On Sepetember 26, 1979 four days to the swearing in of President Shehu Shagari after his victory from a highly contentious election, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that Shagari won the election having gotten the mandatory two third spread as demanded by the law. The court ruled that the victorious party, National Party of Nigeria (NPN), got the twelve two third of the then 19 States of the federation.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and his supporters who challenged the victory described the Supreme Court ruling as a rape.
The man at the legal team of NPN then, an Ibadan born legal luminary was Chief Richard Akinjide who expectedly became the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in that Second Republic.
Chief Abimbola Osuolale Richard Akinjide, died on Tuesday April 21 at 1am at the ripe age of 88-years after a long battle with an undisclosed ailment.
Born in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital in the early 1930s to an influential family of warriors, the late foremost lawyer and Ibadan high chief attended Oduduwa College, Ile-Ife from where he passed out in Grade One (Distinction, Aggregate 6).
He travelled to the United Kingdom in 1951 for his higher education and was called to the English Bar in 1955 and later to the Nigerian Bar. He established his law firm, Akinjide & Co soon after.
The frontline Yoruba leader was a Minister of Education in the First Republic, during the government of Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa and Minister for Justice in the Second Republic, during the administration of President Shehu Shagari.
He was a member of the judicial systems sub-committee of the Constitutional Drafting Committee of 1975-1977 and later joined the National Party of Nigeria in 1978. He became the legal adviser for the party and was later appointed the Minister for Justice.
May his soul rest in peace, Amen.
