Doyen of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) in Kwara State, Alhaji Aliyu Alarape Salman, is dead.
The senior silk died in Ilorin, the state capital yesterday at the age of 82.
The demise of Salman was announced in a statement signed by the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch, Kamaldeen Gambari.
The statement reads: “This is to bring to the notice of our dear learned Senior Advocates, Senior members of the Bar and the entire colleagues that the Doyen of Senior Advocates in Kwara State, Alhaji Aliyu A. Salman, SAN is dead.”
The remains of the deceased were interred at his Adeyemi Adeleye road, G.R.A, Ilorin residence at about 4.30pm after the funeral prayer in accordance with Islamic rites.
The funeral prayer was led by the Imam Imale of Ilorin, Sheik Abdullahi AbdulHamid.
In a condolence message, Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, described as the end of a great era the death of Salman describing it as the exit of a great man who made huge contributions to the community and the state.
The governor in the message signed by his chief press secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, sent his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the late sage who was a one-time Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Kwara State, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and a respected leader of the Ilorin community.
AbdulRazaq also commiserated with the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on the sad development, recalling the meritorious service of the late sage to Ilorin, the state as a whole, and to the law profession.
He asks Allah to forgive and admit the former IEDPU president to al-jannah Firdaus and preserve all his heirs and the community on the path of goodness and righteousness.
In his own condolence message, the emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari CFR, expressed grief over the demise of Salman.
The emir who described the deceased as a legal luminary of quality multi-purpose to the Ilorin Emirate, Kwara State and nation in general stressed that: “Alhaji Alarape Salman (SAN) gave his best to the Ilorin Emirate in particular and humanity in general. ”
Sulu-Gambari, in the condolence message signed by his spokesman, Mal Abdulazeez Arowona, said that the deceased was ” amiable, committed and dedicated to the development of the nation as a vibrant Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) and community leader whose years of selfless services spanned many decades.”
He commiserated with Governor AbdulRazaq, the commissioner for justice and attorney general of the state, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) as well as the leadership of IEDPU over the demise of a valuable elder statesman.
Also, the Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN), Kwara State chapter, has mourned the demise of the senior lawyer.
MULAN in a statement signed by its chairman, Dr. A.H. Folorunsho commiserated with the deceased’s family and the NBA, Ilorin branch and Kwara State as a whole.
“The doyen of the Bar, Dr. Aliyu Alarape Salman, SAN, was no doubt a fine Advocate of repute who contributed to the development of law in Kwara State and to the stability of the Bar.
“It is our prayers that Allah’s mercy would envelop him, forgive his shortcomings/excesses, wash him off his sins with water, snow and ice, widen his grave and admit him to Jannatul Firdausi.”
