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We Shall Not Forget Yunus Ustaz Usman,SAN
By Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq
It was only eleven days into the year 2024 when seven senior advocates sued the National Judicial Council, Kogi State Judicial Service Commission, Governor of Kogi State and the Attorney General of the state.
The Suit, FHC/Abj/CS/05/2024, sought a declaration that the choice of Mrs. Amina Bello, the then Governor’s wife, was not based on merit but political and ethnic influence. It therefore sought a mandatory order restraining the appointment of new judicial officers until there was compliance with the laws that mandated merit, competence, sound knowledge of the Law, fairness and equity.
The crusade was led by Yunus Ustaz Usman,
who was called to the Nigerian Bar on 30 July, 1983- a legal career that would see him rise to the pinnacle as Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the fifth person in Northern Nigeria to attain the rank.
Mr. Usman led six other learned silks including Messrs Jibrin Okutepa, Patrick Okolo, Abdullahi Haruna, Reuben Atabo, Shuaibu Aruma and Johnson Usman. It was a departure from commentaries and cries for transparency in the process of appointment of Judges in Nigeria as the top brass lawyers moved talk to walk by inviting the Court to define who to wall in and wall out of the hallowed height of presiding and deciding the affairs and fate of men.
My earliest close interaction with Yunus Ustaz Usman SAN was when Olumuyiwa O. Olowokure Esq, former chairman of the Kaduna Bar, requested that I serve in a Law week committee he was presiding over. O.O. was not the kind of person you turned down. He and the erstwhile Director of Public Prosecutions, Gamaliel Byang Kore Esq, were my first guests on my law radio show and had both graciously accepted to serve on the Medico-Legal Board at House of Justice. Sadly, they both passed away few years apart.
Usman, SAN went over and beyond our committee’s request and solely sponsored the visit to the orphanage and attended the event in person after Jumat prayers. Holding one of the babies, he encouraged the forlorn orphans to keep faith and offered to be their earthly father reminding them that their future was secured as God was already their heavenly father. You know, it is one thing to give gifts but to offer one’s self to bear the weight of strangers, is a higher form of humanity.
Usman SAN, lived in that higher realm with his reputable philanthropy of providing scholarship to indigent students, feeding the hungry, donating to causes and often being a top contributor in cash and knowledge to the Nigerian Bar particularly the Kaduna Branch where he was the Leader.
Speaking of leadership, he moved it from adjective to verb. It was the point of my more personal connect with him:
Sometime in 2018, Professor Ernest Ojukwu, SAN joined the race to lead Africa’s biggest legal bar. It coincided with a time when Nigerians who voted President Muhammadu Buhari had resigned from the initial messianic esteem they held him to. There was hence the need to mitigate the leadership deficit by having a Nigerian Bar that would not only be alive to its core mandate of promoting the rule of law but could save whatever was left of Nigeria’s free fall.
Of the three candidates: Professor Ernest Maduabuchi Ojukwu SAN, Arthur Obi Okafor SAN and Paul Usoro SAN, my choice was the silked professor. He was not only the Deputy Director General of Agbani campus of the Nigerian Law School where he had taught me, but his record with clinical legal education, drive for innovation, aversion for convention and commitment to judicial reforms had sufficiently won me over.
Prof. Ojukwu was also Mr. Usman’s choice but a bloc of the leadership rooted for a different candidate. Although he was the leader of the Kaduna Bar, he was never one to browbeat or overawe lawyers into a decision. He understood agency and respected it.
Usman led Ojukwu’s campaign along with other senior lawyers in Kaduna state like Oladipo Tolani, SAN, Femi Morohundiya (now deceased) and Mark Jacob Nzamah Esq, a former Attorney General of the state. He didn’t stop there; he directed the use of my House of Justice office as the state campaign office and situation room, attended meetings and funded the activities of our candidate’s campaigns – a testament to his humility, ability to be his own man and to disagree without being disagreeable.
During the reign of Nasir Elrufai as ‘Emperor of Kaduna state’, I was perpetually in a legal odyssey advocating and litigating against the myriad abuse of power and violations of rights by the Governor. Usman SAN would often encourage me to keep the fight on with sustained courage and hope. As further support, he went on to submit my curriculum vitae to the Independent National Electoral Commission so I could be included in their legal team and although I was not retained, the magnanimity of this amiable leader tugged at my heartstrings.
Of the kindness I received from him, perhaps none would endure as the gift of his daughter, my gorgeous friend, Nana, whose heart is as generous and kind like her father’s. I hope that along with her big brother, Abdulmutallab and her sister Sadiya all of whom are lawyers, they are able to carry forward the justice ideals their father stood for.
Yunus Ustaz Usman SAN died on 11 September, 2024 – 9 months after the date they filed the case against the politicization of not only his home state’s judiciary but Nigeria’s as a whole. For those who knew him, judicial integrity was often his recurring subject of discourse. He understood that true freedom requires the rule of law and a judicial system in which the rights of some are not secured by the denial of rights to others. In his honour, the Nigerian Bench and Bar must recommit to ensuring justice satisfies the appearance of justice and judicial integrity becomes a state interest of the highest order.
Thank you Yunus Ustaz Usman, SAN for your time, service and leadership. Although the earth is poorer with your passing, history’s vault is richer with your legacy and we shall not forget you.
_*Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq is the Principal Partner MIVE LEGALS and the C.E.O. of House of Justice. She may be reached at gloriaballason@houseofjusticeng.com*_
The National Youth Vanguard of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected allegations made by Honourable Aminu Sani Jaji, who accused the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Muhammed Matawalle, of orchestrating claims of anti-party activities against him.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr Adeniyi Wale, described Jaji’s accusations as “baseless” and an attempt to distract from his own political manoeuvres.
