Joseph Izumma Obi

Published on 13/08/2020

Barrister Chief Joseph Izumma Obi (of Lagos, Nigeria) died on Thursday, December 26, 2019. He was 90. He was born on May 2, 1929 in Ibadan, Oyo State. Aged 19 years, he enrolled as a recruit in the Nigerian Police force and completed training in September 1948. He was initially posted to the northern Nigerian state of Kaduna, and later transferred to Zaria. He learned to speak the three major Nigerian languages – Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa – fluently and applied to be allowed to take the Police Clerical Examination to become a Police Clerk. He received permission to take the exam and passed – the only one from the North. He was posted to the Northern Police Headquarters of Nigeria in Kaduna with the rank of 1st Class Constable. In his role, he was responsible for the Superior Police Records – mainly expatriate Police Officers serving in the North. Determined to continue his studies and travel abroad for further education, he lived frugally and managed to save $1500 of his earnings. He applied and was admitted to Westminster College in London (later renamed Westminster University) for O and A level examination certificates. In August 1958, he departed for London from Kano to attend Westminster College. He completed and passed the General Certificate of Education and subsequently gained admission to the London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London) to study Law. He completed his Law degree and graduated with an LLB (Hons) in 1962. He subsequently enrolled as Barrister at Law and a member of the Inner Temple in London. In the summer of 1962, a Nigerian Government recruitment team visited the London School of Economics and Political Science and interviewed the Nigerian Law graduates for appointment as State Counsel. He passed the interview and was offered a job as State Counsel. Upon his return to Nigeria in 1962, he enrolled as a member of the Nigerian Bar and began a career in the Federal Civil Service as Assistant Legal Adviser to the Federal Board of Inland Revenue. He was appointed a Federal State Counsel and was seconded to the British Income Tax Solicitors in 1965.He was later appointed Chairman of the Federal Board of Appeal Commissioners. At the onset of the Nigerian civil war in 1966, He left Lagos for Asaba in eastern Nigeria. After the civil war, he returned to Lagos and resigned from the Federal Civil Service and secured a job with Santa Fe Drilling Co Ltd where he was responsible for procurement of employment visas for their expatriate employees. He was later promoted to a Director of the Nigerian subsidiary and the Legal Adviser for the Nigerian Operations. He worked with the company until he decided to leave and go into private legal practice and pursue other business interests. In the years that followed, he concentrated on his businesses and law practice, dividing his time between Nigeria, the UK and the US. On his 80th birthday, he retired from his legal practice. He remained active in other business interests and was very involved in the welfare of his children, grandchildren and extended family. Burial services will be held on August 13 and 14 in his hometown of Obosi, Nigeria.

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