Former President of the Court of Appeal and renowned jurist, retired Justice Mamman Nasir, has passed on. Nasir died on April 13, 2019 at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Katsina. Until his death, Nasir was the Hakimi of Malumfashi (District Head) and Galadima of Katsina.

Aged 90, the late jurist and astute administrator was born on July 2, 1929 in Katsina in Northern Region, now Katsina State. After his primary education in Malumfashi, Nasir attended Katsina Middle School from 1939-1942. He went to Kaduna College and obtained the West African School Certificate in 1947. He also attended the University of Ibadan where he obtained a certificate in Latin from 1951-1952.

He got the bachelor’s degree in Law from the Council of Legal Education in 1956 and was also called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn. Nasir was appointed a Crown Counsel when he returned to Nigeria in 1956. He was a member of the Panel on Legal and Judicial reform in Northern Nigeria from 1957-1959. He was appointed the Minister of Justice in Northern Nigeria in 1961 and became the Director of Public Prosecution, Northern Region, in 1967.

In the same year, he was appointed the Solicitor-General of North Central State. He served as a Justice of the Supreme Court from 1975-1976. He stepped down from the Supreme Court and was appointed the President of the Court of Appeal in 1978 to succeed the late Justice Dan Ibekwe. He served in that capacity until 1992. Following his retirement from the judiciary, he became the Galadima of Katsina in 1992.

Justice Nasir served as the Chairman, Investigation of Assets of Northern Nigeria Marketing Board; Boundary Adjustment Commission; Committee on Administration of Federal Capital Territory; Deputy Chairman, Constitutional Conference; and the Chairman, Transition Implementation Committee.

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He was a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn. Until his death, Justice Mamman was on the Board of Trustees and Advisory Council of Gidauniyar Jihar Katsina (Katsina State Development Fund). Justice Mamman Nasir was a distinguished and courageous justice, who contributed immensely to the development of the nation’s judiciary. He was one of the architects of the Nigerian judiciary and he delivered many lead judgments. Justice Nasir was a jurisconsult.

He was a man of impeccable integrity. He was also a selfless civil servant who served his country with great zeal and patriotism. For his meritorious service to the nation, he was conferred with the national honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).  There is no doubt that the death of the notable jurist is a great loss to the judiciary and the country.  The late jurist will be remembered for his hard work, diligence, selflessness and commitment to nation building. He will also be remembered for his fearless judgments and modest lifestyle.

We join millions of Nigerians to mourn the passage of the eminent jurist, elder statesman, great leader and bridge builder. The fearless and humble judge belonged to the golden age of the nation’s judiciary. Justice Mamman Nasir was endowed with the gift of longevity and good health.

He died at a time when the nation still needs his wise counsel and views on some burning national issues. Therefore, we urge Nigerian judges to emulate his shining examples. We urge the Federal Government to immortalise the late jurist for his contributions to the development of the judiciary and the nation.

We commiserate with his family, friends, colleagues, the judiciary, the people of Katsina State and the entire country on the irreparable loss. May God give the family the fortitude to bear his demise. We pray to God to grant his soul eternal rest.