President Olusegun Obasanjo (left) Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State
(second left) Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State governor (second right) and
Chief Segun Oni, former governor of the state (right), at the 50th law
practice anniversary ceremony of Chief Afe Babalola in Ibadan on
Tuesday.
Eminent personalities from all walks of life on Tuesday
poured encomiums on a legal icon and founder of Afe Babalola University,
Ado-Ekiti, Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, describing him as an epitome of excellence.
The personalities, including former President Olusegun
Obasanjo, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, his Ekiti State counterpart, Dr. Kayode Fayemi,
Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, traditional rulers and others, spoke at
the 50th anniversary of Chief Babalola’s law practice in Ibadan.
The occasion featured the formal inauguration of Emmanuel
Chambers, the corporate headquarters of Afe Babalola’s law firm and a lecture
delivered by former Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Emmanuel Ayoola at the Bar Centre,
Iyaganku, Ibadan.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo (left) Chief Afe Babalola (second
left), his wife, Modupe (third left), Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo
State (middle) Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State governor (third right),
Dr, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State (second right) and Chief Segun Oni,
former governor of Ekiti state, (right) at the 50th law practice
anniversary ceremony of Chief Afe Babalola in Ibadan on Tuesday.
President Goodluck Jonathan was also represented at the
ceremony by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary,
Federal Ministry of Justice, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed Yola.
The President noted that the legal luminary had served the
country well as a legal practitioner and had thus become a living legend
through his contributions to national development, especially his contributions
to the evolution of the rule of law.
``He (Babalola) has remained a pillar of support and inspiration
to governance in Nigeria. He has left a legacy for posterity, especially
through the instrumentality of education,’’ he said.
Former President Obasanjo described Babalola as a legal icon
who had also contributed immensely to the development of education in Nigeria.
Governor Ajimobi, in his own remarks, also lauded the
contributions of Chief Babalola to the development of education and the legal
profession.
``He stands for excellence, perfection, affection, hard work,
tenacity and he is a leader and fisher of good men. Those whom you have
produced as lawyers are now internationally-acclaimed legal practitioners,” he
said.
Both Governors Fayemi and Mimiko also described Chief Babalola
as a hardworking personality who had succeeded in virtually everything he laid
his hands one, particularly law and education.
They lauded his sense of accommodation, philanthropy and
commitment to the well-being of the less privileged through his God-given
endowment and resources.
