Sultan, Gbenga Daniel, Oladejo, others present as Bola Ajibola comes alive in Lagos

By KEMI KASUMU

Adesegun Ajibola particularly thanked Olowu Matemilola for being the first to arrive at the venue, appreciated Alhaji Aliko Dangote for contributing not only a world class mosque but also a 120-bed hostel for Crescent University and also expressed profound appreciation to Alhaji AbdulSamad Isiaka Rabiu for taking charge of the building of college of medicine for which, according to the proprietor, he has already paid N500 million.

Prince AbdulJabbar Bolasodun Adesumbo Ajibola, a globally acknowledged jurist, arbitrator and nationally recognized Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), came alive as he was again remembered, this time, with an autobiography put together in his own words as eminent personalities locally and internationally converged on Lagos celebrating the departed legal luminary.

Popularly called Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN), the retired Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague, Netherlands, passed away during the month of Ramadan 1444 A.H. precisely on Sunday April 9, 2023 at the age of 89.

He was born March 22, 1934 and his good memory continues to resonate particularly with numerous Nigerians he either related with as national leader, elder statesman or impacted as father figure two years after his passing, hence the book yet in his honour, “Tribulations & Trophies” in his own words.

It was an autobiography, a book that was launched chronicling the ups and downs, the hills and valleys of life experience that even some benefactors of his intellectual properties and inestimably contributed opportunities across the knowledge sectors had attempted to let Baba put in black and white but unsuccessful until it was eventually done courtesy his well endowed and appreciative children particularly the eldest, Muhammad Mahruf Adesegun Ajibola (SAN).

The DEFENDER reports that the children have continued to ensure that the big shoes left behind by their father, though cannot satisfactorily be fitted into by anyone, are not left unmaintained.

From what we gathered, this extremely valuable intellectual asset of “Tribulations & Trophies” by Bola Ajibola in his own words including the plan for its launch that eventually materialised on Thursday April 10, 2025, started and had taken six months of rigorous efforts led by Vice Chancellor of Crescent University Abeokuta, Nigeria, Professor Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, as Chairman of the Planning Committee with others including the Head of Department of Mass Communication, Dr. Kola Adesina, Senior Assistant Registrar (Public Relations) Crescent University, Mr. Idris Katib, Alhaji Saeed Aweda, the university’s historian, Mr. Moshood Olaniyan and Mrs Nusirat Oyabunmi working tirelessly upon, to succeed.

On the said date at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, almost endless number of crene de la creme of the society thronged the venue to be counted, even behind the great bar and bench juganault, as part of those who recognized his contributions to maintaining the great Nigeria founded by the country’s founding fathers namely Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardaunan Sokoto, Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, and building, very immensely on their achievements.

Prince Bola Ajibola would continue to be remembered not only for his being notable part of the formation and pioneering president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) but also for his exceptional roles as a lawyer that became so noticed to be worthy a military regime’s Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation during the time of President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida turning the ministry to a Nigerian administration department that attached much importance to fighting corruption and instilling values.

Prince Bola Ajibola’s refusal to collect bribe as chief law officer of the country as well as salaries as Attorney General, the longest serving for decades until Abubakar Malami surpassed that – courtesy President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR (2015-2023) who has the habit of not changing his government team members midway, remains a record that is indelible on the sand of time.

This is also as his memory will not be wished away in a hurry as the Minister of Justice who, despite not collecting salaries for his over six years of selfless service to the nation, put together the law reform that continues to be the one and only the nation is proud to have till date. His hiring of three vast and hugely experienced lawyers at self costs to put this together for the love of country makes part of the sweet memories of the departed Olori Omo Oba of Owu Kingdom.

But Baba, although prince of an Olowu on the throne of Owu Kingdom in Abeokuta (1949-1972), also had his ups and downs which he always loved to share on several occasions and during many meetings he had with team of Defender Media Limited, as his media and publicity consultants, and those included how he survived deaths five times and those experiences he called “My golden night’s”.

His nation’s constituency of Ogun State would remember him as the major reason it became the host community for the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), which has produced a great deal of intellectuals contributing to national achievements, academically, in the world’s most noticed black nation. All of these, he discussed with us during his lifetime with those that needed to be written and published had come in print either in Vanguard Newspaper or in The DEFENDER.

Beyond this, the “Tribulations & Trophies”, his autobiography has posthumously provided yet another much looked after opportunity for great and eminent persons home and abroad to once again celebrate a giant, whose spirit has continued to propel progress and development for Nigeria and, grabbing the opportunity, they converged on Lagos to make themselves heard – loud and clear – on what it was that they knew about or did together with late Prince Bola Ajibola that continues to remain with them as they move on in life even after his demise.

They included the only surviving of the three-man friendship he kept, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, former President of the Federa Republic of Nigeria and Proprietor of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Nigeria. The third being the broadcasting journalist that is late and immediate past Olowu of Owu Kingdom Oba Olusanya Adegboyega Dosunmu, CON, fta, who produced the Village Headmaster series in the days of Nigeria Broadcasting Service (NBS) now known as Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

Obasanjo, who was the first personality locally or international outside of the immediate family members to see the remains of Ajibola in his Olusegun Obasanjo Hilltop GRA, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta that Sunday morning of April 9, 2022, made it as one of first eminent persons to arrive for the launch of the Bola Ajibola’s autobiography in Lagos on Thursday April 10, 2025.

Other notable figures also physically present were the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Engr. Ni’mat Salako-Oyedele, who stood in for herself as an invited special guest and Governor Dapo Abiodun as the presiding officer for the formal unveiling and presentation of the book after which copies of the book were launched to several millions by specified launchers and guests.

