For Uche Nwokedi, A Legacy in Wig and Stage 

Yinka Olatunbosun 

Requests for moments of silence in memory of loved ones often lead to an eerie hush. The first shock that accompanied the tragic news that Uche Nwokedi, a genial senior advocate, playwright, and author, had died on June 28 in London contributed to the hush.

First came a press statement, then silence. His family members maintained the same level of privacy and dignity that characterised the life of the humble lawyer. Aside from the courtrooms where his voice resonated, his remarkable storytelling has snaked its way to the stage and screen.

Remember Kakadu the Musical? The arrival of this larger-than-life production on the scene changed the cultural landscape in Lagos while evoking memories laden with the dead-skinned history of the Nigerian civil war. From Nigeria to Switzerland, the cast and crew of Kakadu the Musical touched different time zones with this riveting war drama. The Johannesburg production was unforgettable; it was a piece of eye-opener for theatregoers in South Africa.

The lawyer in him was always two steps ahead of his creative self. Before using any song in his productions, Nwokedi would seek copyright to avoid any form of infringement. He was thorough and hands-on. 

His long-standing director, Kanayo Omo, and musicologist, Ben Ogbeiwi, enjoyed some measure of creative freedom to bring his play alive. With the power of music and strong casting, Nwokedi brought back nostalgia to the theatre, and for the first time since the era of the Ogundes and Ogunmola, Nigerian theatre became exportable once again.

To further consolidate that post-war healing process, Nwokedi, who was a child during the infamous war, recounted with humour a deeply personal account in his first autobiography, A Shred of Fear. Instead of throwing a lavish book launch with A-list guests, Nwokedi had a reading session last year at the CORA Book reading session in Victoria Island with friends, book lovers, and individuals with sound knowledge of the war theme.

In addition to writing legal briefs, he also created a screenplay for the legal drama series “E.V.E.” Though Nwokedi was cautious not to mislead his clients into believing that his allegiance was now artistic rather than legal, he had much more to offer creatively. His approach was to continue balancing the two while giving his legal profession more priority.

Fast-forward to June 28, when he died. Private condolence visits had been paid to his London residence by friends and associates. With funeral plans underway, his Lagos home has become the latest destination for condolence visitations.

St. Gregory’s College Old Boys Association (SGCOBA) recently paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Nwokedi, who died at 64. The delegation, led by a former President of the Association, Dr. John Abebe, was received by the wife of the late legal icon, Mrs. Winifred Olubunmi Nwokedi, at their residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The delegation expressed how much the late Nwokedi’s passing hurt the legal community, the Nwokedi family, and the Old Boys of St. Gregory’s College. Dr. Abebe comforted the family by stating that the late Nwokedi’s earthly journey had a profound effect and that he left a lasting legacy for humanity. He added that the late Nwokedi was the one who drafted the current constitution for the St. Gregory’s College Old Boys Association and that the organisation could not overlook the legacies he left behind.

In addition, Abebe lauded the late Nwokedi’s towering stature as a luminary in Nigeria’s legal landscape, acknowledging his unwavering dedication to advancing justice, upholding the rule of law, and fortifying the oil and gas industry. Dr. Abebe said the late Uche Nwokedi, even though he was his junior by many years in St. Gregory’s College, turned out to be one of the closest people to him right from when they first met almost 40 years ago. 

He said, “Uche has proven to be very, very reliable, honest, and godly in everything that he was exposed to, and that was what really impressed me about him.

“His ability to multitask and combine a lot of positive attributes he had in life without showing any stress or just going about them quietly with a smile on his face was something I really admired. 

“There was one occasion we were together, and I said to him, Look, I’ve not seen you put a foot wrong all these years. He was a fantastic, brilliant human being, and I am happy he and I crossed paths in this world. And I am delighted that he left behind a very good, humble family, his wife, and children, and I pray that God will rest his soul. 

“May the heavens welcome the soul of my brother with the same generosity and kindness he bestowed upon humanity throughout the years.”

The president of the association, Justice Adetokunbo Ademola (Retd), described the late Nwokedi as a very thorough person, brilliant, very unassuming, and highly principled. “Our great Uche was very easy going; like I mentioned earlier in my short tribute to him with his family, he was a very thorough person, an erudite lawyer, and highly principled, just like his father, the late Justice P. K. Nwokedi, of the Supreme Court,” he said.

“Uche didn’t meet me in Greggs, but I saw more of him when I was on the bench of the Federal High Court before I retired. Uche was someone who was very knowledgeable. He took very much the steps of his dad, the late Justice P.K. Nwokedi, of blessed memory. “The late Uche was a very principled person, and we missed him a lot. He was very, very active in the association, in the Catholic church, as well as in the arts. May his soul rest in peace.”

In response, Mrs. Winifred Nwokedi appreciated the delegation for sparing time to offer condolences. Other members of St. Gregory’s College Old Boys Association in the delegation are an ex-officio of the association, Mr. Kenneth Oboh; a former Secretary General, Mr. Abiola Sapporo; and the 1st vice president of the association, Mr. Tony Eppelle.

The late Uche Nwokedi SAN was an oil and gas lawyer, playwright, and author. He was the son of former Supreme Court Justice P. K. Nwokedi of Achalla, Anambra. Mr. Uche Nwokedi, SAN, attended St. Gregory’s College, Mayfield College, and the University of Lagos, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in law (LLB) (HONS). His professional career began as a legal counsel at Ashland Oil (Nigeria) Company from October 1984 to October 1985.

Subsequently, he joined the esteemed law firm of Chief Rotimi Williams’ Chambers as an associate counsel for a period extending from January 1986 to October 1991, serving for a period of four years and 10 months. In October 1991, Mr. Nwokedi SAN founded the legal practice of Uche Nwokedi & Co., Legal Practitioners, where he served as the principal counsel until his recent passing.

Widely acknowledged as a leading business attorney, Mr. Nwokedi, SAN, was well-known for his proficiency in both domestic and international commercial arbitration. His reputation as a “calm and extremely persuasive advocate” was established by his advocacy abilities, as noted in the Legal 500 Euromoney’s Guide to the World’s Leading Energy and Natural Resources Lawyers (Legal 500).

In addition, he served as the publisher and editor-in-chief of Nigerian Oil and Gas Cases, an extensive collection of Nigerian oil and gas case laws.

He is survived by his loving wife and three children.