One of this country’s most eminent jurists, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, died on January 22, 2018 at the age of 75. He died in a London hospital where he had been undergoing treatment. Musdapher had a long and distinguished career in the law, which culminated as the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 2011-2012.
Born at his hometown Babura in Jigawa State on 15 July 1942, he was educated at the Ahmadu Bello University and the School for Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London. He was called to the Nigerian bar in 1968. He served as Chief Judge of Kano State between 1979 and 1985. Musdapher also served in the Court of Appeal between 1985 and 2003. He was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2003 and was appointed Chief Justice on August 27, 2011 succeeding former CJN Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu. Musdapher was in turn succeeded by Chief Justice Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar in 2012.
Musdapher became Chief Justice at a time when the Judiciary’s reputation was tarnished following the dispute between CJN Katsina-Alu and the then suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami. During his brief tenure as CJN, he worked hard to repair the image of the judiciary and he retired in 2012 on attaining the age of 70.
President Buhari has commiserated with the Kano and Ringim Emirate Councils, professional colleagues, family members and friends of the eminent jurist whose contributions to the structure, letter and spirit of the nation’s constitution and legal practice will always be remembered and greatly appreciated. The President commended the conciliatory leadership roles Musdapher played during his career, including his service as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Kaduna State, Chief Judge of Kano State, and Justice of both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
Justice Musdapher it was who, on assumption of office, raised a 28-member stakeholders committee made up of former CJNs, former Court of Appeal Presidents, retired Supreme Court justices, retired and serving judges of the high court as well as senior members of the bar. It was headed by former CJN Justice Muhammad Lawal Uwais. The committee was to recommend measures to address the quality and timeliness of the trial process, procedural inefficiencies, poor infrastructure as well as poor conditions of service for judicial and non-judicial officers. It was also to suggest ways to tackle the declining intellectual quality of delivered judgments, corruption, as well as the effects of an unrestrained quest for political power which have served to disrupt the efficiency of the judiciary and damaged its perception.
Justice Musdapher, seeking radical surgical judicial reform, also sought constitutional review of all Superior Courts of Record as well as the lower courts including the restructuring and repositioning of the National Judicial Council [NJC], Federal Judicial Service Commission [FJSC] and National Judicial Institute [NJI] for the purpose of judicial reforms and charting a path of renewal so as to restore the integrity and dignity of the Judiciary to its pristine status. The late jurist advocated the creation of an independent body other than NJC for the discipline and removal of judges. He presented to the National Assembly and sought passage of 47 amendments to the law as part of judicial reform.
An advocate for rotational presidency, Justice Musdapher also fought the pervasive corruption and nepotism that have adversely affected the Judiciary and the media, and had stated his aversion to the scourge of terrorism which, according to him, had taken dangerous dimensions.
The deceased left behind a wife and three children among whom are Hadiza Dahiru Mustapha, a magistrate, and Kaloma Mustapha, media aide to Jigawa State Governor Badaru Abubakar. We take solace in the fact that the late Chief Justice Dahiru Musdapher during his lifetime had called on all Nigerian judges to rise above the daunting challenges by restoring hope and confidence in the judicial system. He lived an impactful and exemplary life that is worthy of emulation. May Allah grant him Aljannat firdaus.
