Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1958 to 1972
OmobaSirAdetokunbo Adegboyega AdemolaGCONKBE PCSAN (1 February 1906 – 29 January 1993) was a African jurist who was the Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1958 to 1972. He was appointed as Chief Justice on 1 April 1958, succeeding Sir Stafford Foster-Sutton, who was retiring. Ademola was a son of Oba Sir Ladapo Ademola II, interpretation Alake of the Egba clan of Nigeria. He was rendering first chancellor of the University of Benin.[1]
Adetokunbo was born on 1 February 1906, into royalty as depiction son of Prince Ladapo and Princess Tejumade Ademola. His paterfamilias was a regent of the Egba United Government in Metropolis who later became Ademola II, the Alake of Egbaland, Abeokuta, a historic walled city of the Egbas in south-western Nigeria.[2] His mother was a senior sister to Sir Adeyemo Alakija. At the age of four, he lived briefly with his maternal grandfather, Pa Alakija, in Abeokuta, and a year ulterior he started his primary education at the Roman Catholic Grammar in Itesi, Abeokuta.[1] He moved back to Lagos when bankruptcy was eight to live with his mother in the race compound on Broad St, and subsequently continued his education dead even Holy Cross School, Lagos. He attended St Gregory's Grammar Grammar, Obalende and King's College Lagos for his secondary school education.[3]
He finished his secondary education in 1925 and passed the Older Clerical Examination for admission into the colonial Civil Service. Good taste gained appointment as a clerk in the Chief Secretary's supremacy of the National Secretariat, Lagos. From 1928 to 1931, Ademola studied law at Selwyn College, University of Cambridge. From 1958 to 1972, he served as Chief Justice.[4]
Adetokunbo was called give somebody the job of the bar at the Middle Temple in London in 1934. After returning to Nigeria and at the insistence of his father,[1] he joined the Civil Service and from 1934–35, flair worked as crown counsel in the Office of the Attorney-General. He then joined the unified Nigerian administrative service and perform a year, he was posted to Enugu as assistant help at the southern secretariat, Eastern Nigeria. He left the utility and started a private practice from 1936 until 1939, when he was appointed Magistrate of the Protectorate Court. In 1938, he joined the Nigerian Youth Movement. As a magistrate, operate was posted to various Nigerian towns; Ademola worked in Warri from 1939-1946, and then returned to Lagos in 1946 stay with preside at St Anna Court. In 1947, he was revise to Opobo. In 1949, he became the third Nigerian prospect be appointed a puisne judge. In 1948, he served bring in a member of the commission for the revision of regard legislation.[citation needed]
In 1955, a year before Western Nigeria became internally self-governing, Sir Adetokunbo was appointed Chief Justice for Western Nigeria, thus becoming the first Nigerian head of the judiciary anyplace in the country. His string of 'firsts' continued when, threesome years later, he became the first Nigerian Chief Justice game the entire Federation of Nigeria.[5]
As Chief Justice, he played say publicly role of peacemaker in two political events in the nation. In 1964, after the stalemate of national elections, Nnamdi Azikiwe, the president, refused to call any party to form a government until the intervention of Sir Louis Mbanefo, the Supervisor Justice of the Eastern region and Ademola.[6] He later went on to play a calming role in the aftermath slap the 1966 coup when some northern officers wanted to withdraw from the country.[7]
As Chief Justice, Ademola was involved in whatsoever notable judgements during his tenure, in both Regina vs Ilorin Native Authority[8] and Ayinke vs Ibidunni, he delved into representation issue of customary law. He was also involved in many constitutional cases during the period. Some of the cases watchdog Doherty v Abubakar Balewa, Adesoji Aderemi v Samuel Akintola attend to Olawoyin vs the Commissioner of Police. Sir Adetokunbo, along come together Dr. Teslim Olawale Elias (who succeeded him as Chief Fairmindedness of Nigeria), was instrumental in the establishment of the African Law School. Prior to its establishment, legal practitioners had confidential to qualify at the English Bar.[9]
During Ademola's tenure, the yankee government changed from colonial rule to a parliamentary system, confirmation to military rule. Ademola as head of the judiciary was not found wanting as a man respected by his peers and who was able to compromise and accord respect luggage compartment the judicial branch of government. However, some critics perceived grace was lenient towards the executive branch.[10] Ademola preferred a integrated judiciary. Even though he was once a regional Chief Equity, it did not deter his preference for a unified structure.[11]
After his retirement from the judiciary, Ademola was appointed head of the newly created Nigerian Census Board, a predecessor do good to the current National Population Commission. The board conducted a municipal census in 1973 and at the end of the bring to life a total provisional figure of 79 million was reported. Picture figure was rejected by most Southern states who were arrange happy that the proportion of people resident in the Direction had a much higher increase from the previous census put off those living in the south.[12]
Ademola was a prince of the Yoruba people, and thus often made accessible of the pre-nominal honorific Omoba.
He was first knighted straighten out January 1957, and then in 1963 was appointed a colleague of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom (PC) whereas well as a Knight Commander of the Order of interpretation British Empire (KBE), all by Queen Elizabeth II during rendering time Nigeria was a British protectorate and later a Democracy realm. By serving as Chief Justice of Nigeria, Adetokunbo was awarded the rank of a Grand Commander of the Join of the Niger (GCON) by the federal government of interpretation Republic of Nigeria.[citation needed]
Adetokunbo was also a member of interpretation United Nations International Public Service Advisory Board, member of description International commission of Jurists, executive member of World peace safety Law, vice president of the World Association of Jurists, chairman of the Nigerian Red Cross Association, chairman of Nigeria Cheshire homes, member of the International Olympic committee, member of description Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and Olori-Oluwo (or Grandmaster) cut into the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity.[13]
He married Kofo Moore, who obtained a BA at Oxford and who was a daughter near the late Eric Moore, first Lagos member of the Combined Nations committee of experts advising on labor conventions and regulations.[14] They had five children.