Atanda Fatai Williams

Atanda Fatai Williams
Chief Justice of Nigeria
In office
1979–1983
Personal details
Born 22 October 1921
Lagos State
Died April 10, 2002
Political party Non partisian

Chief Atanda Fatai Williams, SAN CFR, CON, GCFR (October 1918 - April 2002) was a Nigerian Jurist and former Chief Justice of Nigeria.[1][2]

Early life

Williams was born on October 22, 1918 in Lagos State southwestern Nigeria. He attended Methodist Boys High School located in Victoria Island, Lagos where he obtained the West Africa School Certificate before he proceeded to the University of Cambridge and Middle Temple where he trained as a legal practitioner in 1948.[3]

Law career

He established is own law firm in 1948, the same year he joined the Lagos State Judiciary where he rose to the position of a Crown Counsel in 1950. In 1955, he was appointed Deputy Commissioner for Law Revision, Western Nigeria, a position held till he was elected as the Constitutional Adviser, Western Nigerian Delegation, for the London Constitutional Conference of 1957 and in 1958, he became the Chief Registrar for the High Court of Western Nigeria.[4] In 1967, he was appointed to the bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as Justice. He served at various judicial committees between 1971 to 1979.[5] In 1979 he became a member of the Nigerian Body of Benchers, the same year he was appointed as the Chief Justice of Nigeria to succeed Sir Darnley Alexander.[6] He presided over the Awolowo v. Shagari case in which Chief Obafemi Awolowo's petition challenged the declaration of Shehu Shagari as the president elect of the August 11, 1979 presidential election.[7][8] He ruled that " Sheu Shagari won two-third of the total votes cast, having polled a total votes of 16.8 millions with 11.9 millions votes ahead of Obafemi Awolowo who polled a total votes of 4.9 millions.[9] In recognition of his contributions to the legal professions, he was conferred with numerous awards and National honors such CFR, COR, GCFR.[10][11]

References

  1. ↑ "There’s life even after election defeat". The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "Life after election defeat". Vanguard News. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  3. ↑ Fabio Lanipekun. "NOC musical chairs". tribune.com.ng. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Security, crime and segregation in West African cities since the 19th century". google.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Public Administration in Africa". google.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  6. ↑ "Mariam Mukhtar: Challenges before first female CJN". Vanguard News. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Awolowo vs. Shagari: The Day The Law Died In Nigeria By Seyi Olu Awofeso". Sahara Reporters. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "Nigeria". google.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "THE DOCTRINE OF SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE: A doctrine of substantial folly". Vanguard News. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  10. ↑ "Supreme Court of Nigeria - Supreme Court of Nigeria". supremecourt.gov.ng. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  11. ↑ "Details - The Nation Archive". thenationonlineng.net. Retrieved 26 April 2015.