“Jaji has long positioned himself as a loyal APC member and a unifying force within the party, but his actions suggest otherwise. His political moves appear more self-serving than focused on party unity,” Wale said.
The APC Vanguard emphasised that Nigerians deserve transparent and accountable leaders rather than those who, it said, manipulate public trust for personal gain. The group also questioned Jaji’s credibility, citing what it described as a pattern of inconsistency in his political engagements.
“The remarks made by Jaji not only lack substantiation but also raise concerns about his reliability and judgment,” the statement read. “Leadership is not merely about holding a position of power; it is about demonstrating qualities that inspire trust and confidence among the people.”
The group commended Minister Matawalle for his efforts in strengthening national security and promoting peace. It said his leadership had contributed significantly to fostering unity and improving community relations across the country.
“Minister Matawalle exemplifies the qualities of effective leadership. Under his stewardship, significant progress has been made in enhancing national security and community relations,” the statement said.
The APC Vanguard further criticised Jaji’s leadership approach, accusing him of lacking the foresight and responsibility required for credible governance.
“This pattern of inconsistency not only weakens the integrity of his decisions but also erodes the confidence of party members and stakeholders who seek dependable representation,” Wale added.
The group reaffirmed its support for Matawalle and urged APC members to remain focused on unity and national progress while rejecting divisive rhetoric that could undermine the party’s strength.
News
Two brothers Launch Sardaunan Ikulu Fans Foundation, Sponsor WAEC Registration For 50 vulnerable Students
By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
In a significant effort to promote education, two brothers have launched the Sardaunan Ikulu Fans Foundation, sponsoring the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) registration for 50 vulnerable students in Kamaru Ikulu Ward, Zango-Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Speaking at the launch on Tuesday, Yusuf Ismail Ashafa, popularly known as Sardaunan Ikulu, urged the beneficiaries to remain dedicated to their studies and strive for academic excellence. He assured them that the foundation would continue to support outstanding students by facilitating their admission into higher institutions.
Ashafa also called on parents to play an active role in motivating their children to focus on education, emphasizing that their success would contribute to a brighter future for the community.
Meanwhile, Ashafa, who played a crucial role in the emergence of Engr. Bege Gaiya Joseph as the Executive Chairman of Zango-Kataf Local Government Area, expressed deep appreciation for Joseph and his brother, Reuben Richman Bissla, for sponsoring the students’ WAEC registration in his honor.
He pledged to build on these efforts, ensuring continued support for students’ education as a means of fostering societal development.
In his remarks, the co-sponsor, Engr. Joseph Bege Gaiya, popularly known as Lordbeckson, disclosed that the initiative was aimed at improving the education of the most vulnerable students for the betterment of society.
“I am one of the beneficiaries of the goodwill of Sardaunan Ikulu. If he had wanted to become the Council Chairman, he would have been, but he decided to push me forward, and today I am the Council Chairman through his mentorship,” he stated.
He urged the beneficiaries to consider themselves fortunate and to take full advantage of the opportunity by studying hard to achieve excellent results.
“With the establishment of the Federal University of Applied Sciences in Kachia, we must ensure that our students pursue science courses. We cannot afford to have a Federal University in our region and yet have our children unable to gain admission to study science-related fields,” he added.
The initiative has been widely commended as a timely intervention, helping underprivileged students overcome financial barriers to education.
Amid the recall process initiated against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Arewa Youths Progressives Assembly has told both the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the police that Nigerians are keenly watching their actions.
This came amid viral video of some politicians in the Kogi State mass-signing signatures purported to be that of the Senator’s constituents.
It was gathered that the Senator has already petitioned the police over the development.
However, addressing journalists on Tuesday, the National President of Arewa Youths Progressives Assembly, Shuaibu Usman, accused the INEC of always compromising the electoral process in Kogi State.
Usman, who recalled how results of the last governorship election in the state emerged even before the exercise commenced, urged the commission to redeem itself.
He said, “Kogi parades as a worst example when it comes to INEC conduct of election in Nigeria. We have not forgotten how many credible organisations, including Yiaga Africa, raised the alarm of the electoral heist that went on during the last guber election in that state.
“So, INEC has been notorious for providing a thriving ground for politicians in Kogi State to mess up the country’s electoral system.
“The same people are at it again, this time hiding under the guise of a recall process against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. With their Kogi magic, they quickly manufactured over 250,000 signatures, whereas the entire voters during the main election stood at 120,000.
“One need not be a suitsayer to know that these are the same elements who are known to be chronic election riggers, with INEC as their enablers.
“However, we must caution the INEC that this should not be business as usual; this is beyond Kogi State, so Nigerians are watching.
“We were taken aback when the INEC after announcing that the petition did not meet its requirements, returned a day after to tell Nigerians that the same petitioners have met the requirements- what a quick fix!
“The INEC must not kowtow to the whims and caprices of desperate political elements in Kogi State, as this will be resisted by Nigerians.”
Similarly, the apex Igbo group also urged the police to ensure that all those in forging the signatures of Senator Natasha’s constituents were brought to book.
According to the group, the viral videos showed known faces in Kogi State, wondering why the police were yet to effect any arrest.
“By now, we had expected that some of the perpetrators should be cooling their heels in custody or having their days in court, but it is yet to happen.
“There should be no room for compromise, the culprits, no matter how highly placed, should be identified, arrested and prosecuted.
“We urge that the police should engage forensic experts to analyze those signatures before the INEC takes any further step in the said petition,” Usman further stated.