On Monday 2nd of May 2022, the Director of Legal, Archives & Processes/Head, Litigation Department, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Mr. Ibrahim Duro Gold, a teacher, lawyer, administrator, and doyen of litigation honourably retired from Service after attaining the compulsory retirement age of 60.
Equity News brings to you our insightful chat with the retiree on his birth, early life, and career amongst other things.
Sir, Can we meet you?
Mr. Ibrahim Gold: My name is Ibrahim Duro Gold, from Ilorin, Kwara State, I was born on the 2nd of May, 1962 Into the Gold’s family in Ilorin. I grew up in Ile-Ife in Osun State and that was where I did my primary school.
While in primary school, we combined both western and Islamic education. We went to the western school in the morning and then returned to Ile Kewu (Islamic School) in the evening as it’s popularly called and known.
I attended the Ansar Ud Deen Primary School Ogbon Agbara in Ile-Ife for my primary education. I completed primary school education in 1973; I with my other 2 siblings, our parents were so much believed that we should have our grassroots home knowledge. In 1973, there were three of us in the family of Gold, Salihu Gold of blessed memory, Ahmad Gold still in Ilorin, and my humble self were taken back to Ilorin to start secondary school.
So when we got to Ilorin, our parents still believed that we cannot just jump to secondary school just like that, so we had to repeat Primary six at Barakatu LEA Primary School, we were there from 1973 up to 1974.
Indeed our going back to the root made us associate with the people from the locality and honestly up till now some of my primary school mates in that school we are still in touch whereas those I attended primary one up to primary six within Ile-Ife I can hardly remember them; I can only remember a name Kazeem Oluwa but in Ilorin, some of us attended the same secondary school, few of those are Isiaka Abdulrahman, Usman Kusi, Titilayo Salman, Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe -a serving Senator- we were classmates in primary school then.
As we were attending primary school, we were still going to Ile kewu and aside from that Ile kewu, we were involved in weaving. We grew up with the old people and that really paid off.
In 1974, the three of us that were relocated furthered our education to secondary school, Saliu Gold of blessed memory attended the Lafiaji Teachers’ College in Kwara state, Ahmad Gold attended Government Secondary School in Ilorin and I attended Jebba Teachers’ College. I was a pioneer student in that school. One striking thing about Jebba Teachers’ College when we resumed I cannot recall the population but it was only three students that were female, I can remember one Zainab Audu was one of the girls but I can’t remember others, what they did was just to swap, so they took the boys to one of the newly established Teachers’ Colleges, so they now brought girls to have more girls.
When we got to form three, our age mates in our neighborhood would ask what course or subject would like to pursue after secondary school, one would say he wanted to be a medical doctor, another lawyer, and others liked to be engineers. I was not that lucky to choose as we were strictly trained to be primary school teachers; so when my peers talked of physics, chemistry, and biology, I didn’t have that opportunity to know about these courses, what we did was social studies, physical and health education, we didn’t offer mathematics, it was arithmetic that we taught. Having realized that in form three, I alerted my parents that in this school, there’s no future, I cannot become a medical doctor, I cannot become an engineer, I will be a teacher simplicita, and the teaching itself is limited to primary school; my parents made attempt to change my school to Government Secondary School, Malete where the Kwara State University is situated now, but when they started the processing at some point, I said NO, I will not go, and they asked me why?
I said I will lose my friends, and I didn’t want to be a newcomer, so I just said that I will stay, they left me there, so I completed the Teachers Training in 1979.
After the training, I got employment in Ilorin local government, Ilorin where I was posted to Iponrin LEA Primary school, and within a year I was transferred to Ilorin township ie. Alore LEA Primary School where I was till 1983 when I furthered my Education at the Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, and proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University.
Which year did you gain admission to ABU?
That was 1986, I was a teacher in primary for 9 years, I graduated from ABU in 1989 and we now went for compulsory youth service NYSC I was posted to Lagos, I did my primary assignment at NITEL Library, Capps, Oshodi, Lagos, I read Library science, coincidentally and luckily for me it was then that NITEL was establishing it’s a library. So I met professionals in Library Science from National Library. They came to establish the NITEL Library at Oshodi training school so I participated fully in the establishment of the library and I completed the National Service; before completion, the Job was waiting, a classmate of mine in ABU – Shade Yusuf (Mrs.) Née Onadiran, she served at Lagos State Polytechnic while I served in NITEL; we were classmates then in ABU, I don’t know what happened, Shade and her husband came to NITEL one evening towards the closing hour and told me that Shade had talked to the Rector of that Institution ie Lagos State Polytechnic about my competence and that they were ready to employ me. Shade did well during the service year and was assured of a place and was asked to bring another person who she could vouch for.
I let the duo realize I didn’t apply to the Institution, her hubby advised me to apply, but I wasn’t interested besides I was eager to go back to Ilorin and there was no need for me to stay in Lagos.
Her husband further encouraged me to give it a chance, to the glory of God, I was employed in LASPOTECH and when I resumed I thought I would just spend two or three months and leave because Lagos was not my favourite. So I was there and another employment opportunity came, I was invited for a job interview at the Central Bank. Someone wondered what job satisfaction I will get at the Central bank, as a Librarian? then I discouraged myself, I didn’t go, thinking I will get another offer in Kwara State.
