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Ex-ICC Judge, Bola Ajibola dies at 89

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Former Judge of the International Court of Justice, Hague, Netherlands, Prince Bola Abdul-Jabar Ajibola, is dead.

Prince Ajibola, a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE), died at the age of 89.

The Abeokuta born jurist who was a former Attorney-General of Nigeria was the founder of Crescent University, Abeokuta,

He died last night after a long-time illness as a result of old age.

The eldest child of the late jurist, Segun Ajibola, SAN, disclosed this in a statement, on Sunday in Abeokuta.

He wrote, “With very deep heart and gratitude to Almighty Allah.

“Our Dad, Prince Bola Ajibola, departed this world over midnight. May Almighty Allah bless him with Aljanah Firdaus.”

 

Press Statement

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’uun.

Truly to Allah we belong and unto Him is our final return.

This is to announce the passing on of our revered and dearly beloved father, His Excellency Judge AbdulJabbar Bolasodun Adesumbo Ajibola (SAN, KBE, LL.D, D.Litt, FNIALS, FCIArb, CFR) which occurred over the midnight today, 9 April 2023.

Judge Ajibola will always be remembered as an icon of Law and Judicature, an embodiment of both the Bar and the Bench. He was President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Father of Arbitration in Nigeria; Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federation; Chairman, Body of Benchers; Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and member of its Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at the Hague; President of the Jurists Association of the World Association of Judges; member of the United Nations Compensation Commission on Iraq’s Invasion of Kuwait; Arbitrator and Commissioner of the Ethiopia/Eritrea Boundary Commission; member, Vice-President and then President of the World Bank Administrative Tribunal; Chairman of the National Boundary Commission and Chairman of the Nigerian Delegation to the Nigeria/Cameroon Mixed Commission on the Bakassi Peninsula; and last but not the least, High Commissioner to the United Kingdom amongst numerous other high profile, national and international commitments, assignments and accolades. He was a recipient of great honours from King Abdullah II of Jordan and he received similar tributes from King Abdullah bin AbdulAziz Al-Saud, the immediate past King of Saudi Arabia. Judge Ajibola is a Fellow of the Aal al Bayt Institute of Thought in Amman, Jordan and has remained for more than a decade, a regular biographee of that Institute’s prestigious publication, ‘‘The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World’’.

At the humanitarian level, Judge Bola Ajibola founded the African Concern in 1994. This was intended as an African response to the Rwandan genocide and many other wars and civil strife which then bestraddled the entire African continent in one form or the other. He founded the Islamic Mission for Africa (IMA) in 1996 to promote Islam in its true light as a religion of peace, love and harmonious co-existence amongst all peoples – doing so through the means of education, socialisation, publicity and enlightenment. The crowning glory of the IMA endeavour was the establishment of Crescent University, which became a private University through the grant of Licence by the Federal Government on 9 June 2005.

Judge Ajibola not only served nationally and internationally; he is warmly loved in his homestead of Abeokuta where he is Oluomo of Egbaland and Olori Omo Oba of Owu Kingdom.

We pray that Almighty Allah will pardon his shortcomings, accept his return and grant him a lofty station amongst His honoured friends in Paradise (Jannatul Firdaws). Ameen.

Announcer,

Adesegun Ajibola, SAN

For the family.

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Tinubu Appoints New Ministers, Sacks Edun, Dangiwa In Minor Shake-Up

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President Bola Tinubu has approved a minor reshuffle of the Federal Executive Council, removing the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa.

This was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yomi Odunuga, citing a memo signed by SGF George Akume.

According to the memo, Taiwo Oyedele has been appointed as the new Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

Also appointed is Dr. Muttaqha Darma as Minister-designate for Housing and Urban Development.

The memo directed the outgoing ministers to complete handover processes to their respective successors or supervising officials.

It stated that all handing over and taking over activities must be concluded on or before the close of business on Thursday, 23rd April, 2026.

Explaining the decision, Akume said the changes were aimed at improving coordination and strengthening delivery across key sectors of the economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Akume stated.

He added that President Tinubu acted in line with his constitutional powers as provided under Sections 147 and 148 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The SGF also conveyed the President’s appreciation to the outgoing ministers for their service to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours, noting that the process of cabinet reinvigoration would remain continuous.

The statement further noted that Taiwo Oyedele was appointed as Minister of State for Finance in March 2026, while Edun was among the ministers appointed on August 16, 2023.

 

 

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Tax Reform Expert Taiwo Oyedele Nominated As Minister Of State For Finance

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially nominated Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Dr. Taiwo Oyedele as the new Minister of State for Finance.

Oyedele replaces Dr. Doris Anite-Uzoka, who has been redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning as Minister of State, her third portfolio in the administration.

The President on Tuesday conveyed Oyedele’s nomination to the Senate for confirmation in a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday.

Until Tinubu nominated him as a minister, Oyedele from Ikaram, Akoko, Ondo State, was the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which overhauled Nigeria’s tax system.

The 50-year-old is an economist, accountant, and public policy expert who led the comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system through the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms.

The committee, inaugurated in August 2023, delivered four executive bills that consolidated over 60 taxes into fewer than 10 statutes and introduced significant reforms, including zero income tax for Nigerians earning N800,000 annually or less.

The Tax Reform Acts, which became effective on January 1, 2026, also exempted small businesses with turnover below N50m from company income tax, capital gains tax, and development levy.

Other provisions include a 50 per cent tax deduction for companies hiring new workers for three years, a 50 per cent deduction for wage increases to the lowest-paid employees, and a five-year corporate tax holiday for agricultural enterprises.

Oyedele attended Yaba College of Technology, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy and Finance, before proceeding to Oxford Brookes University for a BSc in Applied Accounting.

He also completed executive education programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.

Oyedele spent 22 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, joining in 2001 and rising to become the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader before his appointment to head the tax reform committee.

He is currently a professor at Babcock University in Ogun State and a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.

As Minister of State for Finance, Oyedele is expected to oversee the implementation of the tax reforms he championed, particularly as the government seeks to improve revenue generation and deepen economic reforms.

Anite-Uzoka, who is being redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, previously served as Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment before her appointment as Minister of State for Finance.

The Senate is expected to screen and confirm Oyedele’s nomination in the coming weeks, following which he will be sworn in to assume his ministerial duties.

The Finance Ministry, currently led by Wale Edun as substantive minister, oversees fiscal policy, revenue mobilisation, debt management, and economic planning.

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Gospel Artiste Taiwo Adegbodu Of Adegbodu Twins Passes On

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Taiwo Adegbodu, one half of the popular Nigerian gospel duo Adegbodu Twins, has passed away.

The tragic news was officially confirmed by his twin brother and musical partner, Kehinde Adegbodu, through a heartfelt post on the duo’s official Facebook handle.

In a heartfelt post, Kehinde conveyed his profound grief over the loss of both his brother and ministry partner.

He wrote: “TAIWO, why will you leave me and your kids without notification?
My heart is bleeding, Lord how do you want me to cope without him?
God why? This is too much for me to bear!!!”

Taiwo and Kehinde Adegbodu were renowned in gospel circles for their spirited worship sessions, twin-stage performances, and dynamic ministrations, which resonated with churches and Christian gatherings across Nigeria.

Their music and live performances earned them a devoted following, particularly in the South-West region.

As of the time of this report, the cause of Taiwo Adegbodu’s death and details of his funeral arrangements have not been disclosed.

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