Kasunmu’s Influence Went Beyond the Courtroom, Ayorinde Says in Tribute
The late Professor Alfred Bandele Kasunmu, SAN, left behind a legacy that stretched across legal practice, education and public service, according to Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, who has reflected on the contribution of the respected legal scholar to Nigeria’s legal profession.
Ayorinde, a former Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, said Kasunmu belonged to a generation of lawyers whose knowledge and personal character helped set high standards for the profession.
In his tribute, Ayorinde looked back at the atmosphere within Nigeria’s legal community when he became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2005. He recalled encountering senior members of the profession whose opinions carried considerable weight in discussions about both the Bar and the country.
He mentioned several of those prominent figures, including Bankole Oki, Richard Akinjide, Kehinde Sofola, Ben Nwabueze, Okpoko, G.O.K. Ajayi, A.G.F. AbdulRazaq and Debo Akande, noting that Kasunmu was among the distinguished lawyers of that era.
For Ayorinde, the significance of Kasunmu’s generation was not simply their professional status but the depth of knowledge and experience they brought to conversations about the future of law and Nigeria.
Kasunmu’s own career reflected that broad influence. After being called to the Nigerian Bar in 1964, he entered academia and became one of the pioneer lecturers at the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University.
His academic career later took him to the University of Lagos, where he became a Professor of Law and served as Dean of the Faculty of Law from 1973 to 1975. His work in education placed him among the academics who contributed to the development of legal training in Nigeria.
Kasunmu subsequently moved into government service, becoming Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State in 1975. Three years later, he joined the ranks of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, receiving the honour on January 25, 1978.
His professional record was further strengthened by his work as a legal author and practitioner. He co-authored important legal publications, wrote extensively on legal issues and appeared for Nigerian and international clients before courts and arbitration panels in Nigeria and abroad.
Ayorinde also remembered Kasunmu as a committed family man, saying the values associated with him could be seen in his children. He offered his condolences to the deceased’s wife, children and wider family as the legal community continues to mourn the 92-year-old scholar and advocate.