‘’ of all the wonders I heard it seems to me most strange that men shall fear death seeing death a necessary end must come when it will come’’jilius ceser.
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Yestarday being the 17th day of April,2020 has marked a true beginning of a life after death of Alhaji Aliyu Umar SAN.The sudden death of Aliyu Umar SAN as a result of a lung cancer was communicated to me at the early hours of yesterday. That time the lockdown directive has since been activated here in Kano. May his soul finds eternal rest.
Alhaji Aliyu umar SAN being a legal giant with a lions heart has truly accomplished everything he was wishing for his life and the life of others.
He was a public servant in the Kano State Ministry of Justice who raised up to the position of DPP (most senior director in the ministry) after which he left.
He later came back to Kano State Ministry of justice as Attorney General and commissioner for Justice.
Even though I couldn’t be a lawyer during his tenure much less of being employed in the ministry of justice, all the good works he did are visible and equally documented. And history will forever be grateful to him in his final abode.
Therefore, i took it upon me to write a panegyric piece with a view to immortalized his good virtues and deeds for others to emulate.
Of all the statements that may be made on the demise of the learned silk can be reduced into two categories;
1) Lawyers Statements on who the man he was
2) General Public Statements about him.
I am glad to have never come across any lawyer or any person speaking i ll of him which is commendable.
To the public beyond the legal profession, particularly the people of kano, they will always tell you that he was generous. He was famous and very popurlar in Nigeria and that simplifies causing an inquiry into his personal and formal life everywhere.
His selfless service to humanity was always his major concern or direction of his life.
Many people whom were either the Pfizer victims or their parents have been praying for the departure of his soul because of his fight for their Justice. This alone has put smile on a thousand faces which is very feastful.
So many lawyers have given their testimonies on the learned silk good relationship with other lawyers. He was a parrhesia, nice and pleasant.
He was a quintessential of an integrity, a highly principled gentleman with no compromise to his principles, a legal practitioner per excellence and a great prosecutor.
Therefore his loss, is an irreparable one, not only to his family but to the legal profession.
The above statement could be justified if you look at his contribution to various branches of the NBA in Kano and particularly the young lawyers.
Equally so many young Lawyers that were nurtured by the late learned silk, by the grace of God are now AGs of various states, life benchers, successful lawyers and professors etc. Thank you for the job weldone.
He believed in the welfare and independence of young Lawyers that’s why most of his lawyers are doing their personal cases in court.
Moreover, out of his competency to prosecute, the FGN used to employ his services to prosecute with the fiat of the AGF.
The world of prosecution have seriously wept for losing him too early, because he was an erudite legal practitioner and one of the best prosecutors on this mother earth.
Hardly could he believe in a case on which no conviction is secured at the end. In other words, he hardly loss his battle in court because of his analytical, jurisprudential and impressive appreciation of the law. In this wise he was peerless and unparalled.
Furthermore, he was a mentor to many Lawyers including the writer of this panegyrics.
I could remember very well, I personally came in contact with him when we chose to support Arthur Obi Okofor in the last concluded NBA presidential election.
We were lucky that he was the only SAN in Kano that stood by our side during the NBA presidential campaign and together we supported Arthu Obi Okafor SAN.two years ago.
Eventhough we could not get it at the election but still we were proud to stand by our choice. He was indeed true to his words .I saw it with my naked eyes
Conclusion
Let me conclude by quoting from the one time Attorney General of the Federation Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN’S book tittled ‘’BURDEN OF SERVICE’’
‘’The one positive thing that came from my time at the ministry of justice was meeting the one time Attorney General of Kano State Alhaji Aliyu Umar who later became an SAN. He was then Director of Pubic Prosecution(DPP).A great motivator and a wonderful human being, he took great interest in the welfare and aspirations of the younger lawyers’’
May his soul rest in perfect peace. Ameen
By MUHAMMAD NAZIR FARUK ESQ, APD, A LEGAL PRACTIONER BASED IN KANO
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