Ex-appeal court judge Ahmad Belgore dies at 70

Ahmad Olanrewaju Belgore, a former justice of the court of appeal, is dead.

Belgore died on Tuesday at the age of 70.

He retired as the justice of the court of appeal on April 18, 2023, when he clocked 70.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Kwara state governor, expressed his condolences over Belgore’s death.

“Belgore, who was until his recent retirement the presiding justice of the Ilorin division of the court of appeal, died on Tuesday night,” the statement reads.

“The governor sends his heartfelt condolences to the entire Ilorin Emirate, the bar and the bench, and to the Belgores, who have lost a rare gem.

“Justice Belgore was a legal giant and a foremost community leader who offered his shoulder for many to lean on.”

In another statement, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the Emir of Ilorin and chairman of the Kwara state traditional rulers council, described the death of Belgore as a big loss to the Ilorin Emirate and the nation at large.

ABOUT BELGORE

Born on April 18, 1953, Belgore studied Law at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, where he bagged LL.B (Hons.) with specialisation in Islamic law, from 1975 to 1978.

He finished from the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos in 1979 and was called to the Nigerian bar in July, 1979.

The late jurist was appointed as a Notary Public in 1987 and later served in various capacities such as judge of the high court of justice, Kwara state from August, 1990 to 2006; resident high court judge, Offa judicial division, Kwara state August, 1994 to September, 1999; as well as chairman, special miscellaneous offences tribunal in Abuja.

He was also on secondment to the judiciary of the Republic of the Gambia where he was appointed as justice of the appeal court and was later elevated to become the acting justice of the Gambia supreme court, a position he held till December 2005.

Belgore was appointed justice of the court of appeal, Nigeria on April 27, 2006 and was sworn in on June 8, 2006. He became the presiding justice, Sharia Panel of the court of appeal, in 2008.

In 2015, he was posted to the Ekiti division of the court of appeal.

He was appointed member of the Body of Benchers of Nigeria in October 2015 and appointed life bencher in February 2021.