The Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has ordered that flags in the state should fly at half-mast to mourn the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Emmanuel Chinweiwo Aguma SAN.
Aguma died on Friday at a London hospital of an undisclosed ailment. He was 57 years old.
Aguma was between 2000 and 2002 Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Port Harcourt Branch and by 2006 he was elected as the chairman of the branch till 2008.
In 2015 Governor Nyesom Wike appointed him the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, a position he held until his death on Friday.
On July 10, 2015, the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee conferred the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on him alongside 20 others.
A tribute posted by one of his friends, Chief Babatunde Ogala, Legal Adviser, All Progressives Congress (APC) posted on social media reads:
“Just heard the news a few minutes ago as I stepped out of the aircraft and switched on my phone that my brother, My friend, My colleague, Emmanuel Aguma, SAN , Honourable Attorney General of Rivers State has gone to be with his maker.
“What a heart breaking news.
“Chinwenwo and I come a long way and struck friendship when he came to do his law office attachment in the law firm of Olufemi Okunnu SAN as a student whilst I was a pupil counsel.
“We struck a friendship from him being attached to me.
“For 30 years since our paths crosses, we bonded like brothers. I met some great friends through him.
“I became a Port Harcourt boy through my friendship with Chinwe and made great and lasting friendship with his friends.
“We played hard. We worked hard.
“Chinwe was godfather and mentor to my son when he was posted to Rivers State for Yourh Service as a young lawyer fresh from Law School.
“His Port Harcourt chambers acted as my correspondence office for my matters in the South South region
“As Attorney General, he specifically requested that my son be posted to his office, the Attorney Generals Chambers and even offered him accommodation in his private property as well as a car unknown to him that both had already been arranged.
“Despite being on opposite side of the political divide and supporting and passionate about rival soccer teams in me Chelsea and he , Arsenal, we kept our friendship.
“Chinwe just left us without notice at the age of 57 years.
“When our friend, Chike Adibua called me, I had to immediately put a call to Biriyai Dambo, another of our friends who on seeing my call just simply said “Beekay it’s true ” even before I spoke.
“Who are we to question God. All I can say is good night my friend, My brother, My colleague and learned Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chinwe.
Good Night! Good Night!! Good Night!!!”
