Sidi Dauda Bage
Honorific prefixEmir of Lafia, the Hon. Justice
Office 1Judge of the High Court of Nigeria
Term start 19 November 1992
Term end 14 December 2016
Office 2Justice, Court of Appeal of Nigeria
Term start 210 December 2007
Term end 24 December 2016
Office 3Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Term start 35 December 2016
Term end 326 March 2019
Appointer 3Muhammadu Buhari,
Office 4Emir of Lafia
Term start 426 March 2019
Appointer 4Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Governor of Nassarawa State
Birth nameSidi Duada Bage
Birth placeLafia, Nassarawa State, Nigeria
Birth date22 May 1956 (age 70)[1]
Occupation

Sidi Dauda Bage (born 22 May 1956), is a retired Nigerian jurist who presides as the 17th Emir of Lafia, a customary emirate in Nigeria. He succeeded the 16th emir, Isa Mustapha Agwai (r.), on 26 March 2019.[2]

Early life and education

Bage was born in Lafia, in Nigeria's Nassarawa State. He attended the local Dunoma Primary School before going to the government secondary school in Lafia, 1970–1974. His initial legal training was at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, where he obtained a diploma in law in 1977. He continued his legal education with an LLB Honours degree in 1980, before attending the Nigerian Law School Lagos. He was called to the bar in 1981.[1]

Bage was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari.[3][4][5][6]

Emir

Bage was chosen as Lafia's ruler upon the death of Isa Mustapha Agwai I, on 10 January 2019 the 16th Emir of Lafia. This was done by its Emirate Council's traditional selectors, whose entitlement to do so is bestowed by custom, recognised in modern law; these "kingmakers" vote to select the traditional ruler in accordance with chieftaincy laws. Bage is from the Dalla Dunama (the 'Dalla ruling house') of the Kanuri, one of the two houses eligible for selection as emir in Lafia, in an accordance with a 1986 government regulation—the other house being the Ari Dunama, of which the 16th emir was a member.[7][8] The Emir of Lafia is ranked eighth in Nigeria's order of precedence for traditional rulers.

As emir, Bage belongs to the Nassarawa State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs and is its chairman. During Bage's reign as emir, he has been active in cultural affairs, including patronage of the Salah festival, and promotion of the Kanuri language. He has overseen the redesign of the emir's palace in Lafia. He is the chairman of the religious support society Jama'atu Nasril Islam in Benue-Plateau State.[citation needed] Bage was appointed sheikh and grand khalif for Nassarawa State of the Sufi tariqa, the Tijaniyyah order.[citation needed]

The president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari recognised Bage with an award given for peaceful and orderly rule.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hon. Mr. Justice Sidi Dauda Bage, Justice: About Sidi Dauda Bage". Supreme Court of Nigeria. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  2. ^ Andrew Aondofa, Chila (14 March 2020). "HRH (Justice) Sidi Dauda Bage: The 17th Emir of Lafia". The Abusites. Retrieved 2021-10-27.
  3. ^ "Buhari appoints two new Supreme Court Justices". Vanguard. 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
  4. ^ "Lawyer Loses Bid To Unseat Abia Governor". Sahara Reporters. 2018-04-13. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
  5. ^ "List of Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria". The Literary Fair. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
  6. ^ "NJC, CJN Onnoghen speak on alleged lopsided appointment of 14 Appeal Court judges". Premium Times. 2017-11-28. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
  7. ^ Daniels, Ajiri (17 January 2019). "Crisis rocks Lafia Emirate Council over selection of new Emir". The Sun. Archived 27 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ^ "Supreme court judge Bage emerges new Emir of Lafia". The Punch. 26 March 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2023.

Further reading

A 2004 briefing of expert opinion on the operation of traditional chieftaincy in Nigeria, compiled by Canadian authorities:

Explanation and commentary on traditional rulership and its influence in Nigeria: