen's Peace in my own person; that I will know no Gatherings nor Conspiracies made against the Queen's Peace, but I will warn the Mayor thereof, or hinder it to my power; and that all these points and articles I will well and truly keep, according to the Laws and Customs of this City, to my power."
Okutubo with the City of London Beadle
Femi Okutubo with the City of London Beadle
They were also given a guide to conducting their lives in a honourable fashion and an impressive sealed and framed parchment certificate.
Rev Ajayi and her children - Ola and Simi and grandchild - Malachi flanked by Clerk of the Chamberlain's Court and the Beadle
Rev Ajayi and her children - Ola and Simi and grandchild - Malachi flanked by Clerk of the Chamberlain's Court and the Beadle
The Freedom of the City of London is the most established Borough Freedom that is conferred in England and was first recorded in 1239.
In medieval times, the Freedom of the City of London meant someone who was not the property of a feudal lord but enjoyed privileges such as the right to earn money and own land in the City of London (The Square Mile).
From the Middle Ages and the Victorian era, the Freedom was the right to trade, enabling members of a Guild or Livery to carry out their trade or craft in the Square Mile - ensuring that the goods and services provided were of the highest possible standards.
In 1835, the Freedom was widened to incorporate not just members of Livery Companies but also people living or working in the City or those with a strong London connection.
Today, the Freedom of the City remains as a unique part of London’s history to which many people who have lived or worked in the City have been proud to be admitted.
Freemen's children get admission preference at the City of London Freemen's School.
There are a number of rights traditionally but apocryphally associated with Freemen - the right to drive sheep and cattle over London Bridge; to a silken rope, if hanged; to carry a naked sword in public; or that if the City of London Police finds a Freeman drunk and incapable, they will bundle him or her into a taxi and send them home rather than throw them into a cell.
While sheep have occasionally been driven over London Bridge on special occasions especially to raise funds for charity, the rest of these "privileges" are no longer applicable and now effectively symbolic.
Rev Ajayi and her family flanked by Femi Okutubo and Cllr Adedamola Aminu
Rev Ajayi and her family flanked by Femi Okutubo and Cllr Adedamola Aminu
Ajayi and Okutubo join a host of other previous recipients of the Freedom including former Mayor of Lambeth and previous GAB Awards recipient - Cllr. Adedamola Aminu; Trainer and Consultant - Ms Dolapo Adebiyi; and a friend of the Diaspora African Community - Common Councilman Prem Goyal JP OBE who is the CEO of Global Markets Consultants and a Patron of the GAB Awards.