Retired Hon. Justice Samuel Kehinde Otta, former Acting Chief Judge of Kogi State and pioneer President of the state’s Customary Court of Appeal, received the state Judiciary’s highest honour of a valedictory court session yesterday at it’s headquarters in Lokoja the state capital to bid his soul a final farewell.
The session was part of the burial program for the late jurist whose death occured on 7th March, 2026 at the age of 81 after a brief illness.
The court session which was presided by the Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Josiah Majebi, had the full retinue of the Judges and Kadis of the judiciary, the Ministry of Justice and the Nigerian Bar Association which included members of the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria in attendance.
The Attorney-General of the state, Hon. Muizudeen Yoonus Abdullah SAN, appeared as the applicant in the motion, with suit number HCL/40M/2026, dated 12th May, 2026, and filed the same day. The motion sought an order granting the release of the late jurist’s remains to the family for burial. The application was supported with a 10-paragraph affidavit and a written address, while the casket containing the corpse was marked as exhibit ‘A’.
The motion was moved by the Solicitor-General of the state, Sani Alhassan Esq., who represented the Attorney-General
on behalf of the state. He had in his team, the Directors and Deputy Directors from the state’s Ministry of Justice.
The Attorney-General urged the court to grant the application in the single matter on its course list which seeks the release of the remains of the late jurist whom he described as a legal luminary whose passing was a big loss to the state and the nation at large. He noted that the deceased was a dedicated and highly regarded jurist whose uprightness in and out of service was legendary.
After carefully listening to the application, the Chief Judge granted the motion and granted the release of the body for burial in his ruling. He subsequently referred, in his comment, that late Justice Otta was born on 11th June in Mopa Amuro LGA of Kogi state and retired from Kogi state judiciary on 11th June, 2011 after serving the state and the country meritoriously. He recalled his relationship with him when he, the CJ, was a state counsel and served under the late sage. He particularly described him as a mentor whose tutorship helped laid the foundation for him in his professional career.
The CJ went further to read a tribute sent by the pioneer CJ of the lstate and former Administrator of the National Judicial Institute, Hon. Justice Umaru Ali Eri (Rtd), which partly stated that: “Hon. Justice S. K. Otta…was not merely a participant in Kogi State Judicial history, he was an exemplary figure whose integrity and commitment to justice set a high standard from the very beginning of his career. His deduction to impartiality became a guiding light, illuminating the path for many within the judiciary in Kogi State” wrote the former CJ.
Speaking on behalf of the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria earlier, the former Attorney-General of the state, Hon. Ibrahim Sani, SAN, eulogized the late legal icon stating that his loss would be greatly felt by the legal profession, the state and the country. He added that his contribution to the judiciary and the country would not be overemphasized but concluded that since human beings can not live forever, what has been said about the late jurist shows that he lived and led a good life while also praying that God grants him eternal rest in peace.
Another learned silk, Hon. Aliyu Saiki SAN, who reviewed the life and time of the late jurist known to him, spoke in the same vein. He equally extolled the deceased’s virtues as a lawyer and Judge whose fairness and neutrality he said was never in contention.
Hon. Saiki, SAN, said he first met the late Judicial Officer in 1980 when the late Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Nasiru Ajanah, and the deceased were appointed as Judges in the old Kwara state. He added that late Justice Otta was an upright jurist who performed his duties conscientiously. He said his death was a big blow to the nation and Kogi state just as he urged everyone to strive to do his or her best because every individual has assigned roles on earth.
He summed that Justice Otta did his best as far as judicial services were concerned noting that even lawyers found it difficult to predict the direction of his decisions. While praying for his soul to rest in peace, he as well reminded mortality just as he asked, in accordance to the prayers offered by people of Kogi Central, his native home, that God elongates the time of his death with the time of those who are alive even as he was sure that his soul would enjoy God’s mercy to rest peacefully in His Bossom.
On its part, the Nigerian Bar Association also spoke glowingly of the late legal luminary. The association was represented by the Chairman of the Confluence Bar, Lokoja, Sumaila Abbas Esq., who quoted several verses of the holy Bible to butress the essence of submission to the will of God over the loss of loved ones, stressed that Justice Otta was a Judge per excellence and a devoted Christian.
According to the NBA Chairman who said he never had the privilege of appearing before him as a counsel, he however witnessed when the deceased delivered a judgement in respect of his own family’s property when he was young. He said Justice Otta’s fairness saved the family dynasty and the inheritance that they are enjoying today.
He concluded with the belief that the late jurist would be counted amongst those who will give good account of their sojourn on earth as he prayed for the family, the judiciary, the state and the nation to find the courage to bear the great loss.
The session, which pulled retired and serving Judicial Officers and other legal practitioners from across the state and the country had attendance, Justices of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justices Saidu Tanko Hussaini JCA, (Rtd) and Rukayat Oremeyi Ayoola JCA, respectively.
Retired former Chief Judges of the state, Hon. Justices Henry Adebola Olusiyi, Sunday Omeiza Otu, Richard Olorunju Olorunfemi and the former Grand Kadi, Hon. Kadi Zakariya Idakwoji Muhammed (Rtd) were also in attendance alongside retired Hon. Justices Alaba Omolaiye Ajileye and OSA Obayomi of the High Court of Justice and Hon. Justice Elias Egwu of the state’s Customary Court of Appeal.
On the side of the Bar were learned silks, from within and outside the state, including Pious Akubo SAN and members of the four branches of the Nigeria Bar Association in kogi state, including Chief Ayo Jonathan.
Not left out, too, were state functionaries like the state Controller of the Nigeria Correctional Service, heads of agencies and parastatals in Kogi State, Management and staff of the Judiciary and the Judicial Service Commission, the deceased’s family and friends, as well as other sympathisers and well-wishers.
The Chief Registrars of the High Court of Justice, Jubril Oladimeji Ibrahim Esq, and those of the Sharia Court of Appeal, Muhammed Musa Jibreel Esq. and the Customary Court of Appeal, Sefiya E. Aliyu Esq., served as the clerks of court during the session.
The session finally witnessed the procession of serving Judges who paid their last respect to the corpse as soon as the court rose.
Information Unit, High Court of Justice, Lokoja
