Nigeria’s legal community gathered in solemn reflection on April 11, 2026, as retired Court of Appeal Justice Chinwe Eugenia Iyizoba was laid to rest after a funeral mass at Our Lady of Assumption Church, followed by interment in her hometown of Nimo.
Justice Iyizoba, who passed away on January 31, 2026, at the age of 76, leaves behind a legacy defined by judicial discipline, intellectual depth, and an unwavering commitment to justice. Her death, announced by the Body of Benchers and her family, marked the end of a distinguished career that spanned over two decades on the bench before her retirement in 2020.
For colleagues, friends, and family, her passing is not only a moment of grief but also one of reflection on a life marked by purpose and principle. As a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Iyizoba earned a reputation for clarity in judgment and courage in decision-making—qualities that set her apart in Nigeria’s complex legal landscape.
Born on January 19, 1950, in Bukuru, Plateau State, to the late Chief (Sir) FGN and Dame Monica Okoye of Enugwu-Ukwu in Anambra State, she carried her roots with pride throughout her life and career. Her journey from the quiet beginnings of Bukuru to the heights of Nigeria’s appellate courts stands as a testament to resilience and dedication.
She was married to the late Chief Ossy Iyizoba of Nimo, and together they built a legacy grounded in service, family, and community.
Her Lordship attended Archdeacon Crowther Memorial Girls Grammar School, Elelenwo, in Rivers State, from 1962 to 1966, where she obtained the West African School Certificate, Grade 1.
After the Civil War, she attended the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, from 1970 to 1974, and obtained the Bachelor of Laws degree with Second Class Honours (Upper Division).
She held a scholarship (bursary award) throughout her period of studies at the University of Nigeria—an award given to the best student academically in each faculty every year. She also won prizes for the best student in both the Faculty of Law and the Department of Law in the 1974 academic year.
In 1975, she proceeded to Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, Newark, USA, for her postgraduate studies and obtained a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) in June 1977. On her return to Nigeria, she was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1978.
Justice Iyizoba subsequently joined the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, as a Senior Lecturer in 1979. In 1990, she left academia and went into private legal practice. In 1994, she was appointed Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Anambra State, a position she held until 1997, when she was appointed and sworn in as a Judge of the High Court of Anambra State.
She served as a member of the Election Petition Tribunals in Sokoto and Kwara states in 1999 and in Kebbi State in 2007. She served as Administrative Judge in the Idemili Judicial Division (2000–2002), Onitsha Judicial Division (2006–2009), and Nnewi Judicial Division (2009–2010). In July 2010, she was elevated and sworn in as a Justice of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria.
Hon. Justice Iyizoba published several articles on various legal topics and presented papers at local and international conferences. She held various public appointments, including, Member, National Committee on Reform of Nigerian Prisons (1991); Nigerian Delegate to the 45th General Assembly of the United Nations, New York (1992); and Director, African Continental Bank Ltd (1986–1990).
She was a Life Member of the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association. Until her demise, she was a member of the American Society of International Law, the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), the National Association of Women Judges Nigeria (NAWJN) and the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ).
Hon. Justice Iyizoba was a serving member of the Body of Benchers at the time of her demise. Shortly before she retired, she set up her NGO, African Women Forum on Good Governance (AWFGG).
She retired from the judiciary in January 2020. In the course of delivering her valedictory speech on her retirement, she said: “I served my country in a judicial capacity for a total of 23 years—13 years in the Anambra judiciary and 10 years in the Court of Appeal. I have always borne in mind that, as a judicial officer, I am accountable to God and answerable to Him in a dual capacity: firstly as an ordinary human being, and secondly as a judge given the sacred duty of determining disputes between my fellow citizens. I have, in all these years, tried my best and prayed for God’s grace and wisdom to do the right thing always.
“As human beings, judges are not infallible. That is why we have the hierarchy of courts for appeals. The important thing is to be true to one’s conscience and to determine every case before you in accordance with the law and the justice of the particular case. I am fulfilled and at peace with every single judgment I delivered in my 23 years as a judicial officer.”
On her retirement from the Court of Appeal, a Festschrift, “Contemporary Issues in Law and Society: Legal Essays in tribute to Hon, Justice Chinwe E. Iyizoba, JCA”, was published by some of her professional colleagues in recognition of her contributions to the legal profession.
A Legacy That Endures
After she retired from the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Chinwe Eugenia Iyizoba, JCA (Rtd), remained unwavering in her commitment to the advancement of women within the judiciary. She continued as an active and devoted member of the National Association of Women Judges Nigeria and the International Association of Women Judges, attending conferences and contributing meaningfully at national and international levels.
In recognition of her dedication and distinguished service to the cause of women in the judiciary, the National Association of Women Judges Nigeria, under the leadership of the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, GCON, CFR, entrusted her with the responsibility of Judicial Coordinator for the Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) Project, a collaborative initiative between the International Association of Women Judges and the National Association of Women Judges Nigeria.
As the judicial coordinator of the project, Justice Iyizoba brought vision, structure and measurable impact to the WILIL Nigeria Project. Under her leadership, Nigeria emerged as a high-performing country team with visible and data-driven results.
Hon. Justice Iyizoba lived a life marked by quiet grace and steady love. She valued people, no matter their age, background or circumstance. She had a rare gift for bringing people together and nurtured relationships with care, always choosing peace, understanding and compassion. As a mother, she poured herself out selflessly, offering guidance, comfort and unconditional love. As a wife, she stood solidly beside her husband, especially during years of ill health. She held her marital family together, preserving unity and peace even after the loss of her husband.
Those who worked alongside her often speak of her as a jurist of rare integrity—one who approached the law not merely as a profession, but as a calling. Her contributions to Nigeria’s judiciary continue to resonate, shaping legal thought and influencing generations of lawyers and judges.
Beyond the courtroom, Justice Iyizoba was remembered as a woman of grace and quiet strength, whose life embodied the values of fairness, humility, and service.
To her siblings and paternal extended family, she was a source of encouragement and gentle support, always ready to lift others up. Justice Chinwe Iyizoba is survived by three children—Ebele, Onuora, and Ifeyinwa; two sons-in-law, Chinedu and Udechukwu; and 12 grandchildren. She is also survived by two large extended families—the R.O.M. Iyizoba family of Nimo and the F.G.N. Okoye family of Enugwu-Ukwu, both in Anambra State—including several sisters and brothers, as well as sisters and brothers-in-law.
The legacy of the late Justice Iyizoba endures in her years of dedicated service to the Nigerian nation and in the compassion with which she lived her life.
She carried fairness, wisdom and integrity into her work just as she carried kindness and humility into her relationships. She will be remembered for the warmth of her spirit and the goodness she carried within her.
As she is laid to rest in Nimo, the echoes of her judgments, the lives she touched, and the standards she upheld remain firmly etched in Nigeria’s legal history.
