Bola Ajibola
By TOM CHIAHEMEN, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari, former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida and President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have joined the growing list of national and international leaders that have been mourning one-time Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola, who has passed on at 89.
Ajibola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who died on Saturday, was president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) from 1984 to 1985; Attorney- General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria from 1985 to 1991 and a Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) from 1991 to 1994.
Besides The World Association of Judges, Ajibola also served as Chairman, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria and President, World Bank Administrative Tribunal, among other notable accomplishments.
President Buhari’s condolence to the bereaved family was released by his Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Sunday.
While commiserating with the legal community in Nigeria and worldwide, President Buhari 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.
In the message, President Buhari averred 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.
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.
He prays that the Almighty will grant him Aljannah.
On his part, Babangida (popularly referred to as ‘IBB’), under whose regime Ajibola served as Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, described the demise of the great jurist as a huge loss.
In a statement personally signed by him and made available to NATIONAL ACCORD on Sunday, General Babangida 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.
“May God Almighty, in His infinite mercies, grant him a peaceful rest in the hereafter. May God be with his family and grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. Rest in Peace, Prince; a patriot with an extraordinary touch.”
The President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a statement by his media office, expressed his profound sadness over the demise of eminent elder statesman and international jurist, Prince Bola Ajibola, SAN.
While expressing his sympathy and condolences to the family of the legal luminary and founder of Crescent University Abeokuta, Asíwájú Tinubu acknowledged Prince Ajibola’s important contributions to Nigeria’s political evolution and nation-building, legal profession and international jurisprudence.
In a condolence statement signed by Tunde Rahman, the President-elect said: “I received the news of the passing, on Sunday, of Prince Bola Ajibola, SAN at 89, with profound sadness.
“The former Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and leader of the Bar was an eminent statesman and legal icon whose contributions to national progress and development will be written in gold.
“During his earthly sojourn, Prince Ajibola didn’t just serve his country with his gift of extraordinary brilliance as a lawyer, he served the world as a Judge of International Court of Justice in Hague and Member of its Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).
“As ICJ Judge, Justice Ajibola made his mark as one of the brightest legal minds in the world in many decided cases involving state actors across the world. Through his excellent performance, he brought honour and dignity to Nigeria.
“In his later years, he devoted himself to the promotion of Islam and expansion of the frontier of knowledge through training and development of cutting-edge manpower for national growth with the establishment of Crescent University in Abeokuta, his home-town.
“Prince Ajibola will be remembered for his patriotism and love for Nigeria and his countrymen and women regardless of their ethnic origin or religious persuasions.
“Although we had hoped and prayed that Prince Ajibola would still be around with us for a little more time to witness the dawn of a new era of renewed hope for our people in a better, stronger, more secure and more prosperous Nigeria, however, we thank Almighty Allah that he lived to an advanced age and left behind important legacies.
“I join his immediate family, associates, professional colleagues and particularly Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and the good people of the state for the loss of this great son of the Gateway State and Nigeria.”
The President-elect also prayed that Almighty Allah admit Prince Ajibola to Aljanna Fridaus.
