Buhari, govs, Kalu, FEC, others mourn as Ajibola is buried

Posted by admin Governors, Latest Politics Monday, April 10th, 2023

President Yemi Osinbajo, former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aremo Segun Osoba, Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Chief Justice of the State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, Chief Imam of Egbaland, Sheik Sa’dallah Bamgbola, were among dignitaries who paid the last respect to the former Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bola Ajibola.

Ajibola who was also a former jurist of International Court at Hague, Netherlands, died in the early hours of Sunday following age related ailments.

After Janazah prayer led by Chief Imam of Egbaland, Sheik Sa’dallah Bamgbola, the remains of Ajibola were interred within the sprawling Islamic Mission for Africa(IMA) premises, the centre he established decades ago on Abiola Way Area of Abeokuta, the state capital.

Osinbajo arrived at the venue at about 4.57pm.

The remains of Ajibola had earlier been brought to his residence at the Olusegun Obasanjo Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital

The body was brought in at about 10:50am in an Ebony motor hearse along with family members from Lagos where the legal luminary breathed his last.

Meanwhile, a wave of condolence messages has continued to pour in for the family of revered jurist.

The eldest child of the late jurist, Segun Ajibola, in a statement in Abeokuta, yesterday, said he died early yesterday at the age of 89.

“Truly to Allah we belong and unto Him is our final return. This is to announce the passing on of our revered and dearly beloved father, Judge AbdulJabbar Bolasodun Adesumbo Ajibola which occurred over the midnight today, April 9, 2023. Judge Ajibola will always be remembered as an icon of Law and Judicature, an embodiment of both the Bar and the Bench. Judge Ajibola not only served nationally and internationally, he is warmly loved in his homestead of Abeokuta where he held the traditional title of Oluomo of Egbaland and Olori Omo Oba of Owu Kingdom. We pray that Almighty Allah will pardon his shortcomings, accept his return and grant him a lofty station among His honoured friends in Paradise (Jannatul Firdaws),” the statement read.

Ajibola was at different times president of the Nigerian Bar Association (1984-1985), President, The World Association of Judges, Chairman, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria and President, World Bank Administrative Tribunal among other notable accomplishments.

He was the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria from 1985 to 1991 and a Judge of the International Court of Justice, Hague, Netherlands, from 1991 to 1994.

Ajibola was appointed the High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2002.

Among those who have reacted included President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, governors and the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

President Buhari, in a statement by his media aide, Femi Adesina, noted that the outstanding lawyer and eminent jurist used his God given knowledge, intellect and talent to advocate for justice, fairness and equity in all his undertakings within and outside Nigeria.

“His contributions to the development of our legal system cannot be overstated, serving as the Attorney General and Minister for Justice at a critical period in the nation’s history. His patriotic inclinations, integrity and passion for service and advancement of humanity will continue to resonate after him,” he said.

President Buhari also sympathised with the government and people of Ogun State as they mourn this illustrious citizen for the educational and social development he brought to his community and environs.

Kalu: forthright, bold, courageous

Dr. Kalu, former governor of Abia State, extolled the virtues of the former judge of International Court of Justice, stressing that the late jurist was forthright, bold, courageous and patriotic.

The former governor while urging leaders at all levels to emulate the outstanding qualities of the late judge, urged members of the Ajibola family to sustain the good deeds of their late patriarch.

In a condolence message, Kalu joined family, friends and associates in mourning the demise of the late elder statesman.

He said: “ I condole with the Ajibola family over the passing of their patriarch and Founder, Crescent University, Abeokuta, Prince Bola Ajibola. The late judge was a selfless and patriotic statesman with passion for a just and ideal society. He was a strong advocate of justice, fairness and equity. The late judge used various platforms to advance the cause of the people. He will be remembered for his remarkable legacies.”

The former governor prayed to Allah to grant Ajibola al- Jannah Firdaus.

.He served our nation pro-bono – Babangida

Former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in his condolence said: “I feel a deep sense of pain on hearing the news of the sudden demise of our former Attorney-General, Prince Bola Ajibola: a great Nigerian, an unimpeachable patriot, a sound legal mind, humanist, and a quintessential legal luminary of global reputation. His death, no doubt, marked the end of an eventful career of an exceptional Nigerian, whose love for country was total.

