Ajimobi mourns Akinjide, says he was a pride of Nigeria

The APC National Deputy Chairman (South), Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, has described the death of a former Attorney-General of Federation, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), as a great loss to the legal profession.
Ajimobi, who is also a former governor of Oyo state, said this in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Ibadan.
Akinjide died early Tuesday morning at his Ibadan residence after developing complications from a suspected age-related ailment.
Ajimobi said that he received the news of Akinjide’s passage with great sadness, describing him as an illustrious son of Ibadanland.
“Though he died at an advanced age of 88, his death still came as a rude shock to me and to many other Nigerians who heard about it.
“As a legal icon, he was the pride of Ibadan and the Nigerian society, proving his worth at different legal fora.
“As a nationalist, he gave his best to the world of legal practice and the best came back to him in terms of recognition,” he said.
The former governor said that Akinjide was indisputably recognised as a brilliant jurist and was deservedly accorded honour.
According to him, “He was Queen’s Counsel (QC), Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a life bencher, who brought his wealth of experience to the Nigerian bar.
“As a statesman, he served his country diligently, being Minister of Education in the First Republic and in the Second Republic, he was the country’s Chief Legal Officer.”
He said that the deceased would forever be remembered for his contributions to the body of knowledge in the legal profession, with some prominent lawyers passing through him for tutelage.
“As we fervently pray for the repose of his soul, we are consoled by the fact that his legacies of good works will continue to live after him.
“In the words of former American President, Abraham Lincoln, ‘In the end, it is not the years in your life that count, it is the life in your years’,” Ajimobi said.
He prayed God to grant the family fortitude to bear the loss and that the soul of the departed find rest in the bosom of the Almighty.