Governor Amosun Mourns Former NBA President Idowu Sofola SAN

Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has commiserated with the family of the late former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Idowu Sofola SAN, describing his death as a great loss to Ogun State and the country at large.

Chief Sofola, an indigene of Ikenne in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, died Friday night in Lagos.

Governor Amosun while paying a visit to Sofola’s family home in Ikenne, described the former NBA President as an icon who served his community, town, Ogun state and the country in so many capacities, meritoriously.

The governor noted that the late legal icon lived a good life and should ideally not be mourned but rather celebrated.

Governor Amosun also enjoined Chief Sofola’s widow and family members to be grateful for the life well spent by the octogenarian.

One of the deceased’s children, Mr Shina Sofola, Esq, on behalf of the family, appreciated the governor for creating time out of his busy schedule to honour the former NBA President.

In a related development, the Secretary General of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Dr. Kunle Olajide, stated that the YCE was grieved and shocked over the death of the octogenarian who took over the mantle of leadership of the council from late Gen Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd), adding that he was neither ill nor bedridden.

“I spoke with him few days ago, congratulating him on the appointment of his son as a High Court judge and we were planning an event to host him. The icon is leaving us at a critical time, particularly in Yorubaland as the country prepares for the 2019 general elections.

“He was an intelligent man of Yoruba extraction and the vacuum he left behind will be difficult to full. It is a great shock to me and YCE, a strong advocate and believer in true federalism, brilliant lawyer and defender of human rights and democracy”, Olajide said.

According to This Day, Chief Sofola was born on September 29, 1934 and he was the first black man to be appointed the secretary of the International Bar Association (IBA). He was also a prominent member of the Ikenne Social Circle and the Obara Ruling House of Alakenne Royalty.