Amid a glowing tribute by President Bola Tinubu, the Lagos State Judiciary will on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 hold a special court session in honour of the former Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief George Uwechue (SAN).
The high-level judicial ceremony, which is reserved for jurists who have achieved the highest level of distinction in the legal profession, will be held at the Lagos State High Court, Oba Akinjobi Way, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos by 2pm.
A similar special court session will be held for him by the Delta State Judiciary on January 25, 2024. The court session will be held at the High Court of Justice, Asaba, Delta State by 10am.
Meanwhile, a Requiem Mass/Night of tributes will be held on January 19, 2024 at 4:30 pm at the Sir Adetokunbo Ademola Hall of the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos.
While the wake keep for the former Speaker Pro Tempore of Nigeria’s House of Representatives will hold at 5 pm on January 25, 2024 at the Owelle of Ogwashi-Uku Villa, 100 Azagba Road, Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, the Funeral Mass will hold at 10 am on January 26, 2024 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. Interment follows immediately after the funeral mass.
In a statement issued by the presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu said “Chief Uwechue was an outstanding lawyer,” adding that “he was also a leader through and through. He will be sorely missed for his deep insights and legal acumen, in addition to the incredible contributions he made to his community, state, Nigeria, and beyond. May God Almighty grant him rest and his family the strength to bear this painful loss.”
Chief Uwechue died October 29, 2023. He was 85 years old. He attended the Middle Temple, Inns of Court School of Law, London between 1961 and 1965 and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1966 after attending the Nigerian Law School.
Uwechue had been a lawyer for nearly 60 years. Elevated to the coveted rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1993, he was a member of the Inner Bar for 30 years.
He was appointed a member of the Body of Benchers in 1990, and had been a Life Bencher since 1998.
The senior lawyer was elected Chairman of the Body of Benchers in 2010 and elected a member of the Elders Committee of the Body of Benchers in 2011.
It is believed that the “Elders Committee” was his brainchild, being a vehicle for resolving thorny issues affecting leading members of the legal profession.
Aside from leading the legal profession as Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Uwechue also had the uncommon distinction of leading Nigeria’s House of Representatives, having been elected as Speaker (Pro Tempore) on February 23, 1983.
