FOREMOST LAWYER, PROF. UCHE DIES IN LONDON

A senior lawyer and foremost legal scholar, Professor Uche Uko Uche is dead. He was almost 60 years at the Bar, having been admitted to the English Bar, Gray’s Inn, London in 1963

Uche is touted as perhaps the first Black lecturer at the University of London where he rose to the position of Professor of Law. He was also a visiting lecturer at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).

CITY LAWYER gathered from unimpeachable sources that Uche died in London where he had gone for medical treatment some weeks ago.

Born on November 9, 1934 in Ohafia, Abia State, the senior lawyer had his early education at Aggrey Memorial College, Arochukwu between 1948 and 1952 before gaining admission to Teachers’ Training College, Uyo (1954-1955). He proceeded to the University of Ghana, Accra (1958-1961) and was subsequently admitted to the University of Oxford, England for his Master of Laws and PhD degrees (1962-1965).

He was engaged in private legal practice at Messrs A. K. Uche Chambers, Aba between 1965 and 1966. He returned to England and became a Lecturer in African Law at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London between 1965 and 1976.

A Queen’s Counsel at Messrs Dingle Foot and Desmond Ackner between 1967 and 1972, Uche was appointed Professor of Public Law at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. He became a Consultant at Waruhiu and Waruhiu in Nairobi, Kenya between 1972 and 1977 and established a partnership with Professor Sundstorm in Nordic Law and a Consultancy with Common Market Practice in Brussels, Stockholm and Geneva between 1973 and 1982.

According to BLERF’S Who is Who in Nigeria, Uche has been the Managing Partner of U. U. Uche and Associates, Lagos since 1978 aside from his role as a Senior Legal Consultant for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). He was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Centre for African Family Studies, Nairobi, Kenya and a member of the Board of Directors of Development Law and Policy Programme, Centre for Population and Family Health, Columbia University, New York, USA (1981). Uche was also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of African Continental Bank (ACB), Lagos and a member of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL).

A prolific text writer and former President of Otu Oka Iwu (Law Society), Uche holds the traditional title of Ugwumba of Isiama, Ohafia, Abia State. His publications include Contractual Obligations in Ghana and Nigeria (Cass, 1971); Law and Population Growth in Kenya (1974); Law and Population Change in Africa (East African Literature Bureau, 1976), and Civil Procedure in Anglophone Africa (East African Publishing Bureau, 1976). His hobbies included lawn tennis and golf.

Speaking on his return to Nigeria, Uche told a national daily that “Before I finished my Masters programme and register for my PhD in the University of London. I was appointed a lecturer at the University teaching law at the School of Oriental and African studies which was one of the five colleges of the University of London.

“As a staff, I got seconded to the University of Nairobi, Kenya as Dean of Law originally for two years and after two years they wanted a second helping for four years and four years, they wanted some more helping for six years but I said no that I have to go back to London.

“I went back to London but the pressure to come back to Nigeria was strong because my uncle who was then the first Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos told me he was in bad health and that I should come back to Nigeria. I was visiting professor at the Institute of International Affairs for one year and in 1978 started a law practice.”

Uche got married to Gladys Adaibe Nwuke, a former Director of National Library of Nigeria in 1964. They had two sons and three daughters, including Mrs. Ijeoma Onyeator of CHANNELS Television.

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GUY IKOKWU: 61 YEARS A LAWYER

Prominent senior lawyer and Second Republic politician, Chief Guy Ikechukwu Ikokwu who died last Wednesday was admitted to the Bar 61 years ago. A fiery activist and elder statesman, Chief Ikokwu would be remembered for his fiery interventions on national issues. CITY LAWYER dug into the archives for his profile which is presented below.

Date of Birth: Tuesday (Eke) 28′” September, 1937
State of Origin: Anambra Local Government Area: Idemili South
Village/Town: Oba
Contact Address: ‘Isu Lodge’ Oba Idemili South L.G.A
4, Ezinifitte Close, New Haven Enugu 10 Johnson Street, Surulere, Lagos Contact
Telephone: 234-1-2882099, 234-42-451463

Chief Guy Ikechukwu Ikokwu is top Legal Icon, a grassroot motivator and mobilizer, a decent politician and strong builder of relationships. Guy is known for his organising ability and as a man who is able to hold forces together and cement relationships for greater collective and individual achievement. Guy descended from an ancestry background with gifts to build up community solidarity and progress. His father was a powerful tool of unity and under whose leadership many Igbo people rallied together for unity in Port Harcourt of the Colonial days.

