Delta Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has mourned the death of a legal icon and a justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Samuel Oseji.

Oseji, who was sworn in as a justice of the apex court in Nigeria in November 2020, hailed from Idumuje-Unor in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta. He died at 67 on Monday in Abuja after a brief illness.

Governor Okowa, in a statement on Tuesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, commiserated with the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the people of Aniocha North Local Government Area, and Idumuje-Unor community over the death of the statesman.

“The news of his death came to me as a great shock and I send my heartfelt condolences to his wife, Dr (Mrs) Minnie Oseji, a Permanent Secretary in the civil service of Delta State, the family and people of Aniocha North Local Government Area, and Idumuje-Unor community in particular as well as his colleagues at the Supreme Court on the passing of the renowned statesman and serving Justice of the Supreme Court,” Okowa said.

According to the governor, the deceased was a well-respected and humble jurist whose trust in God and passion for justice with unassailable integrity took him to greater heights in his career and life.

He described the late Oseji as a quintessential and intellectual jurist whose pronouncements on the bench had advanced the course of justice delivery in Nigeria.

Okowa added, “As a bastion of knowledge and inspiration, a man of great wisdom and insight, Justice Oseji contributed immensely to the development of our country’s jurisprudence in the several capacities he served.

“As a government, we acknowledge his role and efforts as first substantive Chief Registrar of Delta State Judiciary and later as Judge of the High Court of Delta, before his elevation to the Court of Appeal in 2010.

The governor also cancelled all official engagements for the day in honour of the late jurist.