‘He brought honour, dignity to Nigeria’ – Tinubu speaks on late Bola Ajibola

By Oluwatope Lawanson

The President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu has noted that former Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice Bola Ajibola made important contributions to the country’s political evolution and nation-building, legal profession and international jurisprudence.

Tinubu said this in his tribute to Ajibola, who is also a former judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague, who died on Sunday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the age of 89 years.

Tinubu noted that Ajibola would be remembered for his patriotism and love for Nigeria and his countrymen and women regardless of their ethnic origin or religious persuasions.

The President-Elect in a condolence message signed by his media spokesperson, Mr Tunde Rahman in Lagos, commiserated with his immediate family, associates and professional colleagues.

He also extended his condolences to Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun and the good people of the state for the loss of a great son of the Gateway state and Nigeria.

While expressing his sympathy, Tinubu said the late jurist served the world as a Judge of International Court of Justice in Hague and Member of its Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) with his brilliant legal mind.

“As ICJ judge, 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,” he said.

“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.

“As ICJ judge, Ajibola made his mark as one of the brightest legal minds in the world in many decided cases involving state actors across the world.

The president-elect stated that the deceased devoted himself to the promotion of Islam and expansion of the frontiers of knowledge.

This, he added, that he did through training and development of cutting-edge manpower for national growth with the establishment of Crescent University in Abeokuta, his home-town.

According to him, we had hoped and prayed that Ajibola will 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,

He, however, thanked Almighty Allah that he lived to an advanced age and left behind important legacies.

He prayed Almighty Allah admit him to Aljanna Fridaus.

Ajibola, founder of Crescent University, Abeokuta, was the president of the Nigerian Bar Association from 1984 to 1985.

He was Nigeria’s former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in the military administration of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.

He was the High Commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2002.
(NAN)