President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the family of former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola, who passed on at 89.
In a condolence message by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on Sunday in Abuja Buhari commiserated with the legal community in Nigeria and worldwide over the death of the former minister.
He 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.
The legendary arbitrator was at different times, the 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.
Buhari maintained that the late Ajibola, having risen to the pinnacle of his career, took his brilliance in law practice to the International Court of Justice at The Hague, where he served meritoriously between 1991 and 1994.
He was also the Nigeria High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, 1999 to 2002.
“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,” the President said.
The president also sympathised with the government and people of Ogun as they continue to mourn this illustrious citizen for the educational and social development he brought to his community and environs.
Also, Waziri Atiku Abubakar and former Vice President of Nigeria mourns, Bola Ajibola. According to him,It is with a heart filled with pain, but with gratitude to the Almighty that I share my condolences about the passing of Prince Bola Ajibola. Pain because there are only a few Nigerians who grew in status to the heights of the Prince from a noble Egba family. I am happy in another way because, being a Muslim myself, I am certain that Prince Ajibola would, himself, have elected to make his passing in the glorious month of Ramadan.
There are so many things to remember Prince Bola Ajibola for. That he was a doyen of the law profession and his accomplishments as a jurist of note is the most basic of the things that we shall tell of his memories.
Of course, he did the country proud when he served at The International Court of Justice at The Hague, as well as during his years of service as Nigeria’s envoy to the United Kingdom.
But what was spectacular about the late eminent jurist was how his values of forthrightness and candour, which, by the way, is emblematic of his Egba heritage, reflected in all other spheres of his earthly engagements.
As a diplomat, jurist, educationist – or any other role that you may wish to describe the late Prince Bola Ajibola, what is consistent about his character is the overwhelming presence of rectitude and forbearance in every of his endeavours.
Those two qualities of his personality are the secret codes to his achievements in life. I am sure that they are qualities that his family and friends will be proud of, and we should immortalize in memory of him.
Prince Ajibola was always at peace with his Creator and fellow humans when he was at this side of the divide and the legacies of his lifetime should be a beacon that should call younger Nigerians to an exemplary life that he lived.
While I condole with the Ajibola family and the good people and government of Ogun State over the loss of such an illustrious son, I must say that the country and the entire globe will mourn the passing of such a great man of impeccable virtue.
I pray that the Almighty Allah will give his family the fortitude to accept the pass of a patriarch and that his soul shall be granted easy access into Al-Janah Firdaus.
Meanwhile, eminent Nigerians who paid tribute to the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria described the late Nonagenarian as celebrated jurist and judicial activist whose immense contribution to Nation building was unquantifiable.
According to the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the death of the Owu-born prince was devastating, saddening and end of an era.
Abiodun in a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin said Ajibola’s legacies in the judiciary, philanthropy and the educational development of Nigeria cannot be forgotten.
The governor said: “The death of this illustrious son of Ogun State, a celebrated jurist and judicial activist, public intellectual and elder statesman, is a severe blow to all of us who knew him
“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.”
The governor recalled that Prince Ajibola, after serving as President of the Nigerian Bar Association, also served as the nation’s Number One Law officer, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, before he answering the call of higher duties at the International Court of Justice, The Hague.
“He was a jewel of the Law Profession and an accomplished judicial officer of prodigious hue. Baba was a go-getter who delivered on any assignment committed to his hands because of his belief that service should always come first.
“Besides, he was a great religious influencer and philanthropist who established the faith-based Crescent University in his hometown, Abeokuta.
“He not only supported but funded some other altruistic projects and promoted research and scholarship through his establishment of an Islamic co-educational institution, Crescent University, in Nigeria in 2005, and he served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN). He was also the High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2002”, the statement stated.
The governor, however, urged the Olowu of Owu, Oba (Prof.) Saka Matemilola, Otileta VII, the Olowu-in-Council, sons and daughters of the Ajibola lineage and the entire Gbadela Royal Dynasty of Owu to be consoled by the fact that the deceased selflessly and fervently served God and humanity during his impactful life on earth.
“On behalf of the government and people of Ogun State, I commiserate with the immediate family of the deceased on this very huge loss. I also commiserate with President Muhammadu Buhari on the loss which signifies the dwindling class of sages in the country. I condole his bossom friend, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and all alumni of BBHS over the demise of a dependable ally and a loyal schoolmate and the Nigerian Judiciary over the loss of its greatest assets and Benchers. May the Almighty Allah grant the family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” the statement surmised.
In his condolence message personally signed, a former governor of Ogun state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel described late Bola Ajibola as a beacon of pride and valour.
Daniel said, “On behalf of my family, the good people of Ogun East and entire Ogun residents, I commiserate with the family of Prince Abduljabar Bola Ajibola on the demise of an icon and finest jurist.
“Prince Ajibola and I shared a close relationship in both private and public lives.
“As an alumnus of Baptist Boys High School he was a beacon of pride and valour, a leading example for many of us while in school.
“In the service of our fatherland, Prince Ajibola played a significant role at the national and International level, more so that we had to pull him out of retirement to serve as the first Chairman of The Elders Consultative Forum in the state during my administration as the Governor of Ogun State.
“Through the Elders Consultative Forum (which served as our own local version of the House of Lords in Ogun State), Prince Ajibola was able to bring about several peace initiatives and resolved many difficult political and social crises in the State.
“As a lover of education, I recall how we encourage Prince Ajibola to pursue his own passion for the establishment of The Crescent University in Abeokuta, also in Ogun State.
“Prince remained one of the most courageous, dutiful, patriotic and peace-loving jurists in our nation’s history. “Ogun state has lost a dear son, Nigeria has lost an idol.”
It would be recalled that the former Judge of the International Court of Justice at The Hague and a former Attorney-General of Nigeria, Bola Ajibola died at 89.
Ajibola, the founder of Crescent University, Abeokuta, died on Saturday midnight after a long time illness as a result of old age.
The eldest child of the late jurist, Segun Ajibola, SAN disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abeokuta.
He wrote “with very deep heart and Gratitude to Almighty Allah.
“Our Dad Prince Bola Ajibola departed this world over the midnight. May Almighty Allah bless him with Aljanah firdaus.”
Bola Ajibola was the President of the Nigerian Bar Association from 1984 to 1985. He was also one of five commissioners on the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission, organized through the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
He was the High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2002.
Bola Ajibola was a Prince prince from Owu in Abeokuta and founded an Islamic and co-educational institution, Crescent University, in Abeokuta, Ogun State in 2005.
