Former Minister of Justice Bola Ajibola dies at 89

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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 on Sunday in Abeokuta.

According to the statement, Mr 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 over the midnight today, April 9, 2023.

“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.

NAN