…As All Roads Lead To Kono, Ogoni
The legal luminary, and first Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) of the Ogoni extraction Rivers State, Sir Barinua Moses Wifa will, be finally laid to rest Saturday, June 26, 2021 at his country home, Kono, Ogoni, Rivers State.
Preceding the interment of the elder statesman is a weeklong programme of activities which according to a statement signed by Dr (Mrs) Anita Nubarido Wifa Oweredaba,daughter of the deceased on behalf of the family will commence on Saturday, June 19, with Day of Tributes at the famous Obi Wali Cultural Centre, Port Harcourt. Time is 10am – 1.00pm. Thursday, June 24, is scheduled for Public Law Lecture at NBA house, No. 1 Moscow Road, Port Harcourt. Time is 10am – 1.00pm.
The commemoration service holds Friday, June 25, at Wesley Methodist Church, No 1 Harbour Road, Port Harcourt. Time is 8.00am – 9.30am.
By 10.00am – 1.00pm there will be a valedictory court session same day at Rivers State High Court complex, 22 William Jumbo Street, Port Harcourt after which his body will lye in state at 18 Ernest Ikolu Street, Old GRA, Port Harcourt. Time is 4.00pm – 6.00pm same Friday, June 25.
Late B. M. Wifa will finally be committed to mother earth Saturday, June 26 in his Kono home town after a funeral service at Kono Community Secondary Grounds/Field, Kono.
On Sunday, June 27, 2021, Thanksgiving Service takes place at Methodist Church Nigeria, Kono at 10.00am – 1.00pm.
Recall that Chief Sir B. M. Wifa passed on 7th November, 2020 in London.
Born on July 14, 1936, late B. M. Wifa started his primary education at the Methodist School, Kono, where he was adjudged by his teachers and peers to be brilliant. After completing classes one and two of his primary education at Methodist School, Kono, young Barinua proceeded to the Native Authority School, Bori, between 1948 and 1950, where he read classes three to five,
While he was in elementary five he wrote the entrance examination into the famous Methodist College, Uzuakoli, in present day, Isikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State. Subsequently, he was admitted into the prestigious Uzoakoli Methodist College.
By 1955, Nigeria had only one University College at Ibadan, and so the prospects of Nigerian Secondary School or higher school graduates to acquire University education in the country were limited. Thus, most Nigerians who were ambitious to acquire University were compelled to do so outside the country, particularly in the United Kingdom. It also meant that only those with well-to-do parents and guardians, and those with scholarships could ever hope to attend university in the UK.
The third alternative is for the prospective student to work and save money for his studies.
Barinua belonged to the third group, namely those who had to work and save money to enable them pursue their university education overseas.
Eventually, when Barinua travelled to London for his further studies, he realized that he could not secure admission into any University with his Ordinary Level (O’Level) School Certificate, and therefore went for his A’Level Certificate which qualified him to gain admission and read Law.
M. Wifa returned to Nigeria in 1972. He attended the Nigerian Law School at Victoria Island, Lagos in order to be called to the Bar. As a foreign law graduate, he had to undertake Bar Part I and 2 studies at the Nigerian Law School. He accomplished his Bar Part I studies between September and December 1972, while he completed his Bar Part 2 studies in May 1973.
On June 23, 1973, he was called to the Nigerian Bar, and thus licensed to practise law as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
In July, 1973, B.M. Wifa commenced his adventure in the world of legal practice at the firm of A. S. Young-Harry & Co in Port Harcourt. He underwent a period of seven year tutelage as a legal practitioner. During this period, he worked with E. Boma Peter – Kio, late T. K. Amachree, late Kinta Elizabeth Membere (later Hon. Justice), whom he fondly referred to, as his ‘soul mate’ and late D. J. Lawson (later Honourable Justice of the Court of Appeal (JCA).
In 1979, B. M. Wifa left A. S. Young Harry & Co to set up his own, B. M. Wifa & Co (Epipnale Chambers) in Port Harcourt. He started as a sole practitioner but was later joined by other lawyers.
In 1981, at a social function in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, he met a young lady, Cecilia Lebia Dome, the daughter of Megia Dome of Bodo. He was so irrestibly attracted to Cecilia that he desired her to be his wife. The courtship between Barinua and Cecilia lasted for a period of six months only. They got married on 26th of December 1981. The marriage is blessed with a daughter, Anita Nubarido Wifa (now Dr. Mrs. Anita Nubarido Oweredaba).
M. Wifa’s adventure in public service started with his appointment on the 6th of January, 1984 as Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Rivers State of Nigeria by Police Commissioner Fidelis Oyakhilome, the then Military Governor of the State. Wifa served as Attorney General till 27th of August, 1985.
