Special Tribute To Honourable Justice Garba Musa Nabaruma- Opinion- Herald.ng

Yobe State has lost a rare gem, an icon has departed the legal space and Nigeria has lost an accomplished jurist. I had the privilege of being mentored by the Honourable Justice Garba Musa Nabaruma, on many occasions. In him you will find humility, simplicity, contentment and generosity. He is so detrabilised you wouldn’t easily notice his place of origin.

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Working in the midst of the insurgency and violence in Yobe State for many years, My Lord never ceased to perform his judicial and administrative responsibilities as and when due. Always moving from Damaturu to Abuja and indeed all other parts of Nigeria for national assignments, Hon Justice Nabaruma devoted all his life to the service of his fatherland, sacrificing valuable family time, for the people that he loved so much. He assisted in resolving many election petitions across the land.

A crusader for gender equality and freedom for all, Justice Nabaruma had zero tolerance for nepotism and corruption, always insisting that things should be done properly and excellently. His doors were open to all and sundry and he is so plain and simple that it is almost difficult to know that he occupied such highly exalted position as the Chief Judge of a State, by virtue of which he served in very important national institutions.

The Hon Justice Nabaruma was a devoted family man, always insisting that his wife, also a lawyer, must be present to share in the moments that we had together. I would watch them with such admiration, when they freely talked and displayed mutual affection and respect for each other. They were always very jovial, friendly and accommodating, even to their own inconvenience.

The Honourable Justice Nabaruma was a lover of children. Anytime I visited him, he would take me round and show his children, with their photographs boldly and proudly displayed in the sitting room. My Lord so much believed in Nigeria and the due process of law. He was a fine jurist, and a cerebral intellectual who traversed the legal firmament of Nigeria like a colossus. He had served as Chief Judge of Yobe State since 2011, having moved from the bottom of the judicial ladder to rise to the peak of his career.

I was thus moved to tears when I read of his demise today, knowing that Nigeria has indeed lost a foremost nationalist, who preferred to work in the background to effect positive change.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife and children, the legal profession in Nigeria, the Governor and people of Yobe State, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and indeed the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the untimely departure of this erudite jurist of no mean repute. May God grant him safe passage and give all of us the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.