Alex Enumah
By The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad yesterday led legal luminaries in the country to shower encomium on a late Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Sylvester Onu, who passed away on November 20, 2020, at 82 years.
Speaking at a valedictory court session held in honour of the late Justice in Abuja, the CJN said Onu’s judgments were “firmly rooted in law and wisdom permeating even the most delicate hearts like a soothing balm, to the extent that even the guilty begins to pour out his heart in penitence.”
Others who spoke at the occasion included the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN); representative of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BoSAN), Dr Samson Ameh (SAN); National President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olumide Apata, among others.
Justice Muhammad, however, noted that the occasion once again brings to mind one thing: “That is the certainty of death after life.”
He described Justice Onu as “a very unique and nationalistic Nigerian with a radical posture of justice and rule of law.”
The CJN said even though Justice Onu “looked simple and unassuming, he was very strict and consciously principled in disposition.”
Also speaking, the AGF commended late Onu for making an impressive mark on the country’s judiciary.
In his speech delivered on his behalf by the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata (SAN), the AGF said: “His Lordship can at best be ascribed as a distinguished fellow whose mark of excellence was remarkable.”
Similarly, the President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, described late Justice Onu as a selfless judge who lived strictly in accordance with his oaths of office and allegiance.
Akpata noted that the late Justice’s sense of justice was depicted in his judgement of December 13, 2002, were he invoked the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in SC 137, 2001; SC 189, 2001; SC 253, 2001; SC 277, 2001; SC 296, 2001, between the Attorney General of Ogun, Lagos, Oyo , Ondo and Osun States and Attorney General of the Federation.
The late Justice Onu was called to the Nigerian Bar on October 15, 1965. He served as associate Magistrate and Magistrate from 1965 to 1968 in Kaduna.
He became the acting Chief Magistrate and Chief Magistrate respectively from 1968 to 1971 when he was appointed acting Chief Registrar.
Onu was the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in 1973, but fortune smiled on him shortly afterwards when he was appointed High Court Judge in Benue State on July 14, 1976.
He was elevated to the Court of Appeal on January 14, 1984, and appointed Justice of the Supreme Court on March 5, 1993.
