Justice Samuel Olumuyiwa Jibowu (August 26, 1899 — June 1, 1959) was supposed to be the first indigenous Chief Justice of Nigeria, but he was cheated out of it.

The post eventually went to Justice Adetokunbo Ademola (1906-1993), the son of Oba Samuel Ladapo Ademola II (1872-1962), the Alake of Egbaland, who was six years his junior, on April 1, 1958.

The expectation was that Jibowu would succeed Justice Stafford Foster Sutton when the latter was to retire in March 1958. But it was not to be. A petition was written against Jibowu that he made a political statement and, therefore, was not fit to be Chief Justice.

Jibowu had rich credentials. He was the first African to serve on Nigeria's Supreme Court, the first African police magistrate, the first Nigerian High Court judge and a pioneer of the Nigerian Judiciary. He was also Chief Justice of Lagos and the old Western Region successively.

Samuel Olumiyiwa Jibowu was the first surviving male child of Samuel Alexander Adebowale (First Secretary of the Egba United Government) and Mary Elizabeth Jibowu (nee Pearce).

He attended the Abeokuta Grammar School and taught at the school prior to attending college. In 1919, he left Nigeria for London where he attended Oxford University, England and earned a degree in Civil Law. He was called to the bar on August 8, 1923, at Middle Temple, London. His Number was 69.

By 1931, he was a police magistrate, the first African to hold such a position during the time colonial authorities doubted the integrity of Africans. In 1942, he was appointed as a Judge of the High Court.

He later became a puisne Judge at the High Court in Benin City and in 1957, he was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Lagos High Court and the Southern Cameroons.

Olumuyiwa Jibowu was a tall, robust and resplendent figure. He was the only Black magistrate in Nigeria before 1934 and was highly respected for his sterling principles. His elevation to the Higher Bench was, therefore, a thing of joy to all Nigerians.

He was, perhaps, the strictest of all the judges of his time but behind the rigid exterior was a thesaurus of untainted goodness.

Justice Samuel Olumuyiwa Jibowu was husband to Mrs Cecilia Jibowu (née Alakija), a niece to Adeyemo Alakija (1884-1952), the founder of Daily Times of Nigeria, and Lady Deborah Jibowu of Iddo Ajinare in Ekiti State. They bore him seven (7) children.

Jibowu headed the Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate the corruption in the Cocoa purchasing company of Ghana for which nearly 30,000 cocoa farmers had been alienated from the Kwame Nkrumah administration.

On June 1, 1959, 14 months after Justice Ademola became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Samuel Olumuyiwa Jibowu died on the job as the Chief Justice of the Western region. He was 59.

Jibowu Street, a popular street in Yaba, Lagos, is named after him. #HistoryVille

By 1931, he was a police magistrate, the first African to hold such a position during the time colonial authorities doubted the integrity of Africans. In 1942, he was appointed as a Judge of the High Court.

He later became a puisne Judge at the High Court in Benin City and in 1957, he was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Lagos High Court and the Southern Cameroons.

Olumuyiwa Jibowu was a tall, robust and resplendent figure. He was the only Black magistrate in Nigeria before 1934 and was highly respected for his sterling principles. His elevation to the Higher Bench was, therefore, a thing of joy to all Nigerians.

Justice Samuel Olumuyiwa Jibowu was husband to Mrs Cecilia Jibowu (née Alakija), a niece to Adeyemo Alakija (1884-1952), the founder of Daily Times of Nigeria,

Jibowu Street, a popular street in Yaba, Lagos, is named after him. 

Racoon:
Eminently qualified jurist but denied a privilege because of biases and intra-racial segregation. No be today tribalism, nepotism, favourism, and clannishness started.

Racoon:
Eminently qualified jurist but denied a privilege because of biases and intra-racial segregation. No be today tribalism, nepotism, favourism, and clannishness started.

Racoon:

https://twitter.com/HistoryVille/status/1628279471131303936?t=Gcy81ux1SR3Xuted1VN28A&s=08

datola:


The second picture is too colourful for a 1950s'..

Throwback:



Same way the more senior Prof Oladele Ajose was cheated out of the role to become the 1st indigenous VC/Principal of University College Ibadan (UI), in favour of Prof Kenneth Dike.

Ajose was the very 1st African professor appointed in the University that as at then was fully non-African faculty. He was a professor of Medicine.

Infact, Oladele Ajose was the 1st African/Black professor of any university in colonial era Africa.

He was the most senior African on the school Senate at UCI (UI).

Professor Ajose got a better appointment as VC UNIFE. He Professor Heziakiah who was Harvard trained pioneered the development of UNIFE, now OAU

But those who always claim merit, did what they did best during Nigeria's 1st republic era.

Merit = Igbo.

Azikiwe as Nigerian President (ceremonial) and Visitor to the School, in conjunction with Akanu Ibiam who chaired the School Council, ensured the role was given to their tribesman.

So rather than have the most senior African professor become the 1st indigenous School Principal, it was a case of the most senior Igbo must become the 1st indigenous School Principal.

Azikiwe as Nigerian President and Visitor to UCI, also ensured that even when Akanu Ibiam's tenure as University Council Chair expired, he got another Igbo to replace him, and that Igbo was also later replaced by another Igbo, making a succession of 3 Igbos as University Council Chair at UI.

All of these "merit" inspired appointments was to protect the interests of Igbos.

Even the Igbo School Principal, Kenneth Dike, ensured that the subsequent recruitment of staff into University College Ibadan, was heavily dominated by his tribesmen.

So if you think Jibowu was cheated as the most senior indigenous Judge of the Nigerian Supreme Court, who was denied the Chief Justice role, so was Oladele Ajose cheated when merit was thrown into the dustbin for the UCI School Principal role.

Throwback:



Same way the more senior Prof Oladele Ajose was cheated out of the role to become the 1st indigenous VC/Principal of University College Ibadan (UI), in favour of Prof Kenneth Dike.

Ajose was the very 1st African professor appointed in the University that as at then was fully non-African faculty. He was a professor of Medicine.

Infact, Oladele Ajose was the 1st African/Black professor of any university in colonial era Africa.

He was the most senior African on the school Senate at UCI (UI).

Professor Ajose got a better appointment as VC UNIFE. He Professor Heziakiah who was Harvard trained pioneered the development of UNIFE, now OAU

But those who always claim merit, did what they did best during Nigeria's 1st republic era.

Merit = Igbo.

Azikiwe as Nigerian President (ceremonial) and Visitor to the School, in conjunction with Akanu Ibiam who chaired the School Council, ensured the role was given to their tribesman.

So rather than have the most senior African professor become the 1st indigenous School Principal, it was a case of the most senior Igbo must become the 1st indigenous School Principal.

Azikiwe as Nigerian President and Visitor to UCI, also ensured that even when Akanu Ibiam's tenure as University Council Chair expired, he got another Igbo to replace him, and that Igbo was also later replaced by another Igbo, making a succession of 3 Igbos as University Council Chair at UI.

All of these "merit" inspired appointments was to protect the interests of Igbos.

Even the Igbo School Principal, Kenneth Dike, ensured that the subsequent recruitment of staff into University College Ibadan, was heavily dominated by his tribesmen.

So if you think Jibowu was cheated as the most senior indigenous Judge of the Nigerian Supreme Court, who was denied the Chief Justice role, so was Oladele Ajose cheated when merit was thrown into the dustbin for the UCI School Principal role.

Iwene:
May God help us in this country.

Racoon:

https://twitter.com/HistoryVille/status/1628279471131303936?t=Gcy81ux1SR3Xuted1VN28A&s=08 nlfpmod Seun, Mynd44