Remembering Justice Egbert Udo Udoma

Words can hardly capture him. Justice Egbert Udo Udoma was part of a unique generation that fought for political recognition through state creation when it was not popular.

When Akwa Ibom State was officially created on 23 September, 1987, he was among the few who lived to see this collective dream come true.

I remember a moment during my time as a journalist when I had a chat with the late Justice. This conversation taught me a lesson in patience. It took place in the late 1990s.

It was a significant meeting that left me with a lasting memory. Time has made me forget some details about the exact day and month. But the feelings and events have not faded away.

As head of features at the Weekend Pioneer, a publication of the Akwa Ibom State Newspapers, I was responsible for the weekly interview section. That week, we chose Udoma, the respected retired Supreme Court Justice.

He was known for being punctual, so we did not want to keep him waiting. My colleague, Ikpong Essienudom, and I arrived at Justice Udoma’s home in Ikot Abasi almost an hour early.

We were told that the retired jurist had just woken up and was taking his bath. An aide informed us that he would have breakfast, which he usually took slowly, before meeting us.

The only option for us was to wait. We knew we could not rush the elder statesman. He had his routines to follow. So, we waited.

After nearly an hour, we saw him coming from the inner room. He was casually dressed. He walked slowly to the breakfast table and sat down as someone brought a tray filled with hot food.

He gestured to an aide to ask if we had arrived. Once our presence was confirmed, Justice Udoma began his breakfast. The aide, whether on his own or following orders, asked if we wanted coffee, tea, or food. We politely declined.

As we waited for him to finish eating, I checked my notes. I had spent a lot of time learning about this legal giant. What I had written down seemed small compared to his impressive life story.

Born on 21 June, 1917, Justice Udoma was a Knight of the British Empire (KBE). He achieved greatness in the legal field and as a nationalist. He fought for justice for oppressed minorities and made history in many ways.

His activism mainly took place in academic settings, shaped by his education and politics in the UK. He inherited this spirit from his mother, an influential activist in the Opobo Division, now part of Akwa Ibom State.

Madam Adiaha Edem Udo Udoma, Justice Udoma’s mother, is remembered as one of the tragic women killed by British colonial police during the 1929 Women’s War, also known as the Aba Women’s Riot. This was a protest against unfair taxes imposed by colonial rulers.

There is a statue in her honor in Ikot Abasi, depicting a fierce woman breaking a rifle. This statue serves as a reminder of the brave fight by women against colonial oppression, a history Nigerian women should remember.

If Justice Udoma was a political activist, he definitely learned it from his mother. But he did not support violence or street protests. He preferred to fight for change in different ways.

Udoma’s academic achievements, both in Nigeria and the UK, placed him among the elite. After attending Methodist College, Uzuakoli, he earned a scholarship to Trinity College, Dublin. There, he studied law and became the first black President of the University Philosophical Society, known as the Phil.

The Phil, which has roots in the Dublin Philosophical Society founded in 1683, is a student group focused on debates and thoughtful discussions. This helped prepare Udoma for public speaking.

With this background, it was natural for Udoma to speak confidently, whether leading a protest, arguing in court, or giving important rulings at the Supreme Court.

Often called a pioneering African lawyer and jurist, Justice Udoma was later elected to lead the Phil. His leadership attracted attention and studies beyond Trinity College.

A few years after my interview with him, in 2022, the Phil formed the Udoma Sub-Committee to honor his achievements. This Sub-Committee aims to promote discussions on anti-racism and inclusivity at Trinity College.

Through this Sub-Committee, Udoma’s legacy is now part of the global academic community. The boy from Ikot Abasi has become a global figure in impactful leadership.

Thanks to a scholarship from the Ibibio Union, a notable socio-cultural group, young Udoma went to Oxford University. There, he made history as the first Nigerian and one of the few black Africans to earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law.

He achieved this at just 27 years old. This accomplishment shows his focus and dedication to his dreams, placing him among the top achievers globally.

After earning his degrees, Justice Udoma returned to Nigeria and started private legal practice after meeting all legal requirements. He balanced his legal career with active politics, serving in Nigeria’s Parliament from 1953 to 1959.

He was a strong voice for Nigeria’s independence and the rule of law. His powerful speeches on minority rights, especially for the Niger Delta, were well-known. As President of the Ibibio State Union, he fought for his people's rights.

You can only imagine how he felt when Akwa Ibom State was created in 1987. He and his colleagues were the first to bring the issue of state creation into Nigeria’s political discussions.

After leaving parliament in 1959, he joined public service as a High Court Judge. In 1963, he made history again by becoming Chief Justice of Uganda, a role that recognized his professional skills.

In 2021, a writer named Samuel Fury Childs Daly noted that Justice Udoma was the first African Chief Justice of Uganda. He was part of a small group of West African judges who served in various African countries, especially newly independent ones.

Their job was to fill high-ranking judicial positions previously held by Europeans and South Asians. Childs described Udoma’s career in Uganda as fascinating, noting his landmark rulings that reshaped the country’s political and legal landscape.

When he returned to Nigeria, the government quickly appointed him to the Supreme Court.

In 1977, he served as Chairman of the Constituent Assembly, which helped create the path for Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1979.

As these memories flooded my mind, Justice Udoma paused from his meal, looked at the newspaper, and shook his head as if he saw something shocking.

Then he stood up, moving like someone with a serious matter to discuss. He approached us, and we stood as he entered the waiting area of his home with the dignity his status allowed.

He sat down with a serious look. There were no smiles. Then, looking at us, he apologized for making us wait, saying age and retirement had slowed him down a bit. We chuckled, and he almost laughed. In that moment, we saw the human side of the stern jurist.

After waiting for nearly two hours, his brief apology felt good. I stayed standing while I introduced us. Justice Udoma nodded his head, used to lawyers introducing themselves in court.

I then asked the first and only question about his retirement and what he did after 13 years as a Supreme Court Justice. I planned to start light and then move to serious topics.

Justice Udoma had his thoughts ready, no matter the question. He was brief about retirement. Then he started discussing his worries about the nation's state under military rule.

He continued speaking. We listened. He made strong points. So, we paid close attention.

At times, we took notes, hoping to ask follow-up questions. That chance never came. Both of us tried to interject politely but were ignored. He kept talking.

When we tried to change his focus with a fresh question, he would show impatience. At the end, he would say, almost annoyed, “as I was saying….”

For nearly two hours, he moved from one important national issue to another. We realized that interrupting him, whether in a media interview or in court, was not acceptable.

When he finally finished, we noticed he had already answered most of our questions without needing to be asked. He did not entertain interruptions.

As his aide brought him a glass of water, it was clear he was not in the mood for more questions. We packed our recording devices, thanked him, bowed individually, and said our goodbyes.

Justice Egbert Udo Udoma, who passed away in 1998, was a man of great intellect. He was careful with his words and actions, a visionary who saw the future long ago. He led the push that introduced state creation into Nigeria’s political language.