Aloma Mariam Mukhtar

Aloma Mariam Mukhtar
GCON
Chief Justice of Nigeria
In office
16 July 2012 – 20 November 2014
Preceded byDahiru Musdapher
Succeeded byMahmud Mohammed
Personal details
Born (1944-11-20) 20 November 1944 (age 80)

Aloma Mariam Mukhtar GCON (born 20 November 1944) is a Nigerian jurist and former Chief Justice of Nigeria from July 2012 to November 2014.[1][2] She was called to the English Bar in November, 1966 and to the Nigerian Bar in 1967.[3][4]

Mukhtar taking the oath of office as Chief Justice

On 16 July 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan swore her in as the 13th indigenous Chief Justice of Nigeria, and conferred on her the Nigerian National Honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).[2]

Background

Mukhtar is from Adamawa state.[5] She attended Saint George’s Primary School, Zaria, St. Bartholomew’s School, Wusasa, Zaria, Rossholme School for Girls, East Brent, Somerset, England, Reading Technical College, Reading, Berkshire, England, and Gibson and Weldon College of Law, England, before being called to the English Bar in absentia in November, 1966.[4]

Career

Mukhtar began her career in 1967 as Pupil State Counsel, Ministry of Justice, Northern Nigeria and rose through the ranks:[1][3]

In her career, Mukhtar has been many firsts: she is the first female lawyer from Northern Nigeria, first female judge of the High Court in Kano State judiciary, the first female justice of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, the first female justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (certain sources have erroneously given Roseline Ukeje this honor[6][7]) and the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria.[4]

Awards

During the course of her career she received several awards including the Nigerian national honor of Commander of the Order of the Niger in 2006. Prior to that in 1993 she received a Gold Merit Award for her contribution in the development of law in Kano state and was also inducted into the Nigerian Hall of Fame in 2005.[8]

On 16 July 2012, President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan conferred on her the National Honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "ALOMA MUKHTAR: Making of Nigeria's Female CJN". P.M. News. Independent Communications Network Limited. July 16, 2012. Archived from the original on 2014-07-02. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  2. ^ a b "First female CJN sworn in, decorated GCON". The Nation (Nigeria). Vintage Press Limited. July 16, 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-07-18. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Justice Mariam Aloma Muktar: A profile". The Nation (Nigeria). Vintage Press Limited. July 5, 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-07-08. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c "Mukthar gets senate nod as CJN". Business Day (Nigeria). Frank Aigbogun. July 11, 2012. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  5. ^ Lawal, Dare. "What a woman! 10 things you did not know about Nigeria's immediate past chief justice, Aloma Mukhtar - The ScoopNG". The Scoop. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  6. ^ Bauer, Gretchen; Dawuni, Josephine (2015-10-30). Gender and the Judiciary in Africa: From Obscurity to Parity?. Routledge. ISBN 9781317516491.
  7. ^ Aka, Jubril Olabode (February 2012). Nigerian Women of Distinction, Honour and Exemplary Presidential Qualities: Equal Opportunities for All Genders (White, Black Or Coloured People). Trafford Publishing. ISBN 9781466915541.
  8. ^ "Details - Supreme Court of Nigeria". supremecourt.gov.ng. Supreme court. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  9. ^ "A portrait of Hon. Justice Maryam Aloma Mukhtar (GCON) first female justice of the supreme court of Nigeria. First female chief justice of Nigeria". Nigeria Reposit. Retrieved 2 September 2024.