Abdul Ganiyu Agbaje

Abdul Ganiyu Agbaje (born 23 November 1925) is a Nigerian retired judge who served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Early life and family

Agbaje was born on 23 November 1925 in Ibadan, to the family of Salami Agbaje, a wealthy merchant. He was born into a polygynous family; his mother Lamulati Faderera was the fourth wife of Salami Agbaje.

Several of his brothers achieved prominence in Nigeria. Saka Agbaje was a UK-trained physician, the first western-trained doctor from Ibadan, who established Alafia Hospital in Ibadan. Another brother, Mojeed Agbaje, was a political associate of Adegoke Adelabu and a legal partner to Abdul Ganiyu Agbaje.

Education

Agbaje was briefly educated at Ibadan Grammar School before transferring to Igbobi College for his secondary education. He subsequently travelled abroad for further studies, earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Industrial Economics and Business Studies in 1949 and a degree in law in 1951.

Legal career

On returning to Nigeria, Agbaje entered into a law partnership with his brother Mojeed Agbaje, and represented members of the Ibadan branch of the NCNC in many court cases. He served as a lawyer and senior partner in the law firm of Agbaje and Agbaje from 1952 to 1959.

In 1969, he was appointed a Judge of the High Court of the Western State of Nigeria. He subsequently served as a Justice of the Federal Court of Appeal for ten years from 1977 to 1987, before being elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, where he served until his retirement in 1990.