Also physically present was the book reviewer, Professor Auwalu Yadudu, Auwal Yadudu, a Nigerian academic, professor of law and the current Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Nigeria, Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba (Professor) Saka Adelola Matemilola, Oluyalo-Otileta VII, former Governors of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, Otunba (Senator) Justus Olugbenga Daniel and Senator Ibikunke Amosun, former Governor of Lagos State and Muhammadu Buhari’s Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), sitting Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (Nigeria), Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Deputy President-General (South) of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and President of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, FCA. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, Emir of Kano Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, Governors of Lagos and Osun State, were represented, while Executive Chairman of the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), Alhaji Disu Kamor, among numerous others.

In his remarks as captured, Olowu of Owu, Oba Matemilola, shared a very fascinating experience he had with late Prince Bola Ajibola and said, “I learnt a situation management from Prince Bola Ajibola when I was going to become a king and he told me what happened to my predecessors. They were asking for a black dog to be used for ritual or whatever wasvitgtgey wanted to do. Everybody was shouting ‘no, no, no’ but Prince Bola Ajibola said ‘No, we will give you.’ And he brought the black dog. This is a Muslim speaking. And the event was achieved. But by the time they would be ready for their ritual, the black dog had disappeared, courtesy Prince Bola Ajibola. That was a king bed of way Ajibola, a committed Muslim shower that you can fight a course without being confrontational.”

Otunba Gbenga Daniel, whose time as Governor of Ogun State had the best of Bola Ajibola’s counsel as Chairman Ogun State Elders Forum, and respected Baba greatly, mounted the podium with his own remarks saying, “I remember when he (Bola Ajibola) was Chairman of Ogun State Elders Forum and my successor was fighting too tooth and nail and he called us together and told him to wait for his time. And he actually waited for for his time. That was how he solved the issues then,” Daniel said.

In a post-event chat with me, the former Gun State Governor reiterated what said in the hall but with details, “On a more serious note, Prince Bola Abdul-Jabbar Ajibola was indeed a unique personality. I was very much involved and in his support, when he came with the idea of the Crescent University. And I just couldn’t help but give kudos to him, because he was somebody that attended Baptist Boys High School in Abeokuta. Also, kudos to the kind of environment that existed in our part of this country years back. There was no religion barriers in what we do.

“But the success of that University is not so much the amount of money that Prince Bola Ajibola had to spend. It was more of the goodwill that he was able to derive over the years. And when it was time for that university, everybody stood still and made their own contributions.

“Of course, you know, as Governor, part of my passion was education and, therefore, it wasn’t a problem at all. I provided all the required support that he needed. Our challenges was about the (land) ownership problems and all sort of things and we thank God that all of those was cleared.

“Going back to the other roles he played, he had really been there. Apart from his prowess in matters of Law and Education, to which he was a renowned scholar, he was a Chairman of the Ogun State Elders Forum (the one that I created). And through that Forum, we were able to maintain peace in all my years as Ogun State Governor.

“Even during the turbulent period, a lot of other elders were not happy and were at loggerheads, he was the only person who was able to bring about peace. He held some peace meetings in his house which we both attended and we agreed to make peace accord,” said Daniel.

The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) made king hidden revelation of how Prince Bola Ajibola predicted his current elevated position in the country.

He said, “I want to make a revelation here. Prince Bola Ajibola told me when I had the cause to enter the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister, Prince Bola Ajibola, with my boss Chief Afe Babalola. When we entered he asked ‘Who is this man?’ Chief Afe Babalola told him ‘he is my junior’. Prince Bola Ajibola said I know why I asked because I know that one day you will also become Attorney General of the Federation,” Lateef Fagbemi revealed sparking a thunderous applause from the gathering.

Essentially the Attorney General launched one copy of “Tribulations & Trophies” for N1 million and promised to take two copies each for of the divisions of the Ministry of Justice across Nigeria “but at negotiated price”. Launching price of one copy was N100,000 while book shelf price would be N50,000.

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, said, “Not only that we should buy his book but also we should read the book and put the contents to use. I will want us to continue to put him in our prayers that Allah will repose his soul in Al-Jannah Firdaus,”:he said.

In the words of former Ogun State Governor Segun Osoba, it was revealed, “When Babangida wanted to make him Minuster of Justice and Attorney General of Federation, I was the one that was asked to search for him. He was then at the Nigerian Bar Association Conference in Port Harcourt and I was able to join him down at Openi (Ikeja) and I told him that the military boys were looking for him. That was how Babangida made him the Attorney General of the Federation,” he said.

Others who either spoke or attended included the former Nigerian Ambassador to Republic of Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who, in trying to link himself with the achievements of Prince Bola Ajibola, told the gathing that, “I was talking with my egbon and I said Eko l’awa and he said no, you are 50:50”, adding that everybidy knew the influence of his mother over him and that she came from Abeokuta. He prayed for continued repose of Prince Ajibola in Al-Jannah Firdaus while urging that the autobiography in his words be put to good use.

Delivering his vote of thanks at the event on behalf of the entire Bola Ajibola family, Prince Muhammed Maru’f Adesegun Ajibola (SAN), who has since stepped into the position of his father as Proprietor of Crescent University Abeokuta abd President of the Islamic Mission for Africa (IMA), said:

“First and foremost we give our heartfelt gratitude to Almighty God, through whom all blessings flow, for His infinite mercy and kindness over all things, great a d small. We thank a d appreciate everyone for coming a d for your contributions to the success of this Book Presentation,” Adesegun Ajibola said.

He particularly thanked Olowu Matemilola for being the first to arrive at the venue, appreciated Alhaji Aliko Dangote for contributing not only a world class mosque but also a 120-bed hostel for Crescent University and also expressed profound appreciation to Alhaji AbdulSamad Isiaka Rabiu for taking charge of the building of college of medicine for which, according to the proprietor, he has already paid N500 million.