Nigerians of different classes and backgrounds have risen together in paying tributes to the foremost constitutional lawyer and pioneer Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, Professor Ben Nwabueze, who died on Sunday
By Emeka Alex Duru
Nigerians of different classes and backgrounds have risen together in paying tributes to the foremost constitutional lawyer and pioneer Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, Professor Ben Nwabueze, who died yesterday, Sunday.
A statement by his family announcing Nwabueze’s death, stressed that he lived an exemplary life of consequence. It read; “with great sadness, we announce the passing on of our patriarch, Professor B.O. Nwabueze SAN, NNOM, CON, pioneer Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Oduah Afo-na-Isagba of Atani, Anambra State, on Sunday October 29, 2023. He lived an exemplary life of consequence. Burial arrangements will be announced in due course”. The release was signed by Eni Nwabueze, for the Family
The Vice-President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, who also confirmed the news of his death, said the deceased would be missed for his “selfless service and dedication” to the progress of Nigeria.
Okeke-Ogene said, “It is a great loss both to Nigeria and the Igbo nation. He was a very decent constitutional lawyer and minister par excellence. He was known for being vocal and ensuring an anti-corrupt system.
“Indeed, the evolution of the entire legal system in Nigeria would not be complete without mentioning his invaluable contributions.”
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Toeing similar line, an intellectual think tank, the Credibility Group, lamented the exit of the legal luminary but took consolation that his memory will last forever.
The group which made the remark in a release by its President, Goddy Uwazuruike, described Nwabueze as a great man by all ramifications. It stated; “it is with sadness that Credibility Group has learnt of the death of the great man, Prof Ben Nwabueze SAN. Yes, a great man by all ramifications! He was called the Oracle of Law by the great Rotimi Williams SAN of immortal memory.
“Prof Ben Nwabueze was a consummate law, a professor of law who insisted on doing a written examination for his LLD, a mentor of many, the first academic to be conferred with the Prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a Secretary General of Ohanaeze, a Minister (Secretary) of Education in Nigeria, a professor of law in a good number of countries”.
Nwabueze, a teacher and eminent scholar recorded huge exploits in law, his area of specialization and other fields of endeavour.
For many decades, Professor Nwabueze taught law at University of Nigeria Nsukka, producing a generation of lawyers who now occupy important positions in various sectors of the society. He was equally a committed scholar, who invested enormous time in research and writing. Some of his books are companions of law students throughout Nigeria and the Commonwealth. Though not given to flaunting his achievements, Professor Nwabueze’s intellectual and academic brilliance have been widely acknowledged.
He was also a man of courage who would not be overwhelmed by the crowd, even when standing alone. At a time when many Nigerians spoke tongue-in-cheek, Nwabueze took a firm position that the Supreme Court judgement on the 2019 presidential election petition, a farce. Atiku Abubakar, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had then challenged the declaration of the then President Muhammadu Buhari, as the winner of the election. Nwabueze was one of the lawyers in Atiku’s team.
At home and abroad, he is celebrated as a scholar of repute. Nwabueze wrote over 34 books, among which were; Save Our Constitutional Democracy from Emasculation; The presidential Constitution of Nigeria; Constitutional democracy in Africa; A constitutional history of Nigeria; Federalism in Nigeria Under the Presidential Constitution
He made history as the first Nigerian professor to be appointed a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He is equally a recipient of the prestigious Nigeria National Merit Award (NNMA). His profile as an accomplished scholar gave the UNN Law Faculty the prestige which it has retained. Ben Nwabueze’s towering profile is not limited to the world of academia. He was a popular voice at major public lectures.
Nwabueze: Life and time
In an interview with TheNiche in 2017, Nwabueze told our reporters that he was born in 1931.His academic pursuit started at the CMS Central School Atani, from 1938 – 1945; C.M.S Central School, Onitsha (formerly, African College), 1947 – 1950.
He later went to London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, 1956 – 1961 and School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 1961 – 1962. From 1962–1965, he was Senior Lecturer at Holborn College of Law, London, and Senior Lecturer, University of Nigeria Nsukka, between 1967 – 1970. In 1971, he was Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Zambia and Director, Law practice Institute, Zambia, 1973 – 1975
Prof. Nwabueze earned his Doctor of Laws (LL.D) at the University of London in 1978, based on his three outstanding books–Constitutionalism, Presidentialism, and Judicialism.
He was the first academic lawyer to be made a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1978 strictly on the basis of his published works.
He was a member of the Senate of the Universities of Lagos, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Haile Selassie in Ethiopia, Lesotho, Botswana and Swaziland between 1971 – 1978.
He was appointed the University Assessor for Academic Appointments, Universities of Ghana, Lagos, Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), and Jos between 1978 – 1979.
Apart from authoring over 34 books, Nwabueze equally wrote over 200 articles in academic journals and delivered more than 100 keynotes at local and international conferences.
He was appointed to Professorial Chairs in the following Universities; Zambia, 1970 – 75; Ahmadu Bello university, Zaria, 1974; University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1975 – 76; Anambra State University of Technology; Nnamdi Azikiwe university, Awka 1989 – 1983 (visiting)
Prof. Ben Nwabueze was also a strong advocate for the Igbo cause. He, alongside other prominent Igbo sons like Akanu Ibiam, M.I. Okpara, K.O. Mbadiwe, Chief Ugochukwu, P.N. Okigbo and Udoji, co-founded Ohaneze Ndigbo in 1976, where he was the pioneer secretary-general, between 1978 and 2004, in which capacity he transformed the body into a formidable, highly regarded Pan Igbo pressure group.
He is a recipient of several chieftaincy titles, and the Nigerian Order of Merit.
