Oyo govt vows to find Ige's killers as Akande is buried
By Gbolahan Gbadamosi, Ibe Uwaleke, Mustapha Ogunsakin and Paul Oloko
ONE of the icons of the legal profession in Nigeria, the late Chief Debo Akande, was buried yesterday.
In various orations delivered by his colleagues, friends and other prominent Nigerians, the consensus was that he lived a full and fulfilled life.
From the valedictory service to the burial, those who spoke declared that the late Akande was a worthy Nigerian, an achiever and a lover of truth, whose death was beyond mourning.
The Oyo State government also took the gauntlet: To find the killers of the former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, a cause Akande started, fought but did not finish, until death took him away on August 8.
The Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lekan Latinwo, gave the assurance that Ige's murderers would be unmasked by the state.
Ige was assassinated on December 23, 2001 in his Bodija residence at Ibadan, the state capital.
Latinwo who spoke at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos venue of the funeral service for Akande said: "Take this from me, it is not the end of Chief Bola Ige. It may take time, but we will certainly get them."
Only on Wednesday, the doyen of the Nigerian Bar, Chief Federick Rotimi Alade (FRA) Williams (SAN) at a special court session in honour of the late lawyer, had charged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to address "the question on the proceedings relating to the identification, investigation and prosecution of the suspects in the assassination of Ige."
Latinwo told journalists that he agreed with Williams because "it is the proper thing to say."
He urged Nigerians to exercise patience, no matter the opinion they might have formed on the incident.
Reminded that he entered a nolle proscui to discontinue the trial against four of the suspects in the case, Messrs. Alani Omisore, Kunle Alao, Lambe Oyasope, and Jelili Adesiyan, all associates of the former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Chief Iyiola Omisore, who was discharged by the court over Ige's murder, Latinwo said: "We entered the nolle prosecui because the four are directly associated with Omisore, and since the trial judge had discharged Omisore, there was no way we could go on with the case against them.
"We however maintained that people pre-emptied the decision of the court, and since the outcome of the court is against their expectations, they found it difficult to take", he said.
The commissioner also said that the prosecution had laid too much emphasis on the Omisore angle to the neglect of other areas that would have been investigated by the police. He maintained that it was the major reason why the trial judge, Justice Akin Sanda discharged and acquitted Omisore.
He continued: "What we want to do now is to consider all other angles to the case. The areas that the police had neglected to investigate, we shall ask them (police) to open investigation as directed by the court.
"In fact, the remaining people in the trial are being kept so that they can give a possible lead to other areas the trial judge mentioned in his judgment."
Latinwo also confirmed that his ministry had taken charge of the prosecution of the case after the withdrawal of Akande before his death.
The praises notwithstanding, grief, agony, pain and sorrow overwhelmed those who came to pay their last homage to him at the Ikoyi Cemetery in Lagos.
The immediate family and friends wailed uncontrollably. Dozens of handkerchiefs in the hands of the mourners failed to absorb the floods of tears, which went unhindered.
Those who tried to control their emotions fought back with tears but were again betrayed by the meekness of their conscience. They also broke down weeping.
In a short prayer, Rev. Fr. Julius Olaitan said: "From dust you come, from dust you will go. May your soul rest in perfectly peace."
This prayer was like a whistle to the mourners to continue who had for a while remained silent.
Head of the defunct Interim National Government (ING), Chief Ernest Shonekan, told The Guardian that Akande was a "very strong person, very intelligent, as a matter of fact, a very loyal man. We will all miss him."
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Akinlolu Olujimi (SAN) and the NBA President, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), led the cream of legal practitioners to pay their last respect to Akande. Until his death in London on August 8, he was the chairman of the Body of Benchers.
The solemn ceremony, inside the auditorium of the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, was witnessed by Akande's widow, Prof. Jadesola and the children, led by Justice Adenike Coker.
As soon as the body was carried into the hall by the Lagos-based undertakers, MIC, former chairman of the Body of Benchers, Mrs. Hairat Balogun, announced the beginning of the valedictory court session.
She also announced that the Chief Justice, Muhammadu Uwais, whose wife was in the hall, had sent his condolence to the family.
Olujinmi said: "We are here today to pay a deserved tribute to a worthy Nigerian, Chief Debo Akande (SAN).
"Chief Debo Akande lived a worthy life, a life of success, of achievements, of courage and blessing to humanity. All of us present here must have been blessed by the life of this great man either directly or indirectly," he added.
Commiserating with the widow, he stated: "Chief Akande (SAN) was a man who valued honesty and integrity more than anything. He was truly a great man. Chief Akande's legacy is a lasting one. His demise is not an occasion for mourning rather, let us glorify God for a successful and meaningful life."
Olanipekun, in his tribute, refuted insinuations that Akande's death was due to the frustration he suffered in the Ige murder trial.
The NBA boss, whose audience included Chairman, Legal Aid Council, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN) and Chairman, NBA Disciplinary Committee, Chief Bamidele Aiku (SAN), noted: "I confess that he confided in me that he was satisfied with the way and manner the prosecution case was conducted."
Despite his short tenure as chairman of the Body of Benchers, Olanipekun said the late legal icon "piloted its affairs effectively by introducing fresh and new policies and charting very indigenous causes for the improvement, betterment, enhancement and achievement of the entire legal profession."
The Chairman of the Lagos State branch of the NBA, Mr. Akin Akinbote, said that Akande advised lawyers to have time for themselves and take care of their health.
Responding to the eulogies on her late father, Justice Coker expressed the family's gratitude to the legal profession and those who were at the occasion, notably Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Dawodu (SAN), Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud (SAN), Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN) and other senior members of the profession.
Other dignitaries at the church were Lagos State Governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu, former Ekiti State governor, Chief Adebiyi Adebayo and Afenifere official, Chief Ayo Banjo.
There were also former Transport Minister and now Special Adviser to the President on Legal and Constitutional Matters, Chief Ojo Madueke, businessman, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and renowned accountant, Mr. Akintola Williams.
