The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has joined millions of people across the nation in mourning the passing of a former Attorney- General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Prince Abduljabar Bola Ajibola SAN.
Prince Ajibola died in the early hours of Sunday, April 9, 2023 at the age of 89.
The Vice Chancellor, in a statement signed by the University’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, 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.
