9 people shortlisted by NBA for appointment as justices of the Supreme Court

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has forwarded the names of nine eligible applicants to Walter Samuel Onnoghen, the acting chief justice of Nigeria and chairman of the Judicial Service Commission.

The applicants are for appointment as Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. The list was released following a rigorous process of shortlisting.

The shortlisting of applicants was done by a select committee chaired by Abubakar Mahmoud, the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and eight other eminent lawyers as members.

The 9 applicants below were shortlisted from a total of 89 Expressions of Interest. They are as follows:

1. Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN

Olisa Agbakoba

Olisa Agbakoba, OON, SAN was born on May 29, 1953 to Chief Justice Godfrey Ubaka and Mrs Phina Agbakoba in Jos.

He later moved to Onitsha in 1965, two years before the Nigerian civil war. He is a maritime lawyer but more popularly known as a human rights activist in the Nigerian human rights movement from the early to late 90's.

He is also a former President of NBA. He was called to bar in 1978.

2. Anthony Ikemefuna Idigbe, SAN

Anthony Idigbe

Anthony Ikemefuna Idigbe is a non-executive director, chairman of strategy & nomination committee, member of establishment & governance committee, member of finance & general purpose committee and member of investment committee, Royal Exchange PLC. He was called to bar in 1983. He is from Delta state.

3. Yunus Ustas Usman, SAN

Yunus Ustas Usman, SAN

Yunus Ustaz Usman is the fifth Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) from the North, who was called to bar in 1983. He is from Kogi state.

4. Babatunde Fagbohunlu, SAN

Babatunde Fagbohunlu, SAN

Tunde Fagbohunlu is a Partner and heads of Litigation, Arbitration and ADR Practice Group. He joined the firm of Aluko & Oyebode (Barristers & Solicitors) in 1993 and was called to bar in 1988. He is from Ondo.

5. Miannayaaja Essien, SAN

Miannaya Aja Essien, SAN

Miannaya Aja Essien, SAN of CIArb (UK) and notary public, is the managing partner and one of the founders of Principles Law Partnership, a firm of legal practitioners, arbitrators and notaries public with offices in Port Harcourt and Lagos Nigeria.

She was called to bar in 1985 and he is from Rivers state.

6. Awa Uma Kalu, SAN

Awa Uma Kalu, SAN

Awa Uma Kalu (SAN) is a lawyer with over thirty-eight years on the bar. His wife, and two children are also practicing lawyers. The Abia state indigene was called to bar in 1978.

7. Professor Awalu Hamish Yadudu

Little is known about professor Awalu Hamish Yadudu who was called to bar in 1979 and is from Kano state.

8. Tajudeen Oladoja

Tajudeen Oladoja was called to bar in 1985 and is from Kwara state.

9. Ayuba Giwa

Ayuba O. Giwa is of the faculty of law, Delta state university, Oleh Campus, Oleh, Nigeria and was called to bar in 1983. He is from Edo state.

Meanwhile the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, had earlier forwarded a request to the President of NBA, Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN “to nominate suitable candidate for consideration as Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria