SHE JOINED THE JUDICIARY AS A CLERICAL ASSISTANT IN 1973; 53 YEARS LATER, SHE RETIRED AS A JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA
On Friday, 6th November, 2026, the Supreme Court of Nigeria held a valedictory court session in honour of Hon. Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji, JSC, CFR, who retires from the Bench upon attaining the constitutional retirement age of 70 years on Saturday, 7th November, 2026.
Her Ladyship’s story is one of extraordinary perseverance, professional excellence and dedication to the administration of justice.
It is also a remarkable illustration of how far a person can rise in a profession through decades of service.
FROM CLERICAL ASSISTANT TO SUPREME COURT JUSTICE!
In 1973, a young Uwani Musa Abba Aji joined the judiciary as a Clerical Assistant in the Area Courts Division.
She was only 16 years old!
At the time, she had not obtained a law degree, let alone being called to the Nigerian Bar.
But that humble beginning would mark the commencement of a judicial career spanning more than five decades.
AND WHAT EXACTLY WAS A CLERICAL ASSISTANT?
A Clerical Assistant was a junior administrative employee responsible for routine office duties such as filing court documents, maintaining registers, processing correspondence and assisting court registrars with administrative work.
In other words, she was not employed as a lawyer, magistrate or judge. She was employed to perform basic administrative duties that supported the functioning of the courts.
She was essentially at the lower end of the judicial administrative hierarchy.
Yet, 46 years later, that same young girl would be appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria!
From assisting those who administered the courts to becoming one of the highest judicial authorities in the land!
If that is not an extraordinary story of professional advancement, I do not know what is!
HOW DID SHE RISE THROUGH THE RANKS?
While working her way through the judicial system, she pursued her legal education at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, obtaining a Diploma in Law in 1976 and an LL.B in 1980.
She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1981.
Over the years, she served as Assistant Registrar, Acting Registrar, Higher Registrar, State Counsel, Senior State Counsel, Senior Magistrate, Chief Magistrate and Chief Registrar.
Then came a historic appointment!
IN DECEMBER 1991, SHE BECAME THE FIRST FEMALE HIGH COURT JUDGE IN YOBE STATE!
That appointment was particularly significant.
At a time when women were still considerably underrepresented in the higher judiciary, Justice Abba Aji had broken an important barrier in her home state.
She would serve on the High Court Bench for approximately 13 years before her elevation to the Court of Appeal in July 2004.
At the Court of Appeal, she served in several divisions and eventually became Presiding Justice of the Ekiti, Owerri and Kaduna Divisions.
On 8 January 2019, she reached the pinnacle of the Nigerian judiciary when she was elevated to the Supreme Court.
Think about that journey for a moment.
A young girl who joined the judiciary as a Clerical Assistant in 1973 eventually became one of the Justices entrusted with the final determination of some of the most consequential legal disputes in Nigeria!
A LIFE OF SERVICE BEYOND THE COURTROOM!
Justice Abba Aji also distinguished herself through her contributions to professional and civic organisations.
She served as President of the National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria and held leadership positions in the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria.
In 2018, she became a Life Bencher of the Nigerian Body of Benchers.
She was also conferred with the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR).
53 YEARS IN THE JUDICIARY. ALMOST 35 YEARS AS A JUDGE!
There is something profoundly inspiring about a career such as this.
Some people enter a profession at the very top through privileged opportunities. Others begin at the lowest levels and gradually work their way upwards through dedication, discipline and perseverance.
Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji belongs to the latter category.
From Clerical Assistant to Registrar.
From State Counsel to Magistrate.
From Magistrate to High Court Judge.
From High Court Judge to Justice of the Court of Appeal.
And finally, from the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria!
It is difficult to imagine a more comprehensive progression through the Nigerian judicial system.
Her Ladyship has witnessed the evolution of the Nigerian judiciary across several generations, from the military era through the restoration of democratic governance and into the present constitutional dispensation.
She has served alongside judges who have long retired or passed away, and she leaves behind a younger generation of judicial officers who will continue the work of administering justice.
THE END OF A REMARKABLE JUDICIAL JOURNEY!
Tomorrow, 7 November 2026, Her Ladyship will celebrate her 70th birthday.
Today, she takes her final bow as a serving Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The Constitution may prescribe the age at which a Justice must retire, but it cannot prescribe the lifespan of the legacy that a distinguished judicial officer leaves behind.
For Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji, that legacy includes more than five decades of public service, a historic breakthrough for women in the Yobe State judiciary, and an enduring contribution to the administration of justice in Nigeria.
Her story reminds us that greatness is not always determined by where one begins, but by the heights one is prepared to pursue through years of commitment and service.
Congratulations on your retirement, My Lord. May the years ahead bring you good health, peace, fulfilment and the deserved rewards of a lifetime devoted to the service of justice.
Happy 70th Birthday in advance, My Lord!
— Culled from a fb Wall
