Legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Alfred Bandele Kasunmu, SAN, is dead. TheNigeriaLawyer gathered that Kasunmu “departed peacefully” in the early hours of Sunday, having been widely regarded as the oldest surviving Senior Advocate of Nigeria in active legal practice.

A statement issued by “The Kasunmu Family” announced the death, describing the late jurist as “not only a cherished patriarch of our family but also a distinguished scholar, mentor, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria whose legacy of wisdom, integrity, and service will continue to inspire generations.”

The full statement read: “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 9th August 2026… We take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the countless lives he touched through his dedication to the law, education, and humanity. We kindly ask for your prayers during this period of mourning. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”

The family said funeral arrangements would be announced later, but noted that visitors would not be received today, 9th August 2026. It stated that the family would receive visitors on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th August 2026, between 1pm and 7pm, weekends only. The statement was signed, “The Kasunmu Family.”

Fondly known as “Prof,” Kasunmu was the Founder and Principal Partner of his law firm and one of the foremost senior lawyers in Nigeria, with over 50 years of legal practice. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1964 and, in the same year, joined the Faculty of Law at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) as one of its pioneer law lecturers. In 1971, he joined the University of Lagos as a Senior Lecturer, was later conferred a Professorial Chair in Law, and served as Dean of the Faculty from 1973 to 1975.

In 1975, he was appointed Attorney-General of Lagos State, a position he held for three years. He was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on January 25, 1978.

Kasunmu appeared as lead advocate in a wide range of landmark cases that helped shape Nigeria’s legal landscape, and also served as advocate and arbitrator before domestic and international arbitration panels. He was the arbitrator in the proceedings that produced Nigeria’s leading case law on misconduct of arbitrators, Taylor Woodrow (Nig.) Ltd vs. S.E. GMBH. Till his passing, he continued to give expert opinions on Nigerian law before foreign courts and arbitral panels, and was also a Notary Public of Nigeria.

He held an LL.B and LL.M from University College London and co-authored Nigerian Family Law with Jeswald W. Salacuse, published by Butterworths, London, in 1966. He was a longstanding member of the Nigerian Bar Association.

Reacting to the news, legal scholar and former Law Professor, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, paid tribute on X, describing Kasunmu as “a man of sound judgement, integrity, wisdom; the last of the SANs from the 1970s,” adding: “Now translated into immortality. Thank you for an immense innings.” Odinkalu further noted that with Kasunmu’s passing, the position of senior-most lawyer in the country would now pass to Chief (Mrs) Folake Solanke, SAN.

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