“Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings: he shall not stand before mean men. “Proverbs 22:29.
The peaceful repose of the beautiful soul of Professor Ben Nwabueze on Sunday, 29th October, 2023, came to members of *Cultural Credibility Development Initiative* with a deep sense of loss and dejection because a top notch cerebral niche of Nigeria’s intelligentsia has gone to rest in the bosom of his maker.
The name Professor Ben Nwabueze is synonymous with:
Law teaching.
Law reading.
Law publishing.
Law practice.
Legal writing.
His entire life was consumed in using law to right wrongs, using law to create sanity, using law to build society, using law to raise leaders and using law to emplace good governance in Nigeria.
Professor Ben Nwabueze lived ninety four(94) years on earth having been born in Atani in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra state.
He was the best of the best in law profession in Nigeria traversing the class room, the court room, the legislative room and the Executive room as former Federal Minister of Education.
He obtained his Law degree from the London School of Economics (L.S.E), and the College of African and Oriental Studies in the United Kingdom.
His academic excellence that earned him the Doctoral degree in Law(LL.D) came with his publication of three resounding books in:
Constitutionalism.
Presidentialism.
Judicialism.
These three books are the bases upon which democracy is couched and sustained which often is referred to as the Doctrine of Rule of Law.
Prof Ben Nwabueze has written over thirty (30) books of academic references, authored several Treaties of local and international bonds having the average extension of four hundred (400) pages in written articulation, in addition to writing over two hundred (200) well researched articles in academic journals and given over one hundred keynote addresses in local and international conferences.
Prof Ben Nwabueze was the first Nigerian academic to be awarded the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (S.A.N) in 1978.
Prof Ben Nwabueze was a teacher of Law.
He was Senior Lecturer, Holborn College of Law, United Kingdom.
He was Senior Lecturer, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1967-1970.
Dean Faculty of Law, University of Zambia.
Director, Law Practice Institute, Zambia, 1973-1975.
He was appointed to four Professorial Chairs as scholar extraordinary in:
Professor of Law, University of Zambia, 1970-1975.
Professor of Law, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1974.
Professor of Law, University of Nigeria Nsukka, 1975-1976.
Professor of Law, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, 1989.
Upon special recommendation by the *Secretariat of the Commonwealth of Nations*, Professor Ben Nwabueze single handedly drafted the constitution of Kenya that saw the country move from one Party system to multi Party democracy in the 1980’s.
He was a member of the 1976 Constituent Assembly (the thirty nine Wise Men) that produced the draft 1979 constitution of Nigeria.
Professor Ben Nwabueze was a member of the Patriot Group with his friend and erudite luminary Chief Rotimi Williams of blessed memory who sat on the *Black Table* as Elders of the Law Profession in Nigeria.
Professor Ben Nwabueze was an Igbo leader, lover and leading light of renascent Igbo nation for the reintegration of the Igbo nation into Nigeria’s leadership architecture after a horrendous civil war in 1970 that displaced Igbo race from Nigeria’s power corridor.
Professor Ben Nwabueze Co-founded the apex Igbo Sociocultural organization called Ohaneze NDIGBO* in 1976 with his friends and compatriots in Dr Akanu Ibiam, Dr Michael Okpara, Dr K.O Mbadiwe, Chief Ugochukwu, Dr Pius N.Okigbo and Chief Jerome Udoji, with Prof Ben Nwabueze serving as it’s pioneer Secretary General from 1976 to 2004.
Professor Ben Nwabueze was happily married and had ten(10) children most of whom are Lawyers in practice.
Professor Ben Nwabueze holds the Traditional title of *Oduah Afo-na-Isagba* of Atani.
He was conferred with the Nation Honour of *Commander of the Niger, (C.O.N).*
Regrettably, Professor Ben Nwabueze departed when Technicalities have over shrouded the substance of Law and justice rendition in Nigeria.
Professor Ben Nwabueze shall be sorely missed in apt interpretation of constitutional law and the spirit of the laws.
The academic community has lost a scion of Letters.
Nigeria has lost an embodiment of legal ecumenism.
Ndigbo have lost a cerebral colossus (OBINWANNE).
Anambra state has lost a role model and leader of leaders.
Cultural Credibility Development Initiative lost a mentor, a repository of knowledge and an incubator of sound guidance.
Professor Ben Nwabueze died a fulfilled, highly successful and immensely respected personality in his field of study, in impacting lives positively, in advancing the frontiers of learning, and in upholding the dignity of mankind.
Adieu Professor Benjamin Obi Nwabueze.
Adieu Ezi Nwafor Igbo eji eje Mba.
Adieu Onye Chukwu welu amamife gozie.
NDIGBO are proud of you.
From all of us in:
Cultural Credibility Development Initiative (CCDI) Platform.
Prof Ben Nwabueze (1932-2023): Exit Of An Icon, Scholar, Luminary, Legend And Leader
