Osinbajo: How Bola Ajibola sold everything he owned to establish Crescent University

Vice-President Yemi Osibanjo has condoled with the family of Bola Ajibola over the death of the former minister of justice and attorney general of the federation. 

Ajibola passed away in the early hours of Sunday and was buried in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, a few hours after his death.

He was the minister for justice from 1985 to 1991 under the military government led by Ibrahim Babangida.

Osinbajo was a special adviser to the late former minister.

Speaking at the internment of the deceased, the vice-president described his former principal as “an excellent role model”.

He added that Ajibola served in the public sector with integrity and altruism, saying it was an honour to have worked with the deceased.

Osinbajo also took a trip down memory lane to narrate how the late jurist sold “everything that he owned” to establish Crescent University.

“He was a man who believed that the worth of a person is what he is able to give back to society and he demonstrated it throughout his own life. So, I think it is a life that ought to be celebrated and it is a life that is an example to us all,” Osinbajo said.

“Something he demonstrated while I worked with him was a belief in this nation, a belief in our country as a united nation. But more importantly, is that one could serve in the public domain with integrity and with altruism. He demonstrated this all his life.

“First, he did not accept to be paid a salary when he was Attorney-General. At some point in his life, he told me that he wanted to establish a university, which turned out to be the Crescent University and that he was going to sell everything that he owned to establish that university.

“I recall that he sold all the houses that he owned and several other things to be able to establish Crescent University. This place where we stand is also a place he established for primary education and secondary education.”

“I am sad that he is gone. As Segun the first son said, I am actually ‘his first son.’ It is really a great honour to have known him and to have been mentored by him.

“It was when I worked for him that I gained the knowledge and experience that eventually helped me when I became Attorney-General in Lagos State.”

Ajibola was a judge of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands from 1991 to 1994 before he was appointed the high commissioner of Nigeria to the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2002.

He also had a one-year tenure as the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).