Mallam Saliu Mustapha, the Senator representing Kwara Central in the National Assembly, has commiserated with the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), and the people of the state over the passing of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Alhaji Aliyu Alarape Salman while describing him as a leading light in the midst of his contemporaries.
According to a report, a one-time President of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) died in the early hours of Sunday after a brief illness, and children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren survived him.
Mustapha, in a statement issued and made available to newsmen in Ilorin, the state capital, stated that the invaluable contributions of the legal icon to the growth and development of the legal profession would remain indelible in the annals of the history of the profession in Nigeria and beyond.
The Turaki of Ilorin also described the deceased as a trailblazer who mentored a young generation of legal practitioners who are currently impacting society positively in their areas of calling, adding that the late legal luminary, admirably referred to as “Doyen of SANs”, had to his credit several victories in landmark judgements of court of superior records that have since become locus classicus in legal practice.
The lawmaker, however, called for immortalising the eminent legal luminary to serve as a positive motivation for others.
He said, “The transition of Alhaji Aliyu Alarape Salman, SAN, though a monumental loss to his immediate family, Ilorin, Kwara state and Nigeria as a whole, but one takes solace in his invaluable contributions to the Nigerian society, particularly the legal profession and the Ilorin community as a whole. We are all comforted that his legacies would remain indelible.
“I pray to almighty Allah (SWT) to forgive his misdeeds as a mortal, repose his soul and grant him Al-Janah Firdaus. Amin,” he added.