April 10, (THEWILL) – Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba and the Vice Chancellor, Crescent University, Abeokuta, Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, have expressed sorrow over the death of the late Jurist, Prince Bola Ajibola.
Ajibola died at the age of 89 in Lagos Hospital on Sunday.
Osinbajo, after his burial, said his personal interaction with the late legal chief as Special adviser would be indelible in his heart.
“Prince Bola Ajibola was someone I worked with as a special adviser when he was federal attorney general and one thing he demonstrated was his belief for Nigeria, and that one could serve in the public domain with integrity.
“I am sad that he is no more. As Segun, his first born has said that I am actually his first born. It’s a great honour that I know him and he mentored me”, he noted.
Osoba, also described the late prince Bola Ajibola as a passionate personality, whose interest in education and law cannot be rivalled.
He said that Ajibola had to sell almost all his properties to set up a University, when the burden to contribute to the development of education in the country was rife.
“Ajibola was a thorough prince of Egbaland, who believes in the legacies of our forefathers.
“He invested everything he had into education and law in Egbaland, Nigeria and the World as judge of the world court in the Hague. We will miss him”, he added.
Speaking, Gbajabiamila, who eulogised late Ajibola, founder of Crescent University, Abeokuta, said that his investments in education cannot be forgotten.
“It is indeed a sad occasion for the nation we have lost an icon, we have to remember the service the proprietor Ajibola has provided to the nation.
“When he retired at 70, was when he decided to found a university as he was concerned about the loss of our students, especially those travelling abroad when there are opportunities here as well.
“The number of students capability at that time and totally caring capacity of universities was only 350,000, so, when his licence for a university was able to proceed to found Crescent University as a way of assisting other private universities.
“We still have a challenge in terms of the number of students sitting for JAMB, how he is always concerned about that and of course he was concerned about brain drain”, the VC stressed
His, first son, Segun Ajibola, described his late father, Prince Bola Ajibola, as a passionate personality whose interest is the unity of the nation
Addressing newsmen at the deceased residence in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, Sunday, Segun stated that his father will be solely missed for his sense of humour, generosity and religious beliefs.
“As you can see, we are making all arrangements possible to lay him down for God almighty to take charge of this afternoon so that’s why we are all here making several efforts.
“We want to thank all those who have called us from far and wide, from the world courts, from across the country, from the north, from the east, all over, friends, family and a lot of people who our father has worked with over the years.
“Internationally, they have all heard about it and they have been calling us and sending us their best wishes. What we ask for is that all those who wish us well keep us in their prayers this day and the day ahead of us as we continue with all the efforts to give him a befitting burial.
“My dad was a very passionate person, very deep and highly religious in all the efforts he has made in establishing a university which has an Islamic flavor in terms of the Islamic center he has set up and the way he has conducted himself and his life within the tenet’s of the religion as well as he could possibly do.
“For us, as a father, he meant so many things, he was very loving, clearing but he was a strict disciplinarian, very firm and very tough, a thorough personality as he never allowed us to get out of hand in anyway he could help, and we remember him for his high level of humour.
“My dad was an extreme humorous person and generous to a fault, we are all beneficiaries of his love and his affection and his wisdom and discipline, we will miss him dearly without a doubt”, he hinted.