Besides serving as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Rivers State, Wifa occupied several other public service positions. Wifa served twice on the Judicial Service Commission of Rivers State in the 1990s.
He also served as solicitor to the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.
A public-spirited mind may work to improve the wellbeing of people and society. Such a man will certainly do so, even by rendering voluntary services towards public good Barinua Moses Wifa is such a man. Social responsibility has an ethical behavourial framework whereby entities such as businesses and individuals feel obliged to embark on activities to contribute to the wellbeing of mankind and society. B. M. Wifa was a socially responsible man.
Wifa’s recollection of that call to duty is pleasant. Governor Oyakhilome so recognised and respected the office of Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice that Wifa was virtually acting as the Deputy Governor of the State. The Governor took his opinions seriously and did not interfere with his functions. Wifa also realised that Oyakhilome shielded him from persons who sought to influence him to enter an unjustifiable nolle prosequi in a murder case.
There were calls by some people that the office of Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice be split into two separate offices. Based on his experience, the candid opinion of Wifa is that it is not reasonable to split the office into two.
Other positions hold by B. M. Wifa include: Director, Board of the defunct Pan African Bank (PAB); Director, Board of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (publishers of the Tide newspapers); Member, Editorial Board of Laws of Rivers State; and Pro- Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Minna, Niger State. Wifa recalled that while serving as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of FUTO, he was warmly received and treated well by the University community in Minna. In fact, when his wife was called to the Bar, the University community hosted a reception for him.
In 1996, B. M. Wifa was one of the four legal practitioners of Rivers State origin to serve as Sole Judges of Election Petition Tribunals to hear and determine election petitions arising from Local Government Elections held in the State in that year.
He was one of the delegates that represented Rivers State at the National Political Reform Conference of 2005. He served on the committee of the Conference that compiled its “Social and Political Reports and Recommendations”.
Wifa was also on the 25-member Constitutional Debate Coordinating Committee (CDCC) chaired by the late Honourable Justice Niki Tobi, JCA (as he then was) in 1999. That committee of 25 Nigerians midwifed the production of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is worth remarking that B. M. Wifa served on the Rivers State Elders’ Council appointed by Governor Peter Odili, the Rivers State Advisory Council appointed by Governor Chibuike Amaechi, and the Elders’ Council of the South-South People’s Assembly (SSPA).
Wifa also served as a member of the National Judicial Council (NJC) from 2006 to 2010.
Against the backdrop of his participation in public service, Wifa believes that society needs strong institutions. He is a protagonist of a socially-just Nigerian society. He decried the declining glory of the Nigerian judiciary To him, the Judiciary is not merely an arm of the government; it is one of the three traditional departments of government in Nigeria. He believes that the independence of the judiciary will be better assured if it is financially independent. He opines that the independence of the judiciary could be secured, if the judicial arm of government is allocated about 20 percent of the consolidated income of the country. He feels that the Executive should not build courts for the judiciary or spoon-feed the judicial arm in other respects.
He was an advocate of a virile, fearless and independent Bar (Chinwo [ed], 2003, p. 372). He craves for a Bar that would be alive, able and willing to perform its social functions satisfactorily. In his view, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has managed to maintain its reputation as the voice of the voiceless Nigerian masses, crying for and sometimes litigating for social justice. Even if the opinion in some circles is that the Bar has fallen short of its responsibility to the society, the Bar is still an important institution in the Nigerian polity. It is therefore inconceivable that any Nigerian lawyer, who is more than 10 years at the Bar, and who is passionate about social justice would not have given service to the Bar. It is immaterial whether the service is in an executive committee or other standing or ad hoc committee. Barinua Moses Wifa served the Port Harcourt Branch of the NBA as Chairman from 1986 to 1989. He was also on the National Executive Council of the NBA in 1986.
His tenure as Chairman of the Port Harcourt Branch of the NBA witnessed the first and only Law Conference held in collaboration with the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and the Rivers State Government. Furthermore, although the Federal Government had approved the establishment of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal, it was during his tenure as the Chairman of the Port Harcourt Bar this court became operational. His devotion to this cause was inspired by his realisation of the attendant economic and professional advantages to lawyers practicing in the jurisdiction. It is common knowledge that appearances at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court are significant for legal practitioners to attain the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Other services of B. M. Wifa to the legal profession include serving as Member, Council of Legal Education (1991-1993); Chairman, Committee for the Revision of the Constitution of the NBA (2000); and Member, National Judicial Commission (NJC, 2006-2010).
