International Day Of Women Judges: Y. C Maikyau SAN, Celebrates His Lordship, Hon. Justice Aloma Mariam Muktar CON,FNIALS,GCON, Former Chief Justice of Nigeria

The 10th day of March was adopted in 2021 as the International Day of Women Judges; a day to promote the full and equal participation of women at all levels of the judiciary, to celebrate the progress that has been made and raise awareness about the challenges ahead – the first of its celebration.

I am delighted and honoured to celebrate the iconic “Woman of Many Firsts” – Aloma Mariam Mukhtar CON, CFR, FNIALS, GCON, a former Chief Justice of Nigeria. Aloma Mukhtar went to Gibson & Welder Law School where she graduated in 1966 and was called to the English Bar – Middle Temple – the same year, and to the Nigerian Bar in 1967. During her very distinguished career, she scored quite a number of significant ‘firsts’. Right off the bat in 1967, she became the first female lawyer in Northern Nigeria (covering 19 States), and subsequently, the pioneer female Magistrate in the Northern region. Not one to relent, Mukhtar became the first female Chief Registrar of the Kano State Judiciary, the first female Judge of the High Court in Kano State, and the first woman jurist to be appointed to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nigeria. And in July 2012, she became the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). A real pace-setter!

As the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria rightly said while noting Honourable Justice Mukhtar as a woman of destiny, her rise to the pinnacle of the legal profession was due to her brilliance, resilience and hard work. The worth of Honourable Justice Mukhtar is clearly acknowledged by both her colleagues and legal practitioners alike as she is constantly described with adjectives like: independent, transparent, courageous, fearless, humble and fair-minded.

The fearlessness of Honourable Justice Aloma Mukhtar was manifested in the 2007 presidential election petition, where she, alongside two other Justices of the Supreme Court, gave a dissenting judgement that there was substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2006 in the conduct of the 2007 Presidential Elections. As Chief Justice of Nigeria, she insisted on due process and didn’t fail to use her office to contribute her own quota to nation building.

Beyond the offices of the CJN, Mukhtar has embodied the word- ‘ACHIEVER’ as she joined Nigeria’s highest advisory body, the National Council of State as its first female permanent member. She has the rare distinction of being the recipient of three of Nigeria’s highest national honours, namely: Commander of the Order of the Niger [CON], Commander of the Federal Republic [CFR] and Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger [GCON].

Among others, she has also been honoured as the Foundation President, Nigerian Association of Women Judges; inducted into the Nigerian Women Hall of Fame; and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of Abuja.

In the wake of the celebration of the first Annual International Day of Women Judges, we specially celebrate Honourable Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar CON, CFR, FNIALS, GCON, who has forged an enviable path from ground up for women all over Nigeria, and indeed the world, to follow.

Yakubu Chonoko (YC) Maikyau, SAN

Chairman, NBA Welfare Commitee