Former AGF, Bayo Ojo, Unilorin VC  Pay Tributes  to Bola Ajibola

Wale Igbintade and Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

A former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo and the  Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, yesterday paid glowing tributes to the former Judge of International Court of Justice, Hague, Netherlands, late Prince Bola Ajibola, describing him as an accomplished jurist, arbitrator and educator.

Chief Bayo Ojo in his condolence message, said the late jurist would be greatly missed, adding that his death was a big loss to the legal profession, the education sector, and Nigeria as a whole.

He described Prince Ajibola as a superb patriot, a totally committed public servant, a detribalised Nigerian.

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.

According to the former AGF, the late Ajibola also contributed to the development of Nigeria’s educational sector as founder of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He described him as a great Nigerian, an unimpeachable patriot, a sound legal mind, and a quintessential legal luminary of global reputation, whose death would marked the end of an eventful career of an exceptional Nigerian, whose love for country was exceptional.

His said: “Bola Ajibola was an exceptional patriot and lover of the Nigerian nation, a legal mind per excellence, a consummate administrator, and a very good man. With the passing of Prince Bola Ajibola, the Nigerian nation has lost an irreplaceable icon.”

“He was a  legendary arbitrator, and 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.

“He made positive impacts during his life. 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 praised the deceased’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 saying “He was a great humanitarian, who lived a life dedicated to the peace, unity and development of Nigeria.

“I feel a deep sense of loss on hearing the news of the demise of our former AGF, 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,” he added.

On his part, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole described the late elder statesman as a great jurist, exemplary public officer and a global personality of highest standing.

According to Prof. Egbewole, “the late Prince Ajibola traversed all segments of the profession as a legal practitioner, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a chartered Arbitrator, a life bencher, Federal Attorney General, Judge of the World Court, and a great educationist, being the proprietor of the Crescent University, Abeokuta.

The Professor of Jurisprudence and International law recalled that the late foremost legal practitioner was the first sitting President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to be appointed Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, adding that serving as the Chief Law Officer of the federation under the military neither depleted his professionalism nor turned him into the enemy of his colleagues.

Prof. Egbewole said that history would not forget the late Prince Ajibola for the quality services he rendered the human community as a Judge of the World Court at The Hague, where he enjoyed global reputation as an impartial adjudicator.

The vice Chancellor pointed out that notwithstanding his global personality, Prince Ajibola was a man of his people, who was close to the grassroots and played unforgettable roles in the development of his ancestral community of Owu, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

He added that the establishment and running of the Crescent University, which took better part of his old age, would remain his greatest contribution to human capital development.

Prof. Egbewole, who also said that Prince Ajibola was a great and devout Muslim, added that the good examples he left behind in his relationships with people of other faiths would remain a point of reference for a very long time to come.

The Vice Chancellor sympathised with the government and people of Ogun State and the Nigerian Bar Association over the passage of Prince Ajibola.

He also commiserated with the Ajibola family and the management and staff of the Crescent University, Abeokuta, on the loss of a distinguished patriarch.

Prof. Egbewole prayed Allah to forgive the deceased’s shortcomings and grant him Aljanah firdaus.