Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) is dead. The erudite lawyer, politician, 2-time minister and elder statesman died yesterday, March 20th, 2020.
Chief Akinjide was born in Ibadan, Oyo State in 1930 and called to the English Bar in 1955.
He was a 2-time minister in the 1st republic under the Tafawa Balewa and later in the 2nd republic under the Shehu Shagari administrations. He was also a member of the constitution drafting committee between 1975 and 1977.
Chief Akinjide was imprisoned 18 months after the 1st Nigeria coup of January 1966. He served his terms at Kirikiri, Ilesha, Ibadan and Abeokuta prisons.
His last major national assignment was in the 2nd republic as Attorney General and Minister of Justice under the Shehu Shagari Administration.
He never failed to bemoan the moral decadence of the present day Nigeria across all strata. A situation he said started long before the country’s amalgamation by Lord Lugard but made worse by the military foray into the country’s polity.
Tributes and condolence messages have continued to poor in for one of Nigeria’s most respected elders.
Among the early callers are:-
Atiku Abubakar, Former Vice President and Presidential candidate:
“May the soul of Chief Richard Akinjide rest in peace. He lived an impactful life as a lawyer, politician, administrator and most of all, a family patriarch. On behalf of my family, I express my condolences to the Akinjide family.”
Femi Fani-Kayode:
“Our father, Chief Richard Akinjide, Minister of Education in the 1st Republic, Minister of Justice in the 2nd Republic, great nationalist and elder statesman has passed on. We loved and revered him. My prayers are with his family. The SW & Nigeria has lost a great son. May his should RIP.”
Senator Bukola Saraki also sent his condolences :
“I have received the news of Chief Richard Akinjide’s passing with sadness. He was an elder statesman who served Nigeria in various capacities to the best of his abilities. He will be missed.
“I commiserate with the Akinjide family and I pray that God will give them the strength to bear this loss and the wisdom to preserve his legacy. Amen”
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