A legal icon and elder statesman, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), has described the death of Justice Bola Ajibola as not only shocking and unfortunate but a personal loss that will take some time to forget.
This is contained in a statement issued by Babalola, the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), in Ado-Ekiti on Monday.
He said that the demise of Ajibola, a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, had robbed the country of one of her finest jurists and educationists.
“I was shocked beyond description when I received the sad news of the departure of the eminent jurist and Educationist, Justice Bola Ajibola, SAN, to eternity at the ripe age of 89,” he said.
The elder statesman said that Ajibola was an international jurist of no mean description and an educationist of the deepest dye, who adorned the Bar with dignity and occupied the Bench with honour and character.
“I have seen the departed learned justice at close quarters. I have seen him at work and I have also seen him at play.
“I interacted with him in the court and outside the court and found him to be a genial and humble person who is sold to hard work.
“Our departed lordship and compatriot was a multi-talented legal practitioner and internationally-acclaimed jurist, an epitome of decency and a towering model of a quintessential gentleman who has succeeded in all of his endeavours.
“I knew the departed jurist and educationist way back in 1962 in England, when our paths crossed during the preparation for our Bar examination.
“This was at the time the former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Justice of Nigeria and President of International Court of Justice, the late Hon. Justice Teslim Olawale Elias, SAN, was preparing the ground for the establishment of Nigerian Law School.
“Because we were already pursuing our Bar examination in England then, the Nigerian Law students in England rightfully felt that they would not be part of the bourgeoning Nigerian Law School.
“The Nigerian students in England and Ireland then set up a body to drive our point home.
“I was the Secretary of the Students’ body. That was my first time of meeting the departed jurist.
“At some point in the pursuit of our common goal, most of the Yoruba students in our fold back-pedaled, but the bold, courageous and selfless Ajibola was undeterred,” he said.
Babalola said that Ajibola later came back to Nigeria, adding that he had a most successful practice, specialising in Commercial Law and International Arbitration.
“He (Ajibola) thereafter rose quickly to the top of his chosen career.
“It cannot be forgotten in a hurry how he founded the Institute of Chartered Arbitration of Nigeria, a very important arm of administration of justice the world over, on July 18, 1988.
“From this point, the Institute began to grow. Later, Justice Ajibola yielded the presidency of the Institute to the late Justice Kayode Esho, who later handed over to me as President in 2009.
“I have since passed the baton of leadership to my erstwhile deputy, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, as the president of the institute.”
Describing the late jurist as a committed minister in the temple of justice, he recalled that
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