Late Justice Babalakin left worthy legacies – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has extoled the qualities of the late Justice Bolarinwa Babalakin, who transited last Saturday (December 4, 2021) at the ripe age of 94, describing him as an outstanding Nigerian whose legacies would endure for generations.

President Buhari spoke yesterday, through a delegation, which was received at the Lagos residence of Dr. Wale Babalakin SAN, Chairman of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited and first son of the late jurist.

The three-man delegation was made up of Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Raji Fashola; Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare; and Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina.

Speaking on behalf of the President and the delegation, Fashola said Nigeria had, through the death of Justice Babalakin lost an outstanding public servant of example. The Minister added that Nigeria’s tribe of patriots is also diminished by his passing.

While conveying the condolences of the president and the Federal Government to the family, the Minister asked Dr. Wale Babalakin and other family members to take solace in the fact that the late Justice left worthy legacies for them.

“Mr President sent a message of condolence, the message of appreciation for the service he rendered to this nation, not just service, but service with devotion and absolute dedication,” he said.

Responding on behalf of the family, Dr Babalakin expressed profound gratitude to President Buhari for sending the high-powered delegation.

He said the family was particularly happy that the condolence visit was to the family of a public servant who left service 29 years, pointing out that this was an acknowledgement of the unblemished service of the late Justice to his fatherland.

Speaking further, Dr. Babalakin said members of the family were greatly consoled by how his father prepared them for his final departure, describing him as ‘a man who had absolute belief in his faith and knew that the date of death was in the hands of Allah (SWT).’

He recalled that when the late jurist, who was not in the habit of celebrating his birthday, turned 80 and the family had a little celebration for him, his joke that day was that you are celebrating 80 for me because you know I am staying overtime.

Dr Babalakin said when the celebrant was asked why he said that, his response was that, “ If a man dies at 80 and you are all crying and bereaved, after one day people can tolerate you, but if by the second day you are still crying, that means you are not grateful to God because if you look at his classmates and find out where they are, you will discover that more than half of them are gone.”