ODA URGES RECOMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE FOR WHICH RICHARD AKINJIDE LIVED AND DIED
Oyo Democratic Alliance (ODA) on Thursday joined other eminent Nigerians to mourn the death of the former Justice Minister of Nigeria, Chief Richard Akinjide whose death was announced last week Tuesday by the spokesperson of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Tonye Akinrinola.
The Chairman of the Alliance Wole Adedoyin through a phone call to newmen in Ibadan said: “I received with sadness and a deep feeling of great national loss, news of the recent passing away of the former Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Chief Akinjide’s family and the current Executive Governor of Oyo State, Gov. Seyi Makinde over the loss.’’
The release further described the Late Chief Richard Akinjide as “a principled, dogged, and unrelenting politician, fully committed to any progressive and democratic course he believes in. May God give his family the fortitude to bear the loss”.
“I am convinced that his death at this point in our nation building process will be missed by all. This is because his contributions not only to the development of Oyo State but to the socio-economic and political advancement of our country have been enormous. His type is rare, his personal sacrifices and selfless services to the poor and his people uncommon. He deserves everything that the Oyo State Governor can do to give him a befitting honour to immortalize his name as a great democrat and grassroots politician, ,’’ Adedoyin added
Born in 1930 in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Mr Akinjide attended St. Peter’s Primary School, Aremo in Ibadan, before proceeding to Oduduwa College, Ile-Ife from where he passed out in Grade One (Distinction, Aggregate 6).
Mr Akinjide in 1951 travelled to the United Kingdom for his higher education, where he studied for his LLB degree in Law at the University of London and also obtained a certificate in Journalism. He was called to the English Bar in 1955.
The deceased was subsequently called to the Nigerian and the Gambian Bar and became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1978. When he returned to Nigeria after his studies, he practiced briefly under S.L Durosaro before setting up his practice of Akinjide & Co.
Mr Akinjide was a contributor to West African Pilot and Daily Times. He also taught International Commercial Arbitration at post-graduate level at the University of Ibadan.
He was a member of the Judicial Systems Sub-Committee of the Constitutional Drafting Committee of 1975-1977 and later joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1978. He became the Legal Adviser for the party before hwas later appointed the justice minister when President Shehu Shagari