News
Pa Salami Aremu’s Enduring Legacy That Neither Time Nor Death Can Erase
By Cyril Ogar
In many communities, wealth is often measured by the fortunes a person leaves behind.
In Hangha and Tongo, two historic mining communities in Sierra Leone’s Eastern Province, however, the legacy of the late Pa Salami Aremu is measured differently not by the diamonds he traded, but by the countless lives he touched through generosity, integrity and compassion.
Years after his passing, family members, friends, business associates and residents continue to celebrate a man whose life transcended commerce.
During a recently held three-day Qur’anic prayer organised by his children and family, memories of Pa Salami came alive once again as people gathered not only to pray for the repose of his soul but also to celebrate a life dedicated to service, humanity and faith.
Born in 1934 in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, Pa Salami Aremu left his homeland in search of opportunities at a time when many West Africans crossed borders in pursuit of better livelihoods.
His journey eventually led him to Sierra Leone, where he settled in Hangha and later spent many productive years building a successful career in the country’s thriving diamond industry.
While the diamond trade brought him recognition, those who knew him say it was never the foundation of his identity. Instead, he became known as a man whose honesty earned trust, whose humility attracted respect and whose generosity endeared him to people from all walks of life.
Hangha occupies a unique place in Sierra Leone’s history. Located in Kenema District, Eastern Province, the town has long been renowned for its rich alluvial diamond deposits and artisanal mining activities.
The area played a significant role in the country’s economic development and attracted traders, miners and entrepreneurs from across Africa.
Within this environment, Pa Salami established himself as one of the respected figures in the local diamond trade. Through years of hard work and fair business practices, he built lasting relationships with artisanal miners, local traders and larger exporters. His reputation for transparency and reliability made him a trusted name in an industry often challenged by uncertainty.
Yet those closest to him insist that business was only one part of his story.
To many residents, he was a father figure whose home was always open to visitors. He was known for offering encouragement to young people, assisting those facing financial hardship and extending kindness without expecting anything in return. Whether providing support to struggling families, mentoring younger traders or simply offering wise counsel, Pa Salami believed that success carried a responsibility to uplift others.
His humanitarian spirit transcended ethnic and national boundaries.
Although proudly Yoruba and Nigerian by birth, he embraced Sierra Leone as his second home and became deeply integrated into the communities where he lived and worked. Over the years, he built friendships and relationships that reflected unity, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
It is these values that continue to define his memory.
The recent Qur’anic reading in his honour brought together family members from different locations, friends, neighbours and well-wishers in an atmosphere of reflection and gratitude.
Throughout the three-day programme, respected Islamic scholars recited verses from the Holy Qur’an and offered heartfelt prayers, asking Almighty Allah (SWT) to forgive his shortcomings, illuminate his grave and grant him Al-Jannatul Firdaus.
The gathering also reflected one of the principles Pa Salami cherished most—hospitality. Meals were prepared and shared freely with everyone in attendance, regardless of background or status, symbolising the generosity that charbacterised his lifetime.
For his children and grandchildren, the event represented more than a memorial. It was an opportunity to preserve the values he lived by and to remind younger generations that true greatness lies not merely in material achievements but in the positive impact one makes on society.
Those who attended spoke fondly of his honesty, patience and unwavering commitment to fairness. They recalled a man who believed that wealth should be accompanied by compassion, and that every successful individual had a duty to contribute to the wellbeing of others.
His influence remains evident in Hangha, where the mining area associated with his name continues to serve as a reminder of his contribution to the community’s economic life.
Although formal historical records detailing every aspect of his career may be limited, his story has been preserved through the testimonies of those who knew him personally and experienced his generosity firsthand.
In many respects, Pa Salami’s life mirrors the experiences of numerous African entrepreneurs whose greatest achievements were recorded not in official documents but in the hearts of the people they served. Their legacies endure through oral history, family traditions and community remembrance.
As the final prayers were offered during the Qur’anic programme, one message resonated clearly among those present: while life is temporary, good deeds endure.
For Pa Salami Aremu, the diamonds he traded may have brought him success, but it was his kindness, integrity and service to humanity that made him truly priceless.
His life remains a testament to the enduring power of compassion, faith and selfless leadership. It is a reminder that the greatest inheritance any individual can leave behind is not measured in material wealth but in the lives transformed through acts of love, generosity and justice.
Long after his earthly journey has ended, Pa Salami Aremu continues to inspire hope, unity and humanity among those who knew him. His story is one of resilience, enterprise and unwavering commitment to people—a legacy that neither time nor death can erase.
May Almighty Allah (SWT) continue to shower His mercy upon him, forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal rest in Al-Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen.
News
NJC Cannot Dictate Chief Judge Nominee to Imo JSC, Attorney-General Insists
Joel Ajayi
The Imo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Paul Obinatu has challenged the constitutional authority of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to direct the Imo State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) on the candidate whose name it should submit for consideration in the appointment of a substantive Chief Judge of the state, describing such an intervention as an encroachment on the constitutionally guaranteed independence of the State Commission.
