President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday condoled with the family of former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola, SAN, who has passed on at 89.
While commiserating with the legal community in Nigeria and worldwide, President Buhari notes 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.
President Buhari avers 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 sympathises 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.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
April 9, 2023.
President-elect Tinubu mourns exit of eminent jurist, Prince Bola Ajibola
President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has expressed his profound sadness over the demise of eminent elder statesman and international jurist, Prince Bola Ajibola, SAN
Prince Ajibola was Nigeria’s former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in the military administration of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. Before his Ministerial duty, Prince Ajibola was President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
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 by his Media Office, 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.
I pray that Almighty Allah admit him to Aljanna Fridaus.”
Office of the President-elect
Tunde Rahman
April 9, 2023
Atiku: My tribute to Prince Bola Ajibola
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.
Signed:
Waziri Atiku Abubakar
Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007
Abuja
9th April, 2023.
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