Ajibola Dies At 89 …Buhari Mourns Ex-Justice Minister

Prince Bola Ajibola, a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, is dead.
The former judge of the International Court of Justice, Hague, Netherlands, died at 89.
The eldest child of the late jurist, Segun Ajibola, disclosed this in a statement in Abeokuta, yesterday.
According to the statement, Ajibola, the founder of Crescent University, Abeokuta, died early Sunday.
“Truly to Allah we belong and unto Him is our final return.
“This is to announce the passing on of our revered and dearly beloved father, Judge AbdulJabbar Bolasodun Adesumbo Ajibola which occurred yesterday.
“Judge Ajibola will always be remembered as an icon of Law and Judicature, an embodiment of both the Bar and the Bench.
“Judge Ajibola not only served nationally and internationally, he is warmly loved in his homestead of Abeokuta where he held the traditional title of Oluomo of Egbaland and Olori Omo Oba of Owu Kingdom.
“We pray that Almighty Allah will pardon his shortcomings, accept his return and grant him a lofty station among His honoured friends in Paradise (Jannatul Firdaws),” the statement read.
Born on March 22, 1934 in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Ajibola attended Baptist Boys High School, Oke Saje, Abeokuta and University of London.
Ajibola was the president of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) between 1984 and 1985.
He was the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria from 1985 to 1991 and a Judge of the International Court of Justice, Hague, Netherlands, from 1991 to 1994.
Ajibola was appointed the High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2002.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Sunday, described late jurist and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Bola Ajibola, as a “patriotic” Nigerian whose contributions to the advancement of humanity would outlive him.
“His contributions to the development of our legal system cannot be overstated. His patriotic inclinations, integrity and passion for service and advancement of humanity will continue to resonate after him,” Buhari said, according to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
In the statement titled ‘President Buhari mourns outstanding jurist, Bola Ajibola,’ the President condoled with the Ajibola family over the passing of their son and father.
Born on March 22, 1934 in Owu, near Abeokuta, present-day Ogun State, to the Owu royal family of Oba Abdul-Salam Ajibola Gbadela II, Ajibola attended Owu Baptist Day School and Baptist Boys’ High School in Abeokuta between 1942 and 1955.
He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Law at the Holborn College of Law, University of London between 1959 and 1962 and was called to the English Bar at the Lincoln’s Inn in 1962.
Afterwards, Ajibola returned to Nigeria to practice Law, specialising in Commercial Law and International Arbitration.
He 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 noted 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.
While commiserating with the legal community in Nigeria and worldwide, 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.
He said, “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.”
Buhari also commiserated with the government and people of Ogun State as they mourned the illustrious citizen for the educational and social development he brought to his community and environs.
He prayed that the Almighty would grant him Aljannah.