Funlola Dolapo AKINSANYA,

High Court of Lagos State on October 31, 1989. As a judge, the late Justice Akinsanya was fearless, amiable, and very decent. She will be remembered for her role in stabilizing the Nigerian nation in the heady days of the Military when Military President, Gen Ibrahim Babangida annulled the June 12, 1993 elections believed to have been won by the late business mogul, MKO Abiola. Gen Babangida hurriedly left government on August 26, 1993 and handed over to an Interim National Government headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan, a former Managing Director of UAC Plc. Chief Abiola challenged the hand over and the case came before Justice Dolapo Akinsanya. In her judgment on November 10, 1993, she said: “President Babangida has no legitimate power to sign a decree after August 26, 1993, after his exit, so the decree is void and of no effect,”. With the judgment, the legality of the ING was determined. The late Gen Sanni Abacha took over government through a coup some months later. Justice Akinsanya retired from the Lagos Judiciary on February 21, 2006. The then governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu described retiring Justice Dolapo Akinsanya as “one of the heroines of the present democracy in Nigeria for the courageous judgement she delivered against the legality of the Interim National Government in November 1993”.