Osinbajo, Obasanjo, Amosun, Osoba, others bid Bola Ajibola farewell

 

Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji

 

ABEOKUTA – Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, his wife, Dolapo, Ogun State Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, who represented Governor Dapo Abiodun, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a former Governor of Ogun State and leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Aremo Segun Osoba, Chief Justice of the State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, Chief Imam of Egbaland, Sheik Sa’dallah Bamgbola, were among dignitaries who paid their last respect to former Attorney – General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola.

 

Prince Ajibola, also a former jurist of International Court at Hague, Netherlands, died in the early hours of Sunday.

 

After Janazah prayer led by the Chief Imam of Egbaland, Sheik Sa’dallah Bamgbola, the remains of Ajibola were interred within the sprawling Islamic Mission for Africa(IMA) premises; a the centre he established decades ago on Abiola Way area of Abeokuta, the state capital.

 

…..Prince Ajibola mentored me – Osinbajo

 

Speaking at the burial ceremony, Vice President Osinbajo expressed sadness over the death of Prince Bola Ajibola.

 

Osinbajo, speaking with newsmen in Abeokuta after the burial of the legal luminary said his personal interaction with the late legal icon as Special Adviser would be indelible in his heart.

 

”Prince Bola Ajibola was someone I worked with as a Special Adviser when he was the Attorney General of the Federation and one thing he demonstrated was his believe for Nigeria, and that one could serve in the public domain with integrity.

 

”I am sad that he is no more. As Segun, his first born has said that I am actually his first born. It’s a great honor that I know him and he mentored me.

 

He has so much for education. The love he has for education made him to sell all his belongings, including his houses when he wanted to establish Crescent University.

 

…..He was passionate about education and law — Osoba

 

Former Ogun state governor, Olusegun Osoba has described the late prince Bola Ajibola as a passionate personality whose interest in education and law cannot be rivaled.

 

Osoba noted that Ajibola had to sell almost all his properties to set up a University, when the burden to contribute to the development of education in the country was rife.

 

“Ajibola was a thorough prince of Egbaland, who believes in the legacies of our forefathers.

 

“He invested everything he had into education and law in Egbaland, Nigeria and the World as judge of the world court in the Hague. We will miss him”, he added

 

…My father is passionate about Nigeria – Son

 

Also speaking, the first son of the deceased, Segun Ajibola, described his father as a passionate personality whose interest is the unity of the country.

 

Segun stated that his father will be solely missed for his sense of humor, generosity and religious beliefs.

 

“As you can see, we are making all arrangements possible to lay him down for God almighty to take charge of this afternoon so that’s why we are all here making several efforts.

 

“We want to thank all those who have called us from far and wide, from the world courts, from across the country, from the north, from the east, all over, friends, family and a lot of people who our father has worked with over the years.

 

“Internationally, they have all heard about it and they have been calling us and sending us their best wishes. What we ask for is that all those who wish us well keep us in their prayers this day and the day ahead of us as we continue with all the efforts to give him a befitting burial.

 

“My dad was a very passionate person, very deep and highly religious in all the efforts he has made in establishing a university which has an Islamic flavor in terms of the Islamic center he has set up and the way he has conducted himself and his life within the tenet’s of the religion as well as he could possibly do.

 

“For us, as a father, he meant so many things, he was very loving, clearing but he was a strict disciplinarian, very firm and very tough, a thorough personality as he never allowed us to get out of hand in anyway he could help, and we remember him for his high level of humor.

 

“My dad was a extreme humorous person and generous to a fault, we are all beneficiaries of his love and his affection and his wisdom and discipline, we will miss him dearly without a doubt”, he added

 

….His investments in the education cannot be forgotten – VC Crescent University

 

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, a tertiary institution founded by the legal luminary, Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila eulogized the attributes of the founder, saying his investments in the education cannot be forgotten.

 

“It is indeed a sad occasion for the nation we have lost an icon, we have to remember the service the proprietor Ajibola has provided to the nation.

 

“When he retired at 70, was when he decided to found a university as he was concerned about the loss of our students especially those traveling abroad when there are opportunities here as well.

 

“The number of students capability at that time and totally caring capacity of universities was only 350,000, so, when his license for a university was able to proceed to found Crescent University as a way of assisting other private universities.

 

“We still have a challenge in terms of the number of students sitting JAMB, how he is always concerned about that and of course he was concerned about brain drain”, the VC noted

 

Prince Bola Ajibola, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice died at a Lagos hospital, Sunday, aged 89.

 

…..Ajibola’s death, personal loss to me – Amosun

 

A former governor of Ogun state and Senator representing Ogun Central,  Ibikunle Amosun has described Ajibola’s death as a personal loss.

 

Amosun said he shared same lineage with the late jurist as an Owu born.

 

He emphasized that, the life and times of the deceased captured the finest qualities of his diligence and focused, exceptionally industrious, and thorough professional.

 

“His Excellency, Prince Bola Ajibola’s death was a personal loss to me for many reasons, one of which was our shared Owu ancestry. His life and times captured the finest qualities of his lineage- diligent and focused, exceptionally industrious and thoroughly professional.

 

“He excelled at whatever he fixed his gaze upon. A run-away success story in all ramifications, yet he remained humble and accessible to all, high and low till he breathed his last. He took his Islamic faith most seriously and contributed immeasurably to its growth. He served humanity meritoriously in very many diverse spheres and, in his later years, devoted his time and energy to peace and well being of his immediate Community, Owu Kingdom and Ogun State.

 

“Like every mortal, I was aware that at some point he would answer the call of his Maker. His unmatched experience and straight forward disposition will be sorely missed.

 

“My condolences go to his widow, children and immediate family. Same to the Nigerian Bar Association and Judiciary, his primary vocation, and to the Management, Staff, Students and all Stakeholders of Crescent University. I beseech Almighty Allah swt to forgive his earthly sins and admit him to Aljana Fridaous.”