Judges, lawyers pay glowing tributes to late Justice Akinsanya

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, Judges, Magistrates of the Lagos State Judiciary, and other members of the legal community in the country gathered in Lagos on Tuesday to pay glowing tributes to late Justice Dolapo Akinsanya, who passed away at the age of 79 at a valedictory session to honor the late jurist, held at the Ikeja High Court.

Justice Akinsanya was the judge who on November 10, 1993, declared as illegal, the Interim National Government of Chief Ernest Shonekan. She died on November 5, after a brief illness.

According to the tributes, the late jurist was remembered for her role in stabilizing the Nigerian nation in the heady days of the Military when Military President, Gen Ibrahim Babangida annulled the June 12, 1993 elections believed to have been won by the late business mogul, MKO Abiola.

The Justice Alogba who was represented by the Admin Judge of Lagos Division, Justice Oyekan Abdullah described Akinsanya as a great jurist whose life is worthy of emulation by the incoming generation.

He noted that as a judge, the late Akinsanya earned the reputation of being fair but firm as reflected in his judgment in the several cases she handled while on the bench.

In a tribute, the State Attorney General, Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN said that in occasions like this, it is customary to use a tribute to such a legal luminary to address some issues that deserve the attention of members of the Bench and Bar, with particular reference to the service of the deceased jurist.

Onigbanjo recalled that the late jurist never wasted time while attending to cases before him.

The Valedictory Session had in attendance, Serving Judges and Magistrates, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, BoSAN, Members of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, and family members of the late jurist.

Justice Akinsanya was born on February 24, 1941 to late Prof Sanya Onabamiro family died in Lagos on Thursday November 5.