Ex-ICPC Chairman Ayoola passes on at 91

Ayoola’s death was announced in a statement on Wednesday by the Chairman of the ICPC, Musa Aliyu.

Ayoola, who was the second ICPC chairman, was said to have died on Tuesday at the age of 91.

He succeeded Mustapha Akanbi as the Commission’s Chairman and served between 2005 and 2010.

Ayoola served Nigeria in various capacities. He was appointed as a high court judge in 1976 and rose through the ranks to the Supreme Court.

Having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70, he retired as a justice of the nation’s apex court in 2003.

Born on October 27, 1933, in Ilesha, Osun State, Ayoola attended Temidire Model School from 1939 to 1943 for his primary education and Ilesha Grammar School from 1944 to 1950 for his secondary education.

The late jurist obtained a law degree in 1957.

He studied at several institutions, including the University of London and Oxford University London.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) appointed Ayoola as a judge of the appeals chamber of the special court for Sierra Leone.

The court was set up to try those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Sierra Leone civil war. He was president of the court from 2004 to 2005.

Ayoola was awarded the Nigerian National Honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) for his meritorious service to Nigeria and humanity in 2003.