Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has expressed shock and sadness over the demise of Justice Ahmad Belgore (rtd) whom he described as a great jurist and patriot.
Belgore, who was, until his retirement, the presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, died Tuesday night. The governor sent his condolences to the Ilorin Emirate, the bar and the bench, and to “the Belgores who have lost a rare gem.”
Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, stated, yesterday: “Justice Belgore was a legal giant and a foremost community leader, who offered his shoulder for many to lean on.” He asked God to forgive Belgore his shortcomings, admit him to Al-jannah Firdaus, and give fortitude to the Belgores and everyone who mourned him.
Reports said the jurist died on Tuesday, nine days to his 71st birthday, in his Ilorin residence after breaking his fast in the evening. He was born on April 18, 1953 and studied Law at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where he bagged an LL.B (Hons) specialising in Islamic Law from 1975 to 1978. He was at the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos State, from where he bagged Barrister-at-Law (BL) in 1978/79 and enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Solicitor and Advocate in July 1979.
Belgore was appointed Justice, Court of Appeal, Nigeria on April 27, 2006, and sworn in on June 8, 2006. He became the Presiding Justice, Sharia Panel of the Court of Appeal in 2008, and by 2015, he was appointed Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal and posted to Ekiti Division.
Appointed Member, Body of Benchers of Nigeria in October 2015, he became a Life Bencher in February 2021 and retired on April 18, 2023, at the age of 70.
