The Chief Judge of Ogun, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu has described late High Court Judge, Justice Olatokunbo Bamgbose, as an exemplary jurist with strong character, a powerful intellect whose memory would linger forever in the hearts of those he touched when he was alive, orator whose death came as a colossal loss to the judiciary.
Justice Dipeolu, who said this at the Valedictory Court Sitting in honour of the late Judge held at the ceremonial hall of the Judiciary Complex, Abeokuta, which had in attendance the State Deputy Governor Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, among other dignitaries, stated that the death of the late Judge was a huge loss to the judiciary.
In his reaction, the State Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Olusegun Olaotan, recounted that the deep words of thought from late Justice Bamgbose served as a reminder that death is inevitable, adding that his legacy of hard work and integrity would never be forgotten.
The Solicitor-General stated that the late jurist exhibited the trait of a thoroughbred professional during his years of practice, saying he would be sorely missed in the legal profession.
In his contribution, the representative of the Body of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN), Mr. Bambo Adesanya, SAN, noted that ‘’death is a life destination that all mortals would share, and which no one would escape, as it clears the way for the old and makes new’’, calling on members to leave a footprint of handwork as Justice Bamgbose did.
Mr. Adesanya (SAN) said the late judge had contributed immensely to the social development of Nigerians through his authorship of several books and journals.
In their separate remarks, the representative of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA), Ota branch, Mr. Adewale Adegoke as well as his Ibadan branch counterpart, where he started his practice, Mrs. Folashade Aladeniyi, noted that his contributions to legal practice were so enormous, pointing out that his demise should make other members imbibe invaluable truth of the transience of human existence and embrace the eternal values of selflessness, love and justice.
Late Justice Olatokunbo Bamgbose was born on April 3, 1960, and called to the bar in June 1982. He did his pupilage at the Chamber of the Great Chief Olisa Chukura OFR, SAN and worked there between 1983-1991 before establishing OJ Bamgbose & Co, (LP) in 1992 until he was sworn in as Judge of High Court of Justice, Ogun State on December 7, 2016.