By The Eagle Online
Copyright theeagleonline
The Oyo State Judiciary under the leadership of Honourable Justice I. S. Yerima organised a valedictory service to honour an eminent late Jurist, Justice Stephen Laoye Popoola, at Oyo State High Court 1, Ring Road, Ibadan on September 19, 2025.
The programme started at exactly 10:09am, with Justice Yerima presiding at the event, which was well attended by prominent and senior lawyers.
Those who were in attendance to honour the late brave Justice Popoola included the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN); Chief Charles Edosowon (SAN); Prince Oloyede Ashanike (SAN); Chief Musibau Adetunbi (SAN); and Aare Seun Ajayi (SAN).
Others include Prince Omosanya A. Popoola (SAN), Dipo Olasope (SAN), Chief Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), Abdul Muhammed (SAN), Chief Akeem Afolabi (SAN), and Chief N. O, Oke (SAN).
Others are Alhaji Ibrahim Lawal, Kareem Ojo, Segun Ali, Lekan Banjo, Alhaji S.O Sanni, I. Ipinsokan, Jimoh Mumin, Dr. Olorundemi Olushola, Judges of the Oyo State High Court, Magistrates and other dignitaries from Osun and Lagos States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Fagbemi described Popoola as honest, fearless, a role model, a good mentor to a lot of promising lawyers and non lawyers, helping them to find their pathways in the murky waters of legal practice and a courageous man while delivering his long and well-constructed written speech that was full of wisdom and knowledge.
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Let me not fail to commend Fagbemi for delivering the said speech and ensuring that it was distributed to all the attendees to read.
Justice Popoola was celebrated by the Chairman of the Ibadan Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Alhaji Ibrahim Lawal, as a brilliant and dedicated judge who had delivered well considered and high quality judgements during his lifetime as a judge in Oyo State. Lawal cited a few judgments of the late Justice Popoola while delivering his speech and urged the newly appointed Oyo State judges to emulate his legacy.
In view of this, I want to use this medium to plead with President Bola Tinubu to immortalise the late Justice Popoola. He was a selfless figure and a prince of Alobalowo lineage from Saki town in Oyo State, whose life of service remains an example for other judges, lawyers and the Nigerian politicians to follow.
The minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation went further in his speech to describe him as a brilliant Jurist. The question to ask is this: Can there be another Justice Stephen Laoye Popoola in the Oyo State Judiciary? Popoola was survived by children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Among them is Prince Omosanya A. Popoola (SAN). May his gentle soul continue to rest in sweet repose.
. Mumin, a lawyer, writes from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and can be reached via 08034435211.