Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Lawal Uwais, has died. He passed away on Friday, June 6, at the age of 88, according to family sources.
Justice Uwais was known for his honesty and strong stand on judicial independence. He served as the Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1995 until his retirement in 2006, becoming one of the country’s most respected legal minds.
Born on June 12, 1936, in Zaria, Kaduna State, Uwais began his legal career in 1963 after being called to the Bar at the Middle Temple in London. He worked as a State Counsel in the Northern Region and later climbed the ranks to become a Justice of the Supreme Court in 1979. He was appointed Chief Justice of Nigeria in 1995.
Even after leaving the bench, Justice Uwais remained active in national affairs. In 2007, he led the Presidential Electoral Reform Committee set up by the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration. The committee’s report, popularly known as the “Uwais Report,” proposed major changes to Nigeria’s electoral system, including the creation of an electoral offences commission and new rules for appointing the head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Maryam Uwais, a lawyer and human rights advocate who served as Special Adviser on Social Investment during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