“As a government, when we tried to appoint Prince Ajibola as Attorney-General of the Federation, there were certain persons who cautioned us against it, saying the late Prince was a controversial personality, who would give us a headache. I insisted that that was the more reason why we should appoint him; with the hope that he would guide us on the path of law and reason, and not sentiments; which he did. As a true Nigerian patriot, throughout his service to the nation, he refused to receive a salary. He served our nation pro-bono.

“He was very passionate about the place of Nigeria in the comity of nations. There was never a day he asked to be paid his salaries during and or after his meritorious service to the nation. Prince Bola Ajibola is an exceptional patriot of repute. At 89, he lived his full circle. His sound knowledge of law and the legal profession was legendary. He was a man with robust ideas about governance. He shaped the direction of our government and contributed in no small measure to deepening our body of laws. He was friendly, engaging, and selfless. He was a great mind whose love for country is remarkably worthy of emulation. I will personally miss this great Nigerian, who gave us a lot of ideas on how to lead our country.”

. A jurist, diplomat of repute – FEC

Secretary to the Government of the Federation/Chairman, Presidential Transition Council (PTC), Boss Mustapha, on behalf of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), chronicled his contributions to the development of the legal profession both locally and internationally, and condoled with the government and people of Ogun State, family and friends of the deceased, and prays to God to grant him Aljanah Firdaus.

Big loss – Abiodun

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun described his death as a big loss to the judiciary, saying his legacies in the judiciary, philanthropy and the educational development would never be forgotten.

He also commiserated with the Owu Royal Family of the former minister of justice, his friends, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as well as members of the Baptist Boys’ High School Old Students Association.

He described the legal icon’s death as saddening, devastating and the end of an era.

“Words cannot adequately convey my heartfelt sorrow over Papa’s death, for he was a kind and beautiful soul who spread love to all who encountered him,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu mourns

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described his death as a big loss to the legal profession, the education sector, Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole.

In a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, Sanwo-Olu commended the ex-ICJ judge for his legacies, sacrifice and dedication to nation-building and service to mankind.

He also praised Prince Ajibola’s contribution to the judiciary and education sectors as a lawyer, World Court Judge and founder of one of the foremost private universities in Nigeria, Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Huge vacuum -Malami

Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, said the death of Ajibola has created a huge vacuum in nation’s legal space. He said the late former AGF was a seasoned legal icon of international repute whose impact remain indelible in Nigerian history and beyond.

While praying God for the repose of the soul of the deceased, Malami also prayed that the Almighty grant the nation, families of the late, Ogun |State and indeed the entire nation the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Son, VC speak

In an interview Ajibola’s eldest son said his father would be sorely missed for his sense of humour, generosity and religious beliefs.

“My dad was a very passionate person, very deep and highly religious in all the efforts he made in establishing a university which has an Islamic flavour in terms of the Islamic Center he had set up and the way he had conducted himself and his life within the tenets of the religion.

“For us, as a father, he meant so many things, he was very loving, caring, but he was a strict disciplinarian, very firm and very tough. He was a thorough personality as he never allowed us to get out of hand in any way he could help, and we remember him for his high level of humour.

“My dad was a extremely humorous person and generous to a fault, we are all beneficiaries of his love and his affection and his wisdom and discipline, we will miss him dearly without a doubt”, he added.

Vice Chancellor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, a tertiary institution founded by the legal luminary, Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, eulogised late Ajibola and declared that his investments in education cannot be forgotten.

“It is indeed a sad occasion for the nation we have lost an icon, we have to remember the service the proprietor Ajibola haf provided to the nation. When he retired at 70, was when he decided to found a university as he was concerned about the loss of our students especially those traveling abroad when there are opportunities here as well.

“The number of students capability at that time and totally caring capacity of universities was only 350,000. So, his license for a university was able to proceed to found Crescent University as a way of assisting other private universities.

“We still have a challenge in terms of the number of students sitting for JAMB, how he was always concerned about that and of course he was concerned about brain drain”, the VC noted

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Posted by admin on Apr 10 2023. Filed under Governors, Latest Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry