This piece is an attempt to salute the memory of great Jurist, a leader, a Statesman and for some fortunate ones a great mentor.

Born in Katsina in 1930. He attended Katsina Elementary School from 1938 to 1942. He was educated at Barewa College, Zaria. He wanted to become an engineer but the then Northern Government decided his career for him. He was called to the Inner Temple. He attended the prestigious Harvard Law School and began his career as a crown counsel in the defunct Northern Region in 1956. He was a judge in the higher court of Northern Nigerian for ten years before being appointed by late General Murtala Mohammed to the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1975. He became the Chief Justice of Nigeria on March 9th, 1987, the position he held until he retired in 1995. He was involve in numerous community services serving as either patron, trustee or advisers to several associations including Nigerian Bar Association, Gamji Members’ Association and Barewa Old Boys Association. He was the Chairman, Katsina Foundation. He was a Courageous, Compassionate, respectful individual who has the enduring faith in seeing the country achieve it’s set goals.

He was known to have shown leadership qualities right from when he joined UAC as a Manager Trainee. History had it that his ability to make good friends, extramoral activities amongst other positive qualities and place him in a position to make gin strides in life. He accepts reality and always recognize the advice of elders. Soon after leaving College, he joined the Engineering Department. However, on the advice of norther elders and the seemingly lack of professionals in judiciary and legal practice from this part of the country, Justice Bello along with Justice Mamman Nasir and late Justice Ardo were encouraged to read Law. The result is the indelible footprints they and others left for us to document to solve the nation’s legal system.

Justice Bello live an exemplary life that serves as beacon of hope for our generation. His achievements are beyond a rice, and these have in no way affected him. There is this popular saying that “a lizard that falls from the Irojo tree doesn’t wait for anybody to commend its efforts, it always nod its head”. This does not speak about his achievements, bnut lets those achievements speak for themselves. Most at times he shy away from praises and even in a situation where an achievement is wrongly ascribe to him, he quickly readdressed it. Take for instance during an interview by Prince Emeka Obassi, when was addressed as the first Lawyer from the North, he quickly pointed out “Alhaji A. G. F. Abdulrazak (SAN) is the first Northern Lawyer, not me. Despit his social standing in society, Justice never forgot those below him. He found time to discuss with them share their problems, listen to their opinions etc. indeed, he looks more like them! He was devoid of opulence and was uncommonly simple. During the memorial lecture with a theme: Justice Mohammed Bello: A Quintessence of Humility, Integrity organized by Gamji Members’ Association, the Guest Speaker, Justice Oputa remarked :There was no sophistication about him. He did not even look learned. If you meet him on the road you will take him for any ordinary Nigerian of Hausa extraction”. Alhaji A. G. F. Razak (SAN), have this to say on Justice Bello “As his integrity and his long and honest legal and judicial service to Nigeria, there is no doubt about them. He was a good gentleman to the Core”. The Special Guest of HOnour, former President Babangida in his remark “… late Justice Mohammed Bello could hardly be forgotten by so many of us who are gather here today because of his character and simplicity that were his hallmark. Justice Bello had touched our lives in so many ways so much so that we cannot be able to wipe him off our memories”. He further described Justice as an embodiment, gentility, sensibility and piety. He reminded the distinguished audience that Justice Bello was a very erudite horizon, yet pious; a man of his people, very localized yet a statesman”. Let me recall an incidence that took place in November, 1987 and reported in Newspaper tagged “Bello’s Court”; shortly before the Supreme Court of Nigeria began sitting for the day, one of the Justices who was to sit on a panel to hear an appeal, sent in a word he was ill. This was promptly reported to Mohammed Bello, the Chief Justice of Nigeria. He rushed into his Chambers. A stickler for time, he wanted to be in the Court at 9a.m. On his way to the Court, one of his aides notice that Justice Bello went him to his house to get his shoes. But not wishing to delay the court Justice Bello rushed into the general office in search of a pair of “size seven” shoes. He entered the Court in borrowed shoes. Later he and other Justices had a good laugh over the incident. Such instance with respect to Justice Bello are numerous. Take for instance in Gamji Members activities, if the general invitation card is scheduled to take place by 9:30a.m. (for Justice Bello, it’s better you write 10:30a.m., for if he will be there before 9:30). The memorial lecture on him was quite easy as quite a number of his contemporaries and former colleagues were in attendance. His good disposition and humility could be attested to from the received goodwill messages on him during the memorial lecture and also from glowing tributes from colleagues and friends at different for a, some of which include the following: Justice M. D. Saleh had this to say on him “He has all his life been an advocate of the improvement of condition of service of judicial officers, especially selecting the right caliber of people for judicial officers and provision of adequate facilities for smooth administration of justice”, late Chief F. R. A. William puts it this way “He is a man whose entire professional life is untainted by any scandal or malpractice. Confident that his record of public service is clean and unimpeachable, he has challenged those who dared to swear it to prove accusations in the public arena of a Court of law”. Chief M. A. Agbamuche pointed out that Justice Bello had acted in a good faith and according to his oath of office throughout his tenure. He concluded by saying that posterity will remember him for not presiding over the liquidation and dismemberment of his country. Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice M. Uwais pointed out that if Justice Bello was not forced to accept the Supreme Court appointment by Late General Murtala Mohammed in 1975, “the nation would have been denied the erudition and the wonderful service rendered by Justice Bello as a justice of the Supreme Court for twelve years and Chief Justice of Nigeria for eight years. Chief Kehinde Sofola (SAN) described him as a Jurist of distinction, an incorruptible judge, a great patriot, a devout muslim, a worthy statesman and a shining example to younger generation. On the international award won by Justice Bello and presented by World Jurist Association in Montreal Canada, Justice M. D. Saleh had this to say “it is a very deserved International acknowledgement of your personal ability, performance and leadership, you showed your surprise but those of us who knew you better than the awarders knew that you had earned that several years back”. Mallam Lawal Jibrin, National Chairman of Gamji Members’ Association speaks further on Justice Bello “when the late Justice Bello gets to speak, he is always absolutely sure of his facts which have always been gathered by direct personal experience. You know he has a murid an elder who is working tireless for the peacefully development of the country”. When ask to comment on Justice Bello, Justiman Mamman Nasir, Galadiman Katsina, concluded its this way is …. His story is for youths to study and emulate”.

To Justice Bello, there’s more to life than the naira bill. As such to him “poverty is no excuse for corruption”. He brings a welcome realism to the debate on selflessness and patriotism. We thank the Almighty for the love he was able to show us, the discipline he sought to imbibe in us and how he tried to teach us through his deeds and counseling the importance of certain values such as modesty, good disposition, patriotism, honesty, humility and truthful perseverance. Values which we should harnessed and pass to our wards. We shall continue to cherish the virtue of simplicity and honesty which most exemplified his person and character. May Allah grant him aljanna firdausi (Amen).