Justice Chinwe Eugenia Iyizoba, a retired Justice of Nigeria’s Court of Appeal, one of the country’s finest and most influential voices on gender equity in the judiciary, has died at the age of 76, her family announced. She passed away on January 31, 2026.
Her death comes just weeks after she headlined a major international webinar challenging what she described as the “illusion of inclusion” for women in Nigeria’s justice system—an issue she warned could undermine democratic governance if left unaddressed.
Her family, in a statement announcing her passing, described her as a mother, grandmother, jurist, mentor and advocate whose life was devoted to justice and service.
The statement, signed on behalf of the family by OnuoraIyizoba and made available to Law & Society Magazine, reads:
“With absolute submission to the will of God, we, the family of Late Richard, Ositadinma, Molokwu Iyizoba, Ajie Nimo, Anambra State, announce the passing into glory of our cherished mother, grandmother, sister-in-law, sister and aunt – Hon. Justice Chinwe Iyizoba, Justice of the Court of Appeal (Rtd), who departed this world on the 31st day of January 2026. She was aged 76.
“We request that you kindly keep our family in your prayers at this time as we take the moment to assimilate this loss. We will keep you informed of funeral arrangements in due course.
“We will be available to receive condolence visits on Saturdays and Sundays at the Iyizoba residences as follows:
“Enugu-The Oranges-No.75 Nza Street, Independence Layout, Enugu from 12 noon to 7 pm.
“Lagos – No 295A Surulere Way, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, from 3 pm to 7 pm.
“Thank you for your understanding, support, and prayers during this time.”
On Thursday, 13th November, 2025, the Retired Court of Appeal Judge, Hon. Justice Chinwe Eugenia Iyizoba, headlined a major global webinar under the Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) project.
Justice Iyizoba retired from the Court of Appeal in 2020 after a career spanning academia, executive governance and the bench. She previously served as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Anambra State and taught law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Her Lordship is acknowledged as one of the pioneer members of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Anambra State Branch. She served as Treasurer for FIDA Anambra during the 1986-1988 administration, working alongside Chairperson Hon. Justice Funmi Ofodile.
Internationally, she chaired f the Judges’ Forum of the International Bar Association and until her passing, she was the Judicial Coordinator for the Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) project in Nigeria, which is sponsored by Co-Impact in partnership with the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ).
Appointed by Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekum, she led the Nigerian team alongside Hon. Justice Tani Yusuf Hassan to implement the initiative.
It was this work after retirement that cemented her legacy as a reformist voice.
On November 13, 2025, Justice Iyizoba led a global webinar as part of the Women in Leadership in Law (WILIL) project, a multi-year initiative of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) and Co-Impact, implemented in partnership with the National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria (NAWJN). The program is being piloted in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Mexico and the Philippines.
The webinar, titled “Enhancing Work-Life Balance and Accessibility in Court Settings,” tackled what Iyizoba called the judiciary’s “structural blind spots”—barriers that quietly block women from rising despite strong academic and professional credentials.
“Women excel in law school and dominate academic prizes,” she said at the event. “Yet when you examine who rises to leadership on the bench, the numbers collapse. This is not a pipeline problem. It is a system problem.”
Iyizoba rejected claims that women are uninterested in judicial leadership or lack qualifications, calling such arguments “factually false and institutionally convenient.” She cited data showing that while Nigeria’s apex courts appear inclusive—with women occupying the top offices—the reality in state High Courts is starkly different.
According to Iyizoba, many states fall far below the widely cited 35 percent gender benchmark, with some High Courts having as few as two women judges to 20 men. She also criticised appointment bodies that include only one or no women. She noted that many female judges are appointed late in their careers, limiting their chances of attaining leadership roles before mandatory retirement.
Beyond representation, Iyizoba highlighted practical obstacles rarely discussed in public discourse: the absence of maternity leave for judges, unfavourable transfer policies, the lack of crèches in court complexes, and limited institutional support for women balancing caregiving responsibilities.
“These conditions,” she warned, “systematically discourage women of childbearing age from aspiring to the higher bench.”
Her critique extended beyond the judiciary. Iyizoba argued that excluding women from decision-making weakens national development, echoing broader campaigns advocating reserved legislative seats for women in Nigeria.
“No nation prospers,” she said, “when half its population is structurally sidelined.”
Colleagues and advocates say Justice Iyizoba embodied the balance she preached, combining judicial excellence with family life while mentoring younger generations of women lawyers across Nigeria and beyond.
Her death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from the legal community, which remembers her not only as a jurist but as a conscience of the system, one who used her final public platforms to challenge entrenched norms and demand institutional accountability.
