By Ovie Okpare
A Supreme Court judge, Justice Samuel Chukwudumebi Oseji, is dead.
The jurist, reliable sources told NIGER DELTA TODAY (NDT) on Tuesday morning, died on Monday night after a brief illness.
Justice Oseji hailed from Idumuje-Unor community in Aniocha North local government area of Delta State.
He died at 67.
The late jurist passed on in Abuja where he was said to be receiving treatment for undisclosed ailment.
Justice Oseji was sworn in November last year as Supreme Court judge at a ceremony in Abuja.
It was further gathered that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad, had to visit him at the hospital where he was receiving treatment days before his passage on Monday night.
The incident has thrown the people of Idumuje-Unor Kingdom into mourning, a prominent son of the area told NIGER DELTA TODAY on phone.
His community had hosted him last December following his elevation from Appeal Court to the Nation’s apex court.
Following the development, Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on Tuesday put off official engagements including the signing of the Anti-Open Grazing Bill recently passed by the State House of Assembly.
His wife, Dr. Mrs. Mininim Oseji, is a Permanent Secretary in the Delta State Ministry of Environment after she was redeployed from Health.
Justice Oseji was born in Jos, Plateau State to the family of Mr. & Mrs. Ebenezer Oseji from Idumuje-Unor in Anioma speaking tribe of Delta State.
He had his primary education at Saint Paul’s Anglican School, Jos and St. Dominic Catholic School, Idumuje-Unor.
He attended the Nigerian Peoples High School, Lagos, for Secondary education where he obtained his West African School Certificate, Division One. He, thereafter, moved to the Saint Patrick’s College, Asaba for his Higher School Certificate in 1979.
Justice Oseji studied Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1980. He graduated in 1984 with an LL.B (Hons) Degree and proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos for his BL degree and was subsequently called to Bar in 1985.
He also obtained his Master’s Degree (LL.M) LAW from Ambrose Alli University in 2003. He also delved into the PhD program. His National Youth Service Programme was in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In August 1986, he got an appointment with the Legal Aid Council as a Legal officer in Charge of the defunct Bendel State but later transferred to Benue State.
In 1994, he transferred his service to the Delta State judiciary as a Senior Magistrate Grade 1. In January 1996, he got double promotion to the post of a Chief Magistrate Grade 1. The same year he was appointed as the Deputy Chief Registrar and then acting Chief Registrar of the High Court of Justice, Delta state.
In April 1997, he was confirmed as the first substantive Chief Registrar of Delta state. In recognition of his honesty, dedication and hardwork. Hon. Justice S.C. Oseji was elevated to the Higher Bench as a Judge of the High Court, Delta State in 1998.
In 2007, he was appointed as a member of the Governorship and legislative Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal in Katsina State. In 2009, he was appointed as the Chairman of the Delta State Local Government Election Petition Appeal Tribunal.
In 2010, His Lordship, Justice S.C. Oseji was further elevated as a Justice of the Court of Appeal in which the Benin Division was thought to be the last bus stop but in recognition of his illustrious career endowed with discipline handwork and intelligence, His Lordship, Justice Oseji was nominated to the Apex Court and ultimately inducted as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the 20th day of November 2020.
Before the elevation he was appointed as a member of the Presidential election Petitions Tribunal in February 2019. Justice Oseji has attended many seminars, workshops and Conferences both in Nigeria and Overseas.
Hon. Justice S.C Oseji is also a Fellow of International Institute of Dispute Resolution (FIDRI) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Nigeria (FCIArb).
May his soul rest in peace IJN