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Professor Alfred Bandele Kasunmu, SAN, was a Nigerian lawyer, legal scholar, university professor, public servant and advocate whose career helped shape the development of modern Nigerian law. Born in Lagos in 1934, he moved through three important dimensions of the legal profession: academia, public service and private practice. He served as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, became one of Nigeria’s early Senior Advocates, and influenced generations of lawyers through teaching, scholarship and mentorship. Kasunmu died on August 9, 2026, at the age of 92, leaving behind a career that spanned more than six decades.
Early Life and Family Background
Alfred Bandele Kasunmu was born on May 23, 1934, in Lagos. Although born in Lagos, his parents were from Ilesa, in present-day Osun State, connecting his upbringing to both the growing colonial-era metropolis and his family’s Yoruba roots. His early education took place in Lagos, where he attended Elizabeth Fowler Memorial School and Reagan Memorial Baptist School before proceeding to Baptist Academy.
His time at Baptist Academy became an important part of his personal and professional identity. He belonged to the school’s Class of 1953 and later maintained a strong relationship with its alumni community. Decades after leaving the school, he served as a trustee of the Baptist Academy Old Students Association and was recognised for embodying values associated with the institution, particularly integrity, discipline and service.
Education and Formative Years
Kasunmu pursued his legal education in Britain at University College London, where he obtained Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws degrees. His studies gave him a strong foundation in legal scholarship at a time when Nigeria’s own legal and educational institutions were undergoing major development. He was also associated with the School of Oriental and African Studies in London according to biographical records.
He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1964. That same year marked the beginning of an academic career that would become one of the defining features of his professional life.
Academic Career
Kasunmu joined the Faculty of Law at the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, in 1964 as one of its pioneer lecturers. His appointment came during an important period in Nigerian higher education, when newly developing universities were establishing faculties designed to train professionals for an independent nation.
He moved to the University of Lagos in 1971 as a senior lecturer and later became Professor of Law. From 1973 to 1975, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Law. His academic work was not limited to classroom teaching. He contributed to legal literature and helped develop generations of Nigerian lawyers at a time when the country’s legal system was increasingly being shaped by local scholarship and institutions.
Attorney-General of Lagos State
In 1975, Kasunmu moved from university administration into public service when he became Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State. He held the position for three years, during a period of significant political and institutional change in Nigeria.
His appointment reflected the breadth of his legal experience. He was not simply an academic who entered government, but a lawyer whose understanding of legal theory, professional practice and public administration had developed together. His time in government became an important stage in a career that connected legal scholarship with the administration of justice.
Legal Practice and Scholarship
After leaving public office, Kasunmu returned to private legal practice in 1978 and founded Professor A.B. Kasunmu Chambers. He continued to build a reputation as a formidable courtroom advocate while remaining active in legal scholarship. His practice included litigation, arbitration and representation of Nigerian and international clients.
Kasunmu was appointed Senior Advocate of Nigeria on January 25, 1978, placing him among the early members of Nigeria’s Inner Bar. He was also a Notary Public of Nigeria and participated in domestic and international arbitration. His professional work extended beyond conventional courtroom advocacy, including expert opinions on Nigerian law for proceedings outside the country.
His scholarship was equally significant. In 1966, he co-authored Nigerian Family Law with Jeswald W. Salacuse. The book was published by Butterworths and became part of the early body of specialised literature examining Nigerian family law.
He also edited The Supreme Court of Nigeria, 1956–1970, while publishing numerous articles on different areas of law. His writing reflected an important transition in Nigeria’s legal development: the movement from reliance on inherited legal traditions toward a stronger body of Nigerian legal scholarship.
Major Achievements and Contributions
Kasunmu’s greatest achievement was the breadth of his contribution to Nigerian law. He combined legal teaching, scholarship, courtroom advocacy and public administration in a single career.
His role as a pioneer lecturer helped establish legal education at the University of Ife. His later leadership at the University of Lagos placed him at the centre of legal education in one of Nigeria’s most important universities. His appointment as Lagos Attorney-General demonstrated the confidence placed in his expertise by the state’s government.
