1. Chief James Ajibola Idowu Ige, popularly known as Bola Ige, was a Nigerian lawyer and politician.
21 Facts About Bola Ige
1. 2.
Bola Ige served as Federal Minister of Justice of Nigeria from January 2000 until his assassination in December 2001.
3.
Bola Ige previously served as governor of Oyo State from 1979 to 1983 during the Nigerian Second Republic.
4.
James Ajibola Idowu Adegoke Ige was born in Esa Oke, Osun State in the South Western part of Nigeria on 13 September 1930.
5.
Bola Ige's parents were Yoruba natives of Esa-Oke town, in the old Oyo State.
6.
Bola Ige was called to the bar in London's Inner Temple in 1961.
7.
Bola Ige became well known in the country for his oratory prowess, as well as his advocacy work on civil rights and democracy.
8.
Uncommonly, Bola Ige spoke all the three major Nigerian languages, Yoruba, Ibo and Hausa fluently.
9.
Bola Ige wrote several books, and an anthology of articles and tributes about him was published shortly after his death.
10.
Bola Ige became a rival of Olusola Olaosebikan for succession to Obafemi Awolowo.
11.
Bola Ige was a Commissioner for Agriculture in the now-defunct Western Region of Nigeria under the military government of General Yakubu Gowon.
12.
Bola Ige was detained after the coup, accused of enriching himself with party funds.
13.
Bola Ige was released in 1985, after the next coup, by Ibrahim Babangida, and returned to his legal practice and to writing.
14.
Bola Ige was one of the founders of the influential Yoruba pressure group, Afenifere.
15.
Bola Ige was not able to make significant improvements to service provided by the monopolistic National Electric Power Authority.
16.
Bola Ige then became Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
17.
In September 2001, Bola Ige said that the Federal government had initiated a program to re-arrange and consolidate the laws of the Federation, publish them in digital form, and make them available on the website of his ministry.
18.
Bola Ige campaigned ardently against the imposition of the Sharia law in the northern states of Nigeria.
19.
On 23 December 2001, Bola Ige was shot dead at his home in the south-western city of Ibadan.
20.
Bola Ige had been entangled in squabbles within his party in Osun State.
21.
Bola Ige was buried in his home town in Esa-Oke, Osun State.