By Eric Elezuo

Former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has expressed shock at the death of Nigeria’s foremost jurists and former Minister of Justice, Bola Ajibola.

According to Dele Momodu, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Waziri Adamawa, was full of emotion in the text image that expressed his condolences.

He wrote: “Oh! My God! May Allah forgive his Soul and grant him Aljannah. I remember he invited me to his University as a Special Guest years back. Such breed of Nigerians are rare to come by these days!”

In another elaborate tribute written by the former Vice President, titled “My tribute to Prince Bola Ajibola”, Atiku noted that Ajibola “did the country proud when he served at The International Court of Justice at The Hague, as well as during his years of service as Nigeria’s envoy to the United Kingdom.”

Here’s Atiku’s tribute in full:

It is with a heart filled with pain, but with gratitude to the Almighty that I share my condolences about the passing of Prince Bola Ajibola. Pain because there are only a few Nigerians who grew in status to the heights of the Prince from a noble Egba family. I am happy in another way because, being a Muslim myself, I am certain that Prince Ajibola would, himself, have elected to make his passing in the glorious month of Ramadan.

There are so many things to remember Prince Bola Ajibola for. That he was a doyen of the law profession and his accomplishments as a jurist of note is the most basic of the things that we shall tell of his memories.

Of course, he did the country proud when he served at The International Court of Justice at The Hague, as well as during his years of service as Nigeria’s envoy to the United Kingdom.

But what was spectacular about the late eminent jurist was how his values of forthrightness and candour, which, by the way, is emblematic of his Egba heritage, reflected in all other spheres of his earthly engagements.

As a diplomat, jurist, educationist – or any other role that you may wish to describe the late Prince Bola Ajibola, what is consistent about his character is the overwhelming presence of rectitude and forbearance in every of his endeavours.

Those two qualities of his personality are the secret codes to his achievements in life. I am sure that they are qualities that his family and friends will be proud of, and we should immortalize in memory of him.

Prince Ajibola was always at peace with his Creator and fellow humans when he was at this side of the divide and the legacies of his lifetime should be a beacon that should call younger Nigerians to an exemplary life that he lived.

While I condole with the Ajibola family and the good people and government of Ogun State over the loss of such an illustrious son, I must say that the country and the entire globe will mourn the passing of such a great man of impeccable virtue.

I pray that the Almighty Allah will give his family the fortitude to accept the pass of a patriarch and that his soul shall be granted easy access into Al-Janah Firdaus.

The eminent jurist, who was a judge at the Hague, reportedly died Sunday morning at the age of 89.