Mohammed Bello, 1930 - 2004

By Sam Adzegeh, Kaduna Bureau
Monday, November 15, 2004

Former chief justice of Nigeria dies in a German hospital

Mohammed Bello, a former chief Justice of Nigeria died in a German hospital November 4. He was 74. Family sources said he was referred to Germany from Julius Berger Hospital, Abuja. His remains were flown back to Kaduna, and buried November 6. Following the news of Bello's death, his Inuwa Wada, Angwan Rimi residence in Kaduna was besieged by thousands of sympathisers and family friends from all over the country to pay their last respects to the eminent jurist.

Several people extolled his humility, integrity and dedication to duty. President Olusegun Obasanjo said his exist is a great loss to Nigeria and that he would be remembered as one of the pillars of the noble profession in this country. Atiku Abubakar, vice-president recall Bello as a humble and simple personality. Ibrahim Babangida, former president, said Bello's death was an irreplaceable loss to both the family and the nation. Babangida described the late Bello as a father in whom the rare quantities of humility, fairness and integrity fused to produce a rare gem.

Muhammed Marwa, former governor of Lagos State, also praised the former CJ as a man of integrity. "He was a man of very rare qualities, fair to all, and very humble," "We will all miss him." Marwa said.

A. J. Abdulrazaq, SAN, Bello's long time friend and colleague said he was shocked at news of his friend's death. "He never showed any signs of illness," Abdulrazaq told Newswatch. He described the late Bello as a real man whose fear of God permeated his every action and utterance. "He was a thorough professional in his career and his dedication to the cause of law was unequalled," Abdulrazaq said .

Bashir Bello's, first son, said the death of their father was still unbelievable. "He was going about his normal activities. Nobody knew he was that sick. He even attended (Victor) Attah's book launch on resource control," "Little did we know that death was so close on his heels," he said.

Bashir described his father as a disciplinarian whose insistence on the acquisition of western education was almost an obsession. "With my father, you simply had to go school; there was no two ways about it. He would do anything to make sure you went to school," he said.

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Abuja chapter said, "he was known for his outstanding and sterling qualities… These are virtues for some of us to emulate."

Born in 1930 in Katsina, Katsina State, Bello started his education at Central Elementary School, Katsina between 1938 and 1943 from where he attended Middle School, Katsina between 1942 and 1945. The late jurist worked with the UAC and later studied Latin preparatory to studying law at the Inn of Court, London, 1953-55. He attended the prestigious Chambers of Middle Temple, 1958-59. He crowned his law education at Harvard Law School, Massachussetts, United States, 1962-63 and was called to the bar in Lincolns Inn in 1965.

Bello, former chairman of the body of benchers, 1981-82, was a justice of the Supreme Court. He was appointed chief justice of Nigeria in 1987.

One recurrent theme in the tributes to him was simplicity and humility. He combined a formidable intellect with unimpeachable integrity while dispensing justice reminiscent of a thoroughbred jurist of the rare, old era.

Many agree death is a national loss. Efere Ozako said… his demise has brought to the fore the problem I have been drawing attention to over the years, that of documentation you cannot find any well documented work on the great jurist. How then can we have a link between the old and the new."