Sir Adetokunbo Ademola

Sir Adetokunbo Ademola was born into a royal family as the son of the Alake of Abeokuta. His father, King Ladapo Ademola II, reigned in Abeokuta, an historic walled city of the Egbas in southwestern Nigeria. Adetokunbo Ademola studied law at Selwyn College, University of Cambridge, from 1928-31. He was called to the bar at Middle Temple in London in 1934, and upon returning to Nigeria worked as crown counsel at the attorney general’s office in 1934-35. Ademola was appointed Magistrate of the Protectorate Court in 1939 and in 1949 was appointed a judge, also serving as a member of the commission for the revision of court legislation. In 1955 he became Chief Justice for Western Nigeria, and in 1958 became Chief Justice for Nigeria, serving in that position until 1972. Ademola was instrumental in preventing a military coup d’etat in 1966, when he and the British High Commissioner saved Gowon and Nigeria by meeting with the northern leaders and preventing them from leaving Nigeria.

Ademola was one of the founders of the first Nigerian Law School. For his efforts as a jurist he received multiple honors. He was first knighted in January 1957, and in 1963 was appointed a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, later that year, receiving a KBE from Queen Elizabeth II. His status as Chief Justice of Nigeria brought him the title Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) by the Nigerian government. He was also a member of the United Nations International Public Service Advisory Board, a member of the International Commission of Jurists, executive member of World Peace through Law, Vice-President of the World Association of Jurists, President of the Nigerian Red Cross Association, Chairman of Nigeria Cheshire homes, and a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.

Sir Adegboyega Ademola was made an IOC Member in 1963, and served on the committee until his resignation in 1985, at which time he was made an Honorary Member. He was an Executive Board member from 1969-73. He died in 1993, but shortly before his death, when asked how he wanted to be remembered, said simply, “In humility I came, in humility I left. I judged only as I saw just.”