The Muslim Congress has paid tribute to Prince Abdul-Jabbar Bola Ajibola, a devout Muslim who dedicated his life to promoting the welfare of Muslims.

Late Ajibola breathed his last in the early hours of Sunday, April 9, 2023, in the blessed month of Ramadan.

In a statement, TMC Amir, Alhaji AbdulWasiu Taiwo Bangbala, described Prince Ajibola as a man of great faith, humility, and compassion with an unwavering commitment to the cause of the Muslim Ummah.

He said the late Ajibola advocated religious harmony and peaceful co-existence among Muslims and people of other faith.

“This desire of his would later trigger the founding of the Islamic Mission for Africa (IMA), an institution established to further engender harmonious co-existence through the means of socialisation and education.

“The crowning glory of the IMA endeavour was the establishment of Crescent University which, today, is one of the leading private universities in Nigeria.

“Our departed icon, has indeed, left indelible footprints in educational, professional, religious and various spheres of human endeavours,” Bangbala said.

He said, even in death, Prince Ajibola’s exemplary dedication to justice and fairness will remain an inspiration to Nigerians and generations to come.

“Everyone impacted by his exemplary life will continue to treasure his memory. To his immediate family and the nation at large, we extend our heartfelt condolences over the loss of this illustrious son, a colossus.

“May the soul of Prince Ajibola, find abode in jannatul Firdaus and may Allah (SWT) grant his family, friends and associates, the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.

“Albeit, it is not the number of years spent on earth that matters, but the extent to which the years were spent in service to Allah and humanity.

“Prince Ajibola as he is fondly called perhaps ranks among the favoured mortals to have survived earthly habitation for over 80 years, the most of which he dedicated to altruistic causes.

“All his life, he demonstrated fervid generosity of spirit and was such an impassioned statesman who belongs to a typical golden generation of Nigerians renowned for their patriotic zeal and unstinting standards of humanity.

“Prince Ajibola was an ideal example for public officials. The sheer benevolence he demonstrated during active days in public service is a stark reflection of the teachings of his Islamic inclination. It is on record that he gave every kobo of his salary as a public servant to charitable causes.

“His Islamic background and the eventful trajectory of the Owu-born legal luminary formed the basis for his enduring professionalism and service to humanity. His pedigree and influence in the Nigerian legal community saw him become the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) before he was later appointed Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation,” he recalled.

According to him, the late Prince Ajibola was held in high esteem and it was, therefore, not surprising that he attained international acclaim as he would later serve as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), The Hague, Netherlands, where his time was marked with tireless efforts to promote the cause of justice and the advancement of international law.

His words: “A jurist of international acclaim, the former Nigerian High Commissioner to Britain was such an unassuming figure with an untrammelled readiness to be of assistance to even the least in the ladder of professionalism. Characteristic of patriots that put the interests of others before theirs, Prince Ajibola lived a life of service to the lowly and top echelons of society.

“He was an astute mentor of invaluable significance to many accomplished professionals across the ethnic or religious divide in the country. Some of them have risen to prominence exuding ethical predilections with which their unfaltering mentor was known within and outside of the country. One of his proteges is the current Vice-president of the nation, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who credited some of his professional and personal virtues to his years of understudying Prince Ajibola.”