Lawyers in Lagos on Wednesday continued to eulogise the late Chief Richard Akinjide, a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation in the Second Republic.
Our correspondent reports that Akinjide, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), died in the early of hours of Tuesday at his Ibadan residence of a suspected age-related illness.
In his condolences message on Wednesday, Dr Babatunde Ajibade (SAN) said: “I received news of the demise of Chief Richard Akinjide, SAN, CON, this morning.
“I commiserate with and extend my condolences to his children, his other immediate family members and the entire legal community.
“Chief Akinjide was a former AGF, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), one of earliest sets in the legal profession to be conferred with the rank of SAN and the current Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN).
“His passing signifies the end of an era. He was definitely one of the greats of the legal profession and a proud son of Ibadan land.
“I join his children, his other immediate family members, the BOSAN and the NBA in praying for the peaceful repose of his soul,” he said
Mr. Olumide Akpata, Senior Partner at Templars and immediate past Chairman of the NBA Section of Business Law, said: “They say that all good things must come to an end.
“We have just discovered that the life of the great Chief Richard Akinjide was not an exception to that rule.
“We give glory to God for blessing our world with Chief Akinjide, who gave his all to the legal profession and to Nigeria.
“I express my deepest sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of the Learned Silk as well as the entire NBA for the colossal loss suffered through the exit of this rare gem.
“Chief Akinjide was a man of many parts. During his lifetime, he was not just a very talented and cerebral lawyer but also a trained journalist and a contributor to some of the most-widely read newspapers of his time’’.
Akpata prayed for the repose of the soul of Akinjide.
A former Chairman of the NBA Ikorodu, Mr Dotun Adetunji, described Akinjide as a respected politician.
He said that Akinjide played significant roles in the Nigerian polity and later became Attorney General and Minister of Justice under President Shehu Shagari.
“The Learned Silk was a perfect example of a hard-working practitioner, who aimed at nothing but the best,” he said.
Adetunji also prayed that the late Akinjide finds rest in God’s bosom.
