The Nigerian legal community was thrown into mourning on Sunday following the death of renowned legal scholar, advocate, and former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, Professor Alfred Bandele Kasunmu, SAN, who passed away peacefully in the early hours of Sunday, August 9, 2026. He was 92.
​Regarded as one of Nigeria’s most distinguished legal minds and the oldest surviving Senior Advocate of Nigeria in active legal practice, Prof. Kasunmu was widely celebrated for his towering contributions to legal education, jurisprudence, and public service.
​In a statement issued on Sunday morning on behalf of The Kasunmu Family, the family formally confirmed the passing of the legal titan while expressing gratitude to God for a life of profound impact and service.
​”With gratitude to God for a life well spent, we announce the passing of our beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Professor Alfred Bandele Kasunmu, SAN, who departed peacefully in the early hours of Sunday, August 9, 2026,” the family statement read.
​Addressing well-wishers and members of the public, the family requested privacy on Sunday, noting that condolence visits will officially commence later in the week at the family residence.
​Tributes have poured in across the legal and academic sectors celebrating Prof. Kasunmu’s legacy as a scholar, teacher, and public servant.
​In an official statement, Olumide Ajomale, Global President of the Baptist Academy Old Students Association (BAOSA), paid tribute to the late Senior Advocate, describing him as a distinguished alumnus of the Class of 1953 and a cherished trustee.
​”Prof. Kasunmu was a distinguished lawyer, scholar, mentor, and trustee who made significant contributions to law, education, and national development. He was an embodiment of the values of integrity, discipline, and service,” Ajomale noted, recalling that BAOSA had honored Kasunmu with the Order of Excellence Award at the association’s 170th Founders Day celebration.
​Prof. Kasunmu’s legal career spanned over six decades, during which he left an indelible mark on Nigerian jurisprudence: Serving as a professor of law, he taught and mentored generations of Nigerian legal practitioners, judges, and scholars.
He served as the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State between 1975 and 1977. As the Founding Partner of Professor A.B. Kasunmu’s Chambers LP (located at Murtala Mohammed Way, Lagos), he maintained an active advocacy role and was elevated to the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
