Professor Kasunmu, SAN: A Tribute

Professor Alfred Bandele Kasunmu, SAN, was a distinguished gentleman of the Nigerian Bar and a member of a generation of lawyers whose presence commanded respect both within and beyond the courtroom. Having been involved in a few matters with him on the opposing side, I witnessed firsthand the professionalism and cordial relationships he maintained with all his colleagues.

I had the privilege of attending some of the meetings of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria in Lagos which he chaired. He presided over those proceedings with the dignity, composure and authority that characterised his generation of Senior Advocates. There was a quiet assurance in his manner and an evident commitment to the standards and traditions of the legal profession.

My connection with Professor Kasunmu also extended through Mr. Spencer a mutual colleague and friend, whom I came to know through my late uncle, Lamar Abbaggana. These connections gave me an additional appreciation of the professional legacy that Professor Kasunmu built and the influence he had on those who worked with and around him.

Professor Kasunmu belonged to an era in which the law was practised not merely as a profession, but as a calling requiring discipline, learning, integrity and a deep sense of responsibility. His contribution to the Nigerian legal profession will therefore endure beyond the cases he argued or the offices he occupied.

I join the many members of the Bar who mourn his passing and celebrate a life devoted to the law. His memory will remain with us, and his contribution to the development and dignity of the Nigerian legal profession will not be forgotten.

May his soul rest in peace.

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