IBADAN— CHAIRMAN, Body of Benchers, Chief Debo Akande (SAN), is dead. He was aged 66. The one-time Secretary-General of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and until last week the lead prosecutor in the Chief Bola Ige murder trial slumped and died in London, weekend.
News of his death filtered in yesterday, generating shock among his professional colleagues, and associates as well as in his hometown of Ibadan which he represented in the National Assembly in the Second Republic.
Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos described Chief Akande’s death as most shocking and unexpected at this critical period when Nigeria needs men of his calibre to lead it out of the woods. The governor in a letter of condolence to the family of the deceased whose lawyer-wife Jadesola, once served as the Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU), said: “I received with profound sadness the news of the death in London last night of the frontline legal practitioner, statesman and political activist, Chief Debo Akande. His demise at this time is most shocking and unexpected. He has left us at a time when more than ever before, this country needs men of his kind with an unblemished record of character, courage and integrity.
“Chief Akande was consistent throughout his life in espousing and standing by progressive values. Accordingly, he was a steadfast member both of the UPN in the Second Republic and the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in this dispensation. He was a principled politician for whom politics was about offering selfless service for the common good.
This perfect gentleman was an embodiment of modesty despite his outstanding intellectual, professional and social attainments. He was gentle as a dove but bold as a lion. Here was a man who had the courage to quit his job as secretary to the Constitutional Review Committee during the Abacha administration once he detected the insincerity of the regime’s transition project. He was never one to sell his conscience for a mess of pottage.
“Nigerians will never forget the doggedness with which he prosecuted the celebrated murder case of the late Chief Bola Ige in very difficult circumstances. This was, of course, quite in his character. The hallmark of his legal career was the utilisation of the law as a potent weapon for social justice. I have no doubt that the strain of that case must have taken a heavy toll on Chief Akande.”
Second Republic governor of Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, said: “His wife’s father, the late Chief Victor Esan, was my baptismal godfather. We were very close with the Esan family. His death is a tragedy to Nigeria, Yorubaland and Ibadan. The late Akande was very honest, serious and intelligent fellow. He was very reliable. It is a great pity. I have never, never seen him angry at any moment. He was always smiling. He was a decent man and a first class citizen of Yorubaland.”
Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) said: “This is a great disaster. We have lost a great Yoruba and Nigerian patriot and one of the leading members of the legal profession. I don’t know why this should happen again at this time. I am lost for words, my condolence to his wife, children and all members of the legal profession, may his soul rest in perfect peace.”
Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), paying tribute to the deceased last night said: “I knew Chief Debo Akande very, very well. He was my friend and classmate. We qualified as lawyers on the same day, January 15, 1965. He was a very thorough, brilliant, honest, man of integrity in the legal profession. I respect him a lot, one of the best lawyers this country has ever produced. He kept strictly to the ethics of the profession. He was meticulous.
Chief Akande was born on June 9, 1938 in Ibadan, Oyo State, attended the Ibadan Boys High School; St Gregory College, Lagos, between 1952 to 57; Westminister College, London, 1960 to 61 and the University of London, England, 1961 to 64; the Council of Legal Education, London, 1961 to 64 and was called to English Bar, Inner Temple, London.
He was a director of Union Bank of Nigeria; member of House of Representatives, 1979 to 1983; National Executive member, Nigerian Bar Association since 1975; member, Council of Legal Education since 1975; member, Bar Council of Nigeria since 1977; member, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria; member, Federation Public Account Committee, 1977 to 79; Assistant Secretary-General, African Bar Association; National Secretary, NBA 1977 to 79; member, Amnesty International; member, World Peace Through Law; Secretary, Constitutional Review Committee, 1995 to 1996. He was a member of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, 1978 to 83 and member, Alliance for Democracy.
The late Chief Akande led the prosecution in the trial of Senator Omisore and 11 others who were standing trial for their alleged involvement in the murder of Chief Bola Ige, and only on August 2, 2004, he withdrew from the on-going trial of the remaining accused persons in the Ige murder trial, expressing displeasure at the way the Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice withdrew the charges against four accused persons. He said he was not consulted nor notified before the decision to discontinue the matter against the said four persons was taken.
