Hon. Justice Ayobode Olujimi Lokulo-Sodipe of the Court of Appeal Akure Division slumped and died on Monday morning while dressing up in his Chambers for the day’s sitting.
Sadly, the 67-year-old judge reportedly passed while being rushed to the hospital.
Confirming the incident on a WhatsApp platform, the immediate past Chairman of the Akure branch of the Nigeria Bar Association, M.r Rotimi Olorunfemi, said, “Just confirmed it (the judge’s death) it is true. He collapsed in the office at Court of Appeal, Akure this ( Monday) morning. Was rushed to the hospital but confirmed DOA (Death on Arrival)”.
An alumnus of the University of Ife (1974 – 1978), now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, His Lordship was born on the 18th of February, 1956, and was elevated to the Court of appeal on the 15th of February, 2008.
Justice Lokulo-Sodipe who was an old student of Government College Ibadan (1969 – 1974) hailed from Abeokuta in Ogun State.
Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1979, Hon. Justice Lokulo-Sodipe served in Abuja, Enugu, and Benin Divisions till April 2014 when he was posted to his present duty post at the Ekiti Division.
Among numerous positions held, he was a member of the Gubernatorial/ State Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal for Anambra and Cross River States respectively in 1999 and a member of the National Assembly, Governorship and Legislative Houses Election Petitions Tribunal for Benue State in 2003.
He was the Chairman of the Law Reporting Committee of Ogun State Judiciary from December 2001 to January 2008.
On January 27, 2023, the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgement upheld his judgment which affirmed the candidature of former Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, as the duly nominated candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Ondo Central Senatorial District in the 2023 general elections.
The Appellate Court presided by Justice Olujimi Lokulo-Sodipe had dismissed the appeal filed by the Senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District, Nicholas Tofowomo against the verdict of the Federal High Court that affirmed Ajayi as the candidate of the party for failure to file within the time stipulated by the law.
His Lordship was married to Mrs. Afolake Ibironke Lokulo-Sodipe and they have two children