Education
• St Cyprian’s Primary School Port Harcourt 1943 1950
• Baptist High School Port Harcourt 1950 1956
• Norwich Polytechnic London. 1957
• North Western Kentish Town London 1957- 1958
• Holborn College of Law London, 1958 1959
• University College London
• Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, London University 1961 1962
• Concurrently at School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London Qualifications
• LLB (lions) London
• LLM, London
• BL of the Middle Temple London

Membership of Professional Associations
• Member, Nigeria Society of International Law
• Member Nigeria Bar Association – Financial Secretary of the Association 1975 1977

Political Exploits
• Student Activist and Member of Movement for Colonial Freedom under Late Lord Fenner Brookway 1950 1960
• Member and later President in 1960 of Nigeria Union of Great Britain and Ireland. London Branch Life President West African Student’s Union Britain 1961 1963 Member and Officer of Committee for African Associations – a Pan-African Movement for the Liberation of Unity of African Countries 1960 1963 Director of Overseas Press Service (OPS) 1967 1970 as a way to protect his people and project their view points during the gruesome war against them.
• Founding Member and National Legal Adviser of Nigerian People’s Party- NPP and became its Stale Chairman in the old Anambra State 1980-1983
• Member of Steering Committee of All Politicians’ Summit which culminated in the Summit of 1995. He was also a Member of G. 34 Association for the Restoration of Democracy and against self-succession of Sani Abacha in 1998
• He formed with a group of others the People’s National Forum (PNF) which eventually joined other groups to form the big People Democratic Party-(PDP) and subsequently became its Lagos Co-ordinator. Became a member of the Steering Committee of the PDP Anambra State in 1998 and in 1999. he became once again, the State Chairman of the Party .
• A Peace-loving gentleman who will stop at nothing to achieve that, he was the founding member of the Committee for the Unity and Understanding (CUU). This was to build a bridge across the Niger and Benue Rivers for better (1986-1999)
• Member of OHANA EZE NDI-IGBO – a socio-cultural association of Ndi Igbo for awareness and unity and advancement.
• A founding member of IZUNWANNE FOUNDATIONS – the Cultural Association to foster a better Nigeria Polity 1990 1999.
• At various times, he had been a founding member of Southern Leaders Forum for harmonization of issues of concern in Nigeria Polity and Promotion of Democracy and True Federalism and NADECO 1995.

Business Links
• A member, Board of Directors Aba Textile Mills Plc, 1976 and 2000
• Chairman of Governing Council of Federal College of Education, Obudu, Cross River Stale Nigeria

He is honoured with the title OMENIFE. This great and clean politician is married with four children.

SOURCE: Blerf’s Who is Who in Nigeria https://blerf.org/index.php/biography/ikokwu-guy-ikechukwu/ 

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‘MY FATHER LIVED A FULFILLED LIFE,’ SAYS UBANI

Former Nigerian Bar Association 1st Vice President and Chairman of NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law, (NBA-SPIDEL), Dr. Monday Ubani has said that his deceased father “lived a fulfilled life.”

In a statement made available to CITY LAWYER, the fiery human rights activist said that his father died last Monday, adding that “he will be greatly missed by relations, friends, neighbours, grand-children and his entire community.”

Pa Ubani Egbedubi Nwokocha, popularly known as “Egoro” among peers and friends, died on January 3, 2022 in Lagos. He was aged 101 years.

Confirming the passing of his father, Dr. Ubani, who is also his only son, said that his remains had been taken to Abia, his home state.

Burial arrangements will be announced later by the family.

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ABUJA BASED SENIOR ADVOCATE DIES

An Abuja based senior lawyer, Mr. Johnnie Egwuonwu SAN is dead. Announcing his passing, factional Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja Branch, Mr. Ikemefuna Onyeka said: “NBA Abuja Branch regrets to announce the demise of her esteemed member J. N. Egwuonwu, SAN who passed on Friday 16th July, 2021 after a brief illness.

“It is our prayer that God will grant him eternal rest; give his immediate family, associates and NBA in general the fortitude to bear this great loss.

“Burial arrangement will be communicated to us as soon as the family announces.”

Among the early mourners were leading arbitrator and Bar Leader, Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama SAN who wrote on a social media platform saying: “What a sad piece of news. What a sad day. The learned silk has gone back home. Johnny Egwuonwu SAN worked with us as our Head of Chambers and took silk afterwards. He was a complete gentleman and Bar Leader per excellence. We shall sorely miss him. May his gentle soul rest in the bosom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ until we meet at His feet to part no more. Amen.”

In a terse post on a WhatsApp forum monitored by CITY LAWYER, Mr. Kunle Ogunba SAN wrote: “May his beautiful soul rest in Perfect Peace, AMEN!”

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USORO, EX NBA PRESIDENT, LOSES MOTHER-IN-LAW

Former Nigerian Bar Association President, Mr. Paul Usoro SAN has lost his mother-in-law, Mrs. Grace Ekong. The deceased was aged 91 years. 

Mrs. Ekong reportedly died on Thursday, February 18, 2021 at Ibom Specialist Hospital, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

She is survived by the former pioneer Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Usoro’s wife, Mrs. Mfon Ekong Usoro among others.

Mrs. Usoro, a prominent Bar Leader, is the Managing Partner of Paul Usoro & Co. She has served on a number of presidential and ministerial committees and was chairperson of the ministerial sub-committee of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) regional Maritime development bank in 2009.

She is the recipient of several national and international honours and was conferred with the Officier de L’Ord de Mono, a national honour of the Republic of Togo in 2002.

She holds a BSc in Sociology from the University of Calabar, an LLB from the University of Buckingham, B.L from the Nigerian Law School and an LL.M from University College London.

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‘REUBEN JAMES WAS A DOGGED FIGHTER,’ SAYS OBI OKAFOR

Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidential candidate, Chief Arthur Obi Okafor SAN has described erstwhile NBA Third Vice President, Late Reuben James as “a dogged fighter for the downtrodden.” Continue Reading