Justice Rahila Hadea Cudjoe OFR (born 6 October 1948) is a retired Nigerian jurist and former Chief Judge of Kaduna State. She is the first female Chief judge in Kaduna State and served from 1996 to 2014.[1] She is also first female Lawyer in North Western State as well as the first female Legal Draftsman in Kaduna State.[2][3]
Rahila Hadea Cudjoe OFR | |
|---|---|
| Chief Judge of Kaduna State | |
| In office 1996–2014 | |
| Preceded by | Justice Saka Adeyemi Ibiyeye |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 October 1948 Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria |
| Alma mater | Ahmadu Bello University |
| Occupation | |
Early life and education
editJustice Rahila was born in Zaria, Kaduna State, in 1948. She attended Our Ladies High School, Kaduna and Government Girls College, Dala, Kano before gaining admission to study law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Rahila was then called to the Nigerian Bar in 1973.[2]
Career
editRahila began her legal career as a State Counsel in the Kaduna State's Ministry of Justice. In 1979, she was appointed a Legal Draftsman of the Ministry of Justice, Kaduna and a Legislative Counsel to the Kaduna State House of Assembly. In 1983, she was appointed a Judge of the Kaduna State High Court.[4] Under the administration of the former Governor Lawal Kaita of Kaduna State, Rahila was appointed a Chief Judge of the State. In 1992, Rahila lead a Commission of Inquiry into the Zangon-Kataf crises, which produced two reports on the cause of the violence.[2][5] In 2020, 28 years later, the Kaduna State Executive Council established a committee to draft a White Paper on the two reports produced by Rahila's Commission.[6]
Memberships
edit- Member, National Judicial Council
- Member, Nigerian Body of Benchers
- Member, Nigerian Bar Association
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Book on Justice Cudjoe for presentation". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 2013-12-16. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
- ^ a b c Admin (2017-02-07). "CUDJOE, Rahila Hadea". Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
- ^ Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute Report, Prof. N.R. Madhava Menon (2013). "Newsletter of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute" (PDF). Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute.
- ^ Federal Republic of Nigeria - Official Gazette (1988). APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES. Lagos: The Federal Government of Nigeria. p. 181.
- ^ Nwadinobi and Maguire, Eleanor Ann and Sarah (2013). THE ROLE OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN PEACE INITIATIVES IN NIGERIA. Nigerian Stability and Reconciliation programme. pp. 3.1 and 3.2.1.
- ^ Tauna, Amos (30 June 2020). "Zangon Kataf crisis: Kaduna govt sets up eight-member White Paper drafting committee". Daily Post.