By Abiola Olawale
The Nigerian legal community and Nigerians at large have been thrown into a state of mourning following the demise of Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais, a revered former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
It was gathered that Uwais passed away on Friday in Abuja at the age of 89.
His passing was confirmed in a statement issued by the family on Friday.
In the statement, the family said: “Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihir Rajiun. It is with a heavy heart, full of gratitude to Allah Subahanahu Wata’ala, that we announce the passing away of our father, Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais, former Chief Justice of the Federation.
“Funeral arrangements are to be done immediately after Juma’at Mosque today at the National Mosque Abuja.”
His death marks the end of an era for a jurist widely celebrated for his transformative contributions to Nigeria’s judiciary and electoral reforms.
Justice Uwais, who served as CJN from 1995 to 2006, was the second-longest-serving Chief Justice in Nigeria’s history, with an illustrious 27-year tenure as a Supreme Court Justice.
Appointed by General Sani Abacha and retiring under President Olusegun Obasanjo, his career spanned five military regimes and two civilian administrations, showcasing his resilience and dedication to judicial integrity.
Born in 1936, Uwais became a Supreme Court Justice at the remarkably young age of 43.
Uwais chaired a panel on electoral reform as inaugurated by then-President Umaru Yar’Adua, after retiring from the Supreme Court.