In a statement issued on November 6, 2026, the Attorney-General maintained that the NJC lacks the constitutional authority to dictate, control or substitute its preferred candidate for the independent assessment and recommendation process entrusted to the Imo State JSC under the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The objection follows a directive reportedly issued by the NJC to the Imo State JSC at its 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, concerning the appointment of a substantive Chief Judge for the state.
The Attorney-General argued that the NJC’s constitutional responsibility to recommend a candidate to the Governor does not confer on it the additional power to determine or dictate the candidate the State Judicial Service Commission must submit to it. He maintained that the directive is constitutionally untenable because it interferes with a responsibility expressly vested in the State Judicial Service Commission.
SECTION 202 GUARANTEES IMO JSC’S INDEPENDENCE
Central to the Attorney-General’s objection is Section 202 of the Constitution, which expressly provides that the State Judicial Service Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person in exercising its constitutionally assigned powers.
He argued that this provision establishes a clear constitutional safeguard against external interference in the Commission’s responsibilities and cannot be overridden by the NJC through administrative directives or procedural guidelines.
According to him, the NJC cannot invoke its national institutional status or its recommendation powers to exercise control over the Imo State JSC in a manner inconsistent with the Constitution.
Consequently, any directive requiring the State JSC to submit a particular candidate or dictating the outcome of its independent assessment would, in the Attorney-General’s interpretation, amount to unconstitutional interference.
CONSTITUTION ASSIGNS DISTINCT RESPONSIBILITIES TO NJC AND STATE JSC
The Attorney-General anchored his position on Section 271(1) and the relevant provisions of the Third Schedule to the Constitution.
Paragraph 6(a) of Part II of the Third Schedule empowers the State Judicial Service Commission to advise the NJC on suitable persons for nomination as Chief Judge of the state.
Conversely, Paragraph 21(c) of Part I of the Third Schedule empowers the NJC to recommend to the Governor, from among the list of persons submitted by the State JSC, a candidate for appointment as Chief Judge.
Section 271(1) further provides that the appointment shall be made by the Governor on the recommendation of the NJC, subject to confirmation by the State House of Assembly.
According to the Attorney-General, these provisions establish a clear constitutional sequence: the State JSC identifies and advises on suitable candidates, the NJC considers the submitted names and makes its recommendation to the Governor, while the Governor exercises the appointing authority subject to legislative confirmation.
He insisted that the NJC’s recommendation powers cannot be interpreted as authority to dictate which candidate the State JSC must select or submit, as doing so would effectively transfer the Commission’s constitutional responsibility to the NJC and render Section 202 meaningless.
NJC GUIDELINES CANNOT OVERRIDE THE CONSTITUTION
Addressing the NJC’s Guidelines and Procedural Rules for the Appointment of Judicial Officers, the Attorney-General acknowledged the Council’s authority to prescribe and enforce procedural requirements for judicial appointments.
However, he maintained that such guidelines cannot confer powers beyond those granted by the Constitution or be used to compromise the independent functions of the State JSC.
He stressed that the NJC’s responsibility to ensure compliance with appointment procedures must not be extended to usurping the constitutional authority of the Imo State Judicial Service Commission.
COURT DECISIONS REINFORCE ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S POSITION
In support of his argument, the Attorney-General cited several judicial authorities which he said affirm the importance of constitutional boundaries and institutional independence.
They include Elelu-Habeeb & Anor. v. Attorney-General of the Federation & Ors. (2012) LPELR-15515(SC), Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission & Anor. v. Salisu & Ors. (2019) LPELR-47107(CA), and Bamisile v. National Judicial Council & Ors. (2012) LPELR-8381(CA).
Other authorities referenced are FRN v. Nganjiwa (2022) LPELR-58066(SC), NJC & Ors. v. Senlong & Ors. (2010) LPELR-4582(CA), and Attorney-General of the Federation v. Attorney-General of Abia State & Ors. (2024) LPELR-62576(SC).
The Attorney-General maintained that these authorities reinforce the principle that every constitutional institution must exercise its powers strictly within the limits prescribed by law, irrespective of its institutional standing.
IMO CHIEF JUDGE APPOINTMENT MUST FOLLOW CONSTITUTIONAL PROCEDURE
The Attorney-General warned that allowing the NJC to assume functions constitutionally assigned to the State JSC would undermine the integrity of the judicial appointment process and compromise the independence of the Commission.
He maintained that the issue is not a contest for institutional superiority between the NJC and the State JSC, but the need for each institution to respect the constitutional boundaries of its authority.
He further emphasised that the NJC’s responsibility to recommend a candidate to the Governor must not be confused with the power to control the independent selection and submission process of the State Commission.
The Attorney-General insisted that the ongoing appointment process must be conducted strictly in accordance with the Constitution, without interference that could undermine public confidence in the judiciary.
For the Imo State Attorney-General, the constitutional position is clear: while the NJC has the responsibility to recommend a candidate to the Governor, it has no authority to dictate to the Imo State Judicial Service Commission the candidate whose name it must submit in the exercise of its independent constitutional mandate.
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