Justice Bage: From courtroom to Lafia palace

From the courtroom of the highest judicial system, Justice Dauda Bage retreats to the palace of his forebears.

A Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Dauda Sidi Bage retired into the palace when he was appointed as the 17th Emir of Lafia Emirate in Nasarawa State.

The selection process was announced by Haruna Osegba, who is the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs after the council meeting with Governor Tanko Al Makura on March 26. The former Emir, Isa Mustapha Agwai I died on January 10.

According to the commissioner, the voting among the five king makers saw Justice Bage, who is from the Dalla Dunama Ruling House with four votes, while the son of the late Emir, Musa Isa Mustapha Agwai, who is from the Ari Dunama Ruling House, got only one vote.

Justice Bage will not be the first monarch to be selected from the bench of the nation’s judiciary. Several persons occupying the throne have come from the bench as accomplished and erudite jurists.

This is because their skill and knowledge of weaving through the intricate tapestry of communal disputes have been honed in the third arm of government. The mediation, conciliation, arbitration, adjudication in disputes are gathered from the years of training and hands-on experience which are daily presented before the judges.

And so Justice Bage is assuming his new office with the complement of 27 years on the bench and record of quality pronouncements.

A lawyer from Nasarawa State who has known Justice Bage for a long time, Suleiman Labaran described him as a man of exemplary qualities and a role model.

“A calm gentleman with passion for the development and growth of not only our dear state but the younger ones. His appointment as the Emir of Lafia and chairman Council of Chiefs of Nasarawa State is not a surprise to many. It is our prayers that God in his infinite mercy bestow him with all he requires to maintain the standard of leadership set by his predecessor and the late Emir, His Highness Dr Isa Mustapha I,” he said.

However, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who pleaded anonymity, was of the view that Justice Bage’s decision to go to the stool before his statutory retirement age of 70 may be to safeguard the privilege of his lineage and the sanctity of the royal institution, and not necessarily to bring his judicial experience to bear on the office.

Justice Bage was among the panel of justices in the interim forfeiture of the sum of $8.4m against the wife of former president, Goodluck Jonathan, Pateince.

In upholding the verdict of the Court of Appeal in Lagos on the interim forfeiture, the panel directed Mrs Jonathan to return to the Federal High Court in Lagos “to show cause why the interim order should not be made permanent.”

Justice Bage was in the panel that upheld the decision of the High Court in Rivers State which nullified the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State and upturned the decision of the Court of Appeal.

Justice Bage was part of the Court of Appeal panel in Lagos that set aside the five years sentence on actress Ibinabo Fiberisina for manslaughter.

Ibinabo Fiberesima was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five years imprisonment by Justice Deborah Oluwayemi of a Lagos State High Court in 2009.

His Highness was born on June 22, 1956 in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

He attended the Dunoma Primary School Lafia from 1963 to1969. Between 1970 and 1974, he was at Government Secondary School Lafia. He gained admission into the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, for a Diploma Programme in Law between 1975 and 1977 where he a Diploma at Credit Level. He gained a direct entry admission for the L.L.B. Hon. Programme from 1977 to 1980 and graduated with Second Class Lower Division. He then proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos in 1980 and was called into the Nigerian Bar in 1981. He observed the compulsory National Service Corps (NYSC) as a Legal Officer, Ground Training Group, Nigeria Air Force Base Kaduna from 1981 to 1982.

For his professional career, Justice Bage began work as Legal Officer, Ground Training Group, Nigerian Air Force Base Kaduna (NYSC) between 1981 and 1982. He was appointed Magistrate Grade II in the Plateau State Judiciary in 1982. He was promoted Magistrate Grade I in 1984, promoted Senior Magistrate Grade II in 1986. In 1989, he was appointed Chief Magistrate II F.C.T Judiciary. He was promoted Chief Magistrate I. In 1990, he was promoted as Deputy Chief Registrar FCT Judiciary. In 1991, he was promoted Substantive Chief Registrar, FCT High Court January, 1992 and elevated to the High Court Bench as a Judge on 9th Nov. 1992. Justice Bage was elevated as Justice of the Court of Appeak on 10 December, 2007, and was appointed Justice of the Supreme Court on 5th December, 2016.

During his career, Justice Bage was involved in a number of ad hoc duties. He was appointed Chairman Robbery and Fire Arms Tribunal for the FCT from 1996 to 1999. He was appointed member of the Election Petition Tribunal in 1999 and served in various states of the Federation.

Justice Bage also served as Chairman Election Petition Tribunal, Kano State in March 2003. He was also Chairman Committee on the Establishment of the ADR Centre for the FCT High Court by the Honourable Chief Judge FCT Abuja.

He was also appointed Chairman Abia State Election Petition Retrial Panel between July and August 2005. He was appointed Chairman Election Petition Tribunal for Bye – Election in Gombe State in 2006. On the 16th May 2007, he was appointed as Chairman Election Petition Tribunal Panel for Oyo State.

The Chairman, Lafia Local Government Area, Alhaji Aminu Muazu Maifata, presented the Certificate of Office to the new Emir on behalf of the Governor.

In his acceptance speech, the emir said, “I am calling on the people of Lafia and Nasarawa State to unite despite the diversity to develop the state to greater height. In a mild tone, almost all the people of the state are half-caste due to the cherish tradition of intermarriage. I enjoined the other princes who contested with me and the subjects to unite and tolerate each other.”