Remembering Akintola Akinbote

The Pan-African Lawyer's Union (PALU) is the umbrella association of African Lawyers and Law Societies. It brings together the continent's 5 regional and 54 national Lawyer's Associations, as well as individual lawyer and jurists. The mission of PALU is to work towards the development of the legal profession, the rule of law, human rights, and the socio-economic development of the continent.

Beyond the mission of Books For Africa (BFA) to end the book famine in Africa, the mission of our Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative is to further the rule of law across Africa. In active partnership with Thomson Reuters, BFA sends prepackaged latest-edition legal resource libraries to African law schools, law societies, and human rights and women's NGO's across the continent.

With heart-felt sadness, Secretary General Akinabote's obituary is added below.

"The President and Members of the Executive Committee of the Pan African Lawyers Union regret to announce the demise of the Secretary-General of the Pan African Lawyers Union Akintola Anthony Akinbote Esq.

"Mr. Akinbote lost his battle against a kidney dysfunction on Tuesday, 19th February 2013.

"Although we were aware of the severity of his illness, his death has however come as a great shock to us.

"Throughout his career, Mr. Akinbote, a dedicated Pan Africanist, was at the forefront of the fight for the independence of Bar Associations and the rights of advocates on the continent and beyond. He held numerous positions that testify his dedication and commitment and to the advancement of the legal profession.

"He was, amongst other things, the Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association, President of the OHADA Club - Nigeria, [member] of the Advisory Board of the Law and Democracy Initiative of Books For Africa [which is co-chaired by Kofi Annan and Walter Mondale] and most recently, the Secretary-General of PALU.

"Mr. Akinbote represented victims before domestic and international Courts and Tribunals, most notably before the International Criminal Court at The Hague, for the Nigerian civilian victims of the attack on the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) peacekeepers in Darfur.

"Inspired by OHADA, he also strongly advocated for English-speaking countries of Africa "to have political resolve and espouse the ideals of uniformity" in African corporate law. In many ways [his] fervent belief in strengthening PALU has everything to do with his belief that the Unity of the African continent could be jump-started by the harmonization of legal systems.

"A fervent Christian, loving husband and beloved father, Mr. Akinbote leaves a wife and four children behind.

"PALU and many members of the legal community in Nigeria and continent-wide will greatly miss this legal luminary.

"We pray that his soul finds a perfect resting place and that his family galvanizes their residual strength to continue life’s journey."