His advocacy also extended into arbitration. Among the matters associated with his arbitral work was the proceeding that contributed to Nigerian case law concerning misconduct by arbitrators in Taylor Woodrow (Nig.) Ltd v. S.E. GMBH.
Historical Context
Kasunmu’s career developed during one of the most transformative periods in Nigerian history. He entered the legal profession as Nigeria approached and passed through independence, while universities, courts and professional institutions were increasingly being staffed and shaped by Nigerians.
His movement from university teaching to government and then private practice reflected the changing needs of the country. Nigeria required lawyers who could teach emerging generations, interpret a developing legal system, serve public institutions and represent clients in increasingly complex disputes.
Kasunmu’s career therefore represents more than individual professional success. It illustrates the emergence of a Nigerian legal profession capable of producing its own scholars, advocates, public officials and institutional leaders.
Personal Life and Family
Kasunmu was married and was remembered in later life as a family man. He was survived by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His family described him as a patriarch whose life combined professional achievement with dedication to family, education and service.
His influence also extended through personal mentorship. Former students and younger lawyers frequently recalled his ability to explain difficult legal principles clearly and his willingness to guide people entering the profession.
Later Years and Death
Kasunmu remained connected to the legal profession long after his formal public appointments had ended. He continued to practise, advise, write and mentor, becoming one of the most senior figures in the Nigerian Bar.
He died peacefully in the early hours of August 9, 2026, aged 92. Public announcements did not identify a specific cause of death. At the time of his death, he was widely regarded as the oldest surviving Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a distinction he had held for years.
Legacy and Historical Significance
Alfred Kasunmu’s legacy rests on the unusual range of his contribution. He was simultaneously a scholar, teacher, advocate, public official and mentor, allowing him to influence Nigerian law from several directions.
His contribution to legal education was particularly important because he worked during the formative years of Nigeria’s university law faculties. His scholarship helped expand Nigerian legal literature, while his courtroom practice demonstrated how legal theory could operate in complex professional settings.
His public service as Lagos Attorney-General added another dimension to his legacy. He occupied the position during an era when Nigeria’s institutions were evolving rapidly, and his career demonstrated how legal expertise could contribute to public administration.
Perhaps his most enduring influence came through people. Former students, colleagues and younger practitioners repeatedly remembered his intellectual discipline, courtroom skill, humility and willingness to mentor. The Nigerian Bar Association described his career as one that traversed academia, legal practice, public service and mentorship.
His death in 2026 therefore marked the passing of more than a distinguished individual. It represented the end of an era associated with some of the formative figures of Nigeria’s modern legal profession. Kasunmu’s books, professional work, students, colleagues and institutions continue to provide evidence of a life devoted to the development of Nigerian law.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Alfred Kasunmu?
Alfred Bandele Kasunmu was a Nigerian lawyer, professor of law, legal scholar, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State.
When was Alfred Kasunmu born?
He was born on May 23, 1934, in Lagos, Nigeria.
Where was Alfred Kasunmu educated?
He attended schools in Lagos before studying law at University College London, where he obtained Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws degrees.
What was Alfred Kasunmu famous for?
He was known for his contributions to Nigerian legal education, scholarship, courtroom advocacy, public service and mentorship.
When did Alfred Kasunmu become Attorney-General of Lagos State?
He became Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State in 1975 and served for three years.
When did Alfred Kasunmu become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria?
He was appointed Senior Advocate of Nigeria on January 25, 1978.
What book did Alfred Kasunmu co-author?
He co-authored Nigerian Family Law with Jeswald W. Salacuse in 1966.
When did Alfred Kasunmu die?
Professor Alfred Bandele Kasunmu died on August 9, 2026, at the age of 92.
Conclusion
Alfred Bandele Kasunmu was one of the important figures in the development of Nigeria’s modern legal profession. His work as a university teacher, professor, Attorney-General, advocate, scholar and mentor connected several generations of Nigerian legal development. His lasting significance lies not only in the offices he occupied, but in the institutions he helped strengthen, the legal literature he contributed to and the lawyers he influenced. His life remains a significant part of the history of Nigerian law and legal education.