Some lives read like quiet miracles. Chief Jibrin Samuel Okutepa’s is one of them.
Born on January 1, 1960, Okutepa began primary school at an age when many peers were already in university. At 17, he sat among seven-year-olds, unashamed and determined. Learning, once tasted, had become irresistible.
His father opposed Western education. Yet young Jibrin learned secretly, borrowing books and listening to neighbours’ lessons. Eventually, he enrolled himself. The backlash at home was severe. Though promoted, he dropped out and ran away.
What followed was survival by skill. He apprenticed as a motorcycle mechanic, worked as a fireman, drove taxis, and made furniture. Still, he studied. In 1982, he passed his GCE O’Levels as an external candidate.
The climb continued. He attended the School of Basic Studies, studied law at the University of Jos, and was called to the Bar in 1991. By 1993, he co-founded a law firm that grew into J.S. Okutepa (SAN) & Company.
His elevation to Senior Advocate of Nigeria crowned a journey he calls “grass to grace.” It was earned through grit, patience, and faith.
Life tested him again in 2025 with the loss of his daughter, Ojochide Charity. His response was profound trust, not bitterness. He chose gratitude over despair.
As a lawyer, Okutepa is fearless. He speaks plainly against judicial compromise, forum shopping, and ethical decay. For him, justice is not a speech. It is a duty.
At 66, Chief Okutepa stands as proof that beginnings do not define destinies. Courage does. So does character.
From all of us at Law & Society Magazine, happy bithday sir!
