Justice Chukwudifu ‘Socrates’ Oputa dies at 89

Justice Chukwudifu Oputa — the chairman of a panel set up by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, to investigate human rights abuses during 15 years of military rule — has died.

Oputa died of stroke in the United States on Sunday, aged 89.

Human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo, has paid tribute to former Justice of the Supreme Court, Chukwudifu Oputah, who died on Sunday.

According to Keyamo, Oputah, who died of stroke in the United States on Sunday at 89 years, is a judicial colossus that would never be forgotten.

“The death of Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, though coming at a very ripe old age, is still difficult to accept with equanimity, especially within the legal profession,” he said.

“Justice Oputa gave all his life and energy for the development of the law, the maintenance of the etiquette of the legal profession, and the sanctity of the Bench.

“Both as a Judge of the High Court and as a Justice of other superior courts, his incisive judgments, robust and notable pronouncements and quintessential erudition in all his decisions on the Bench have left an indelible mark in the legal profession. His calmness and remarkable wit on the Bench has since laid down a mark for other judicial officers to follow.”

Keyamo observed that even as a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Oputa did not tire out, as his renowned chairmanship of the Oputa Panel set up by Obasanjo to address past wrongs in the country still remains a watershed in the annals of the country.

“Today, we pay tribute to this judicial colossus, this uncommon jurist, this Justice of Justices, this Lord Denning of our time, and this patriot par excellence,” he added.

“Rest in peace. My sincere condolence to my big brother, Charly Boy, other family members, and my learned colleagues.”

Official records show Oputa to have been born on September 22, 1924 (although there is a private sentiment that he is older) in Oguta, Imo State.

He attended Yaba Higher College, after which he proceeded to Achimota College in Ghana, where he graduated in 1945 with a B.Sc (Hon) in Economics in 1945.

He returned to Nigeria to teach at the Kalabari National College, Buguma, Rivers State, from where moved to Lagos. He subsequently travelled to London to obtain an LLB (HON), and he was called to Bar in Gray’s Inn, London.

Returning to Nigeria, he immediately settled into private legal practice, and was appointed Judge of the High Court of the then Eastern Nigeria in 1966. In 1976, he became the first Chief Judge of Imo State.

From 1984 to 1989, he was Honourable Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, delivering series of landmark judgements that earned him the sobriquets, Socrates and Cicero.

In 2000, after Nigeria’s return to democracy, former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, appointed Oputa to chair a Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission to probe human rights abuses during 15 years of military rule.

A devout Christian, Oputa is a Knight Commander of St. Gregory the great at the Catholic Church. He is also Knight Commander of St. Sylvester pope, Knight of St. Mulumba. He is the father of showbiz personality, Charles Oputa, better known as Charly boy.