A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, has said the death of Justice Lawal Uwais at 89 came as a shock to him and the entire nation.

Speaking during an interview, Mr Ozekhome described the late Uwais as a towering figure in Nigeria’s legal and constitutional landscape.

He said, “One cannot say he died too young — he surpassed the average Nigerian male lifespan of 61.2 years.’’ 

Mr Uwais joined the Supreme Court with striking energy at age 43, Mr Ozekhome noted, and served as Chief Justice for 11 years.

He stated, “He left visible, enduring legacies. His tenure on the bench was marked by discipline, integrity, and deep legal scholarship.’’ 

He further praised the late Uwais’s leadership of the Supreme Court, noting that it was a period when judicial decisions were consistent and reliable.

 Beyond the courtroom, the late Uwais chaired the influential Presidential Committee on Electoral Reforms under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

 “The committee made ground-breaking recommendations. Nigeria might have avoided today’s electoral crises had they been implemented,” Mr Ozekhome said.

 The late Uwais also led the Body of Benchers and served in international legal bodies, further cementing his national and global stature.

 His passing on Eid Kabir day, Mr Ozekhome said, “is a sign that he was ready to meet his creator. May Allah grant him Aljanah Firdausi.”

 The late Justice Uwais served as Nigeria’s Chief Justice from 1995 to 2006, and was born in Zaria, Kaduna State, in 1936.

 His career was defined by bold judicial reforms and an unwavering defence of judicial independence, leaving a mark on Nigerian legal history.

(NAN)