President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday mourned former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola.
Ajibola, an 89-year-old former Judge of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, died on Saturday at midnight.
Shortly after, the President, through his media aide, Femi Adesina, expressed condolences to the family of Nigeria’s ex-High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
“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,” the President said.
“His patriotic inclinations, integrity, and passion for service and advancement of humanity will continue to resonate after him.”
In commiserating with the legal community in Nigeria and worldwide, President Buhari said 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 Nigerian leader, 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, from 1999 to 2002.
The President also sympathised 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.
Similarly, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, said the death of the jurist and elder statesman is “a severe blow to all of us who knew him.”
The governor “sympathised with his bosom friend, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and all alumni of BBHS over the demise of a dependable ally and a loyal schoolmate and the Nigerian Judiciary over the loss of its greatest assets and benchers”.
He equally prayed that God will grant the Ajibola family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.