Modupe Omo-Eboh (1922 – 25 February 2002) was a Nigerian lawyer and jurist who was the country's first female judge.

Early life and education

Modupe Akingbehin was born in

Lagos State Lagos State (, ) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West, Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, Nigerian states, Lagos is the second List of Nigerian states by population, most populous state but the List of Nigerian states by area, smallest ...

in 1922. Her mother was a granddaughter of the Lagos aristocrat

Oshodi Tapa Chieftain, Chief Oshodi Landuji Tapa ( – 1868) was Oba Kosoko's war captain and one of the most powerful chiefs in the Oba of Lagos' court. Origins Oshodi Tapa is reported to have been a slave from the Nupe Kingdom, Nupe Kingdom at Bida who wa ...

and a great granddaughter of Bishop

Samuel Ajayi Crowther Samuel Ajayi Crowther ( – 31 December 1891) was a Yoruba linguist, clergyman, and the first African Anglican bishop of West Africa. Born in Osogun (in what is now Ado-Awaye, Oyo State, Nigeria), he and his family were captured by Fulani sl ...

, who was himself a descendant of King Abiodun of Oyo. The nationalist

Herbert Macaulay Olayinka Herbert Samuel Heelas Badmus Macaulay (14 November 1864 – 7 May 1946) was a Nigerian nationalist, politician, surveyor, engineer, architect, journalist, and musician. Macaulay is considered by many as founder of Nigerian nat ...

was her maternal great-uncle. She attended

Queen's College, Lagos Queen's College, Lagos, is a government-owned girls' secondary (high) school with boarding facilities, situated in Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. Often referred to as the "sister college" of King's College, Lagos, it was founded on October 10, 1927, when ...

before studying law in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

Career

Omo-Eboh was called to the English bar at

Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...

on 14 March 1953. She worked as a lawyer, Magistrate, Chief Magistrate, Administrator-General and Public Trustee, Director of Public Prosecutions and Acting Solicitor-General before she became a judge in

Benin City Benin City serves as the Capital city, capital and largest Metropolitan area, metropolitan centre of Edo State, situated in Nigeria, southern Nigeria. It ranks as the List of Nigerian cities by population, fourth-most populous city in Niger ...

on Thursday 13 November 1969, the first woman appointed to the High Courts of Nigeria. In 1976, she was appointed to the

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

judiciary. Omo-Eboh died on 25 February 2002. There is a Justice Modupe Omo-Eboh Street in Lagos named after her.

Personal life

Omo-Eboh's husband was a Justice of the Court of Appeal from

Edo State Edo State, Edo, officially known as Edo State, is a States of Nigeria, state in the South South, South-South Geopolitical zones of Nigeria, geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As of 2024, the state was ranked as the List of Ni ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Omo-Eboh, Modupe 1922 births 2002 deaths People from Lagos State Nigerian women judges 20th-century Nigerian women lawyers Nigerian expatriates in the United Kingdom Abiodun family Queen's College, Lagos alumni 20th-century Nigerian lawyers Lagos State judges History of women in Nigeria

Early life and education

Career

Personal life

See also

References