A former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikorodu branch in Lagos, Mr Adedotun Adetunji, on Sunday commiserated with the family of the late oldest judge in the state, retired Justice Isiaka Oluwa.
Oluwa died on Saturday at his residence at Ilupeju, Lagos State, at the age of 102 years.
He was born on June 23, 1918, in Cross River.
In a condolence message made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Adetunji prayed for the peaceful repose of Oluwa’s soul.
“He was such an energetic man even in retirement.
“He lived a life worthy of emulation and was able to impact the justice system through his erudite judgments, rulings, and other judicial decisions.
“He will be sorely missed by both the bar and bench. I pray that Almighty God grants him to rest,” he said
Also, the immediate past Chairman of the NBA Section on Business Law, Mr Olumide Akpata, eulogized the late judge.
In a statement he issued in Lagos, Akpata described Oluwa as an erudite jurist and a revered ‘Kingsman’.
“The news of the death of the retired Justice Ishola Oluwa is such that one must take with mixed feelings.
“Although he lived for a full century, had an impactful life, contributed significantly to humanity and the legal profession, and did other excellent works, his death is nonetheless painful.
“However, we must be grateful to the Almighty God for the good life that He gave the late judge.
“Justice Ishola Oluwa was a respected and erudite jurist who served the Lagos State Judiciary meritoriously and left the bench when the ovation was very high.
“He had many landmark judgments to his credit; after his retirement, he continued to inspire serving judges and lawyers and was indeed a mentor to many.
“Until his death, he was the oldest living Old Boy of my alma mater, King’s College, Lagos, and he was a revered ‘Kingsman’.
Many King’s College Old Boys who had the opportunity of interacting with him held him in the highest esteem and always looked forward to his fatherly counsel.
“He was intelligent, extremely talented and his memory was prodigious; his ability to recall past occurrences with precision and tell vivid stories even in his old age was remarkable.
“May the Almighty God give us all who mourn him, the fortitude to bear the loss.
“I pray that he rests in the bosom of God Almighty,” he said
NAN reports that the late Oluwa was buried on Saturday according to Islamic rites.
Oluwa will be remembered, among other things, for sentencing Lagos socialite, Alhaji Jimoh Isola (a.k.a Ejigbadero), to death for the murder of a farmer, Raji Oba, over land dispute in 1975.
He attended Forcados Government School, Bonny; St Bartholomew’s School, Degema; Government School, Sapele; and King’s College, Lagos.
Oluwa also attended the School of Agriculture, Samaru, Zaria, Kaduna, the University of London where he studied law, and Lincoln’s Inn, London, where he was called to the Bar in 1957.
The late judge worked as Lecturer, Farm Management, University of Ibadan (1949-50), Lecturer, School of Agriculture, Samaru, Zaria, and Extension Manager, Zaria Province.
He started his law practice after he returned back to Nigeria from London and formed Oluwa, Kotoye, and Company.
He was appointed a high court judge on June 1, 1974. He retired on June 17, 1983.
Oluwa will be remembered, among other things, for sentencing Lagos socialite, Alhaji Jimoh Isola, (a.k.a Ejigbadero) to death for the murder of a farmer, Raji Oba, over land dispute in 1975.
