Early on Friday morning, I received the sad news of the death of Alhaji Aliyu Umar, SAN, from a colleague and friend in Kano. Within hours, the news went viral and tributes and condolences flooded in.
Alhaji Aliyu Umar SAN, was born in 1952 and called to the bar in 1978 (yes, that famous Class of ’78). He was a renowned Prosecutor who rose to be Director of Public Prosecutions in the Kano State Ministry of Justice, before becoming Attorney-General of Kano State from 2003-2011 under Governor Ibrahim Shekarau. He was also a distinguished ‘bar man’, having served the Nigerian Bar Association as Chairman of the Kano Branch from 1990 to 1993.
I met Alhaji Aliyu Umar, SAN a couple of times – the last being at the Kano State Governor’s Lodge in 2017 whilst on an assignment for the NBA as a member of the Conference Planning Committee. He was a genial, down to earth and generous man who was at home with people from all walks of life. I recall him exchanging banter in an atmosphere of conviviality bereft of any pretensions.
I was looking forward to renewing our acquaintance this March whilst on a trip to Kano. I hoped to engage him in discussions on a broad range of issues, including the 2020 NBA Elections and his last notable prosecution a year ago. Unfortunately, the visit was cut short, and I was unable to meet with him.
He will no doubt be missed for his professional brilliance and candid humaneness. I extend my deep condolences to his family, the NBA Kano and Ungogo Branches, and indeed the entire people of Kano State.
It is my prayer that the Almighty Allah accepts his soul into Aljanah. Aamin
Alex Muoka
Chairman NBA Lagos, 2013-2015
