Justice Ahmad Olanrewaju Belgore is dead.
Born on 18th April 1953, the highly respected jurist died nine days short of his 71st birthday.
He had retired as the Justice of Court of Appeal on April 18, 2023 on attainment of the retirement age of 70.
News of the death of the retired Justice of the Court of Appeal (JCA) was announced on Tuesday night by Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch, Kwara State, Kamaldeen Gambari, Esq.
Gambari said in a short message posted on social media platforms: “Information reaching me now indicates that Hon. Justice Ahmad Olarewaju Belgore, PCJA (Rtd) is dead. May Allah forgive his shortcomings.”
The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has described the death as a big loss to the Ilorin Emirate and the nation at large.
In a statement by his spokesman, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowona, on Tuesday, the Emir said: “This is a great and colossal loss that has befell the Emirate and humanity at large. “
“Inna ilaihi waina ilaehi raji’un, it is with shock that I received the news of the demise of Justice Ahmad Belgore. He was a complete gentleman, a thorough judicial officer who served the nation meritoriously in various capacities, nationally and internationally.
“He was one of the finest Justices that the Ilorin Emirate has ever produced. He contributed in no small measures to the growth and development of the judiciary and humanity in general.”
Born on April 18, 1953, Belgore studied Law at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where he bagged LL.B (Hons.) with Specialisation in Islamic Law from 1975 to 1978, the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos (Barrister-At-Law (BL) 1978/79 Session and was enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in July, 1979.
Records revealed that the late jurist was appointed as a Notary Public in 1987 and later served in various capacities such as Judge of the High Court of Justice, Kwara State from August, 1990 to 2006, Resident High Court Judge, Offa Judicial Division of Kwara State August, 1994 to September, 1999 as well as Chairman, Special Miscellaneous Offences Tribunal in Abuja.
He was also on secondment to the Judiciary of the Republic of the Gambia and appointed as Justice of Appeal, Gambia Court of Appeal and was later elevated to become that acting Justice of the Supreme Court of the Gambia, a position he held up to December 2005.
Late Ahmad Belgore was appointed as Justice, Court of Appeal, Nigeria on April 27, 2006 and sworn-in on June 8, 2006 and was posted to become the Presiding Justice, Sharia Panel of the Court of Appeal in 2008 and by 2015, he was appointed as Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal and posted to Ekiti Division.
He was appointed member of the Body of Benchers of Nigeria, October, 2015, and became a Life Bencher in 2021.
