VC mourns renowned jurist
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Britain, the late Bola Ajibola, has been eulogised for helping the Olusegun Obasanjo administration restore the confidence of investors in Nigeria after the dark days of the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha.
Ajibola, who passed on in Abeokuta, last Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 89 years, has also been praised for his humanitarian touch in helping the family of murdered 10-year-old Damilola Taylor cope with the loss, more than two decades ago.
Retired diplomat, Chuwunonye Udegbunam, who worked under Ajibola at the High Commission, said: “First, I send my heartfelt condolences to his family and beloved ones. Ajibola was my first boss in Britain. We were close and we worked cordially. He gave me assignments which began to shape the later stage of my career.”
Disclosing how the former Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague launched him into a new pathway, Udegbunam said: “As a career diplomat, I had always thought that I belonged to the political desk, not having to deal with the streets. But when I arrived in London in September 2001, he assigned me trade and investment portfolios. So, Prince Ajibola brought me down to the streets of London.
“Obasanjo was just two years in his first term as President. That period was the time of Obasanjo’s ‘Marketing Nigeria’ strategy, when he travelled around the globe trying to persuade our development partners that Nigeria would be alright again after the Abacha era. Ajibola was determined to help the President achieve this.”
Also, the Vice Chancellor of Kola Daisi University, Ibadan, Prof. Adeniyi Olatunbosun, has paid tributes to Ajibola.
The VC described the jurist as an extraordinary public officer and a global personality of high esteem.
Olatunbosun said Ajibola left an indelible mark in the sands of time for the excellent services he rendered nations as a Judge of the World Court at The Hague, where he earned global reputation as an impartial adjudicator.
He noted that the deceased navigated all spheres of the legal profession as a legal practitioner, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), a chartered arbitrator, a life bencher, Attorney General, Judge of the World Court and a great educationist.