I was in Lagos Polytechnic from 1989 or 1990 up to 1997, so in 1997 I was just going through a newspaper, then saw an advert for a vacancy for National Human Rights Commission, went through it and I saw I was qualified, so I applied, normally, no godfather, then after few weeks letter came for an interview, I received the letter by then I was already studying for my master’s programmer at the University of Ibadan in Library and Archival Studies, so I got the invitation to attend the interview at the Human Rights Commission in Abuja. I went and became successful to the glory of God so I left LASPOTECH and joined the National Human Rights Commission.
Which year did you join the National Human Rights Commission?
I was there from 1997 to 2001, then at the Commission, I came across an advert in the New Nigerian for the National Judicial Service Commission adverting for the Supreme Court of Nigeria which I applied. My days in the National Human Rights Commission was like I was marking time.
What happened?
I was a level thirteen officer we wrote promotion exam, that year every other person succeeded but me, the clerk that distributed those promotion letters of those who were successful came to me I signed for the promotion letter, so he looked for this letter and couldn’t find it but he was so sure that he saw this letter. Are you not Ibrahim Gold? He looked for it but never saw it.
“Something happened,” I said to myself if something could happen to me like this I think I should find my way. My initial thought was to resign but some people advised against that why should I resign instead I should look for another job that what happened is for a purpose so, with all the words of encouragement I looked forward to the advert in FJSC for Supreme Court, I applied and went for the interview, I was successful.
One striking thing happened in the interview at the Federal Judicial Service Commission chaired by the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Lawal Uwais, he asked me, off record, having been convinced about my performance and having assured me that I was successful and had assured me that I was going to be taken. I was asked a question that I should not take to mean anything but it’s just out of curiosity and interest, ‘Please Mr. Gold where are you from?’ I felt embarrassed because I thought it was in my CV, he said it wasn’t in my CV, so I said I am from Kwara State, everyone looked at me and said
‘When they were looking at the records I was qualified for what I was invited for but they needed this quota, I think it was for Lagos but nowhere in my CV that suggested my state of Origin. The Panelist thought I was from Lagos State because my name Ibrahim Durocher Gold is more of Ogun State or Lagos State, they congratulated me that at least I performed very well so that was how I came to the Supreme Court as a Chief Librarian level 14 in the year 2002, that was the post I didn’t get at the National Human Rights Commission so I got it at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Which year did you gain Admission to Study Law?
I gained admission in the year 2004 to the University of Jos and I graduated in 2008. I went to Nigerian Law School 2008/2009 in Abuja and I was called to the Nigerian Bar in November 2009, while in school I was still working, I spent 2 and half hours journey to Jos from Abuja after attending lectures I returned to attend to work on my table. During the process of getting the Law degree, I had the understanding of the then Chief Registrar and the Deputy Chief Registrar, Hon; Justices DanLami Senchi and Usman Alh. Musale, both are Justices of Court Appeal.
During the process, I was posted out of Library to Admin. I was in Admin for some years from there I headed to Store/Procurement and I was taken back to the library. One afternoon in 2009 the then Chief Justice Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapher, CJN summoned me he directed and said
“I’m taking you to Litigation Department”, I said “My Lord I don’t know what they do in the Litigation Department”, he said but you have been called to Bar I said yes but I have never practiced, he said yes, that it is a work that requires sincerity honestly and dedication and said I know you can do it. I was lost but the Chief justice had spoken and I was immediately posted to Head, of the Litigation Department. I didn’t have an alternative.
Sir, to the glory of God, in a couple of weeks you will be retiring from service by virtue of the provision of the Constitution on 60 years age of retirement?
Honestly, retirement is something I look forward to, it means one will have time for other things, from what I have said, I have been in government service as early as a primary school teacher, secondary school teacher, and lecturer at the polytechnic, so from there to Human Rights Commission, from there to Supreme Court, it has been government, government, government, and your’s obedient servant.
Now there are others that have been doing a private job and they are successful so I want to see the other side of the world. Today, somebody informed me that his former boss told him that when he retired he got an offer, ie a contract, so he executed the contract and told him that all the 35years he spent working as a Civil servant, the money he got from the contract doubled whatever he had earned while in Service.
I do see retirement as one avenue for one to rest and to devote energy to other things, especially you should devote your heart and everything to the service of almighty God.
Sir, if I may ask again couple with many years you have spent in service to the glory of God without any form of blemish, is there any embarrassing moment?
I have a few.
Can you name just one?
A petition to the Chief Justice alleging that I frustrated a Political Appeal by not listing same in the Cause List because according to the petitioner he refused to part with N100M as demanded by staff and my humble self. The petition was sent to my office for my response since I didn’t know what it was about and the name mentioned has never discussed anything with me. The petitioner’s name was not known to me. I advised that all the names mentioned should be brought together to face themselves by a panel. 3 Justices of the Court were constituted to investigate the allegation. All those that were mentioned in the petition and the petitioner were invited to face the panel. My name was just used as the petitioner confirmed that he came to my office with the other staff mentioned but I did not attend to them whereas the staff in question denied having brought the petitioner to me and never discussed the issue with me. The call logs were obtained but there was no time neither the petitioner nor the staff communicated with me. My name was dropped severely. I was exonerated.
Now we are overwhelmed, like the number of appeals that the Supreme Court is sitting on a day is much not less than 7 appeals and more motions which are often contentious. Everybody wants his matter to be heard, the Nigerian Constitution has given pre-election and election matters preference above all other matters, now some people believed that if you get a date is Mr. Gold and if you don’t get a date for your hearing is Mr. Gold. I’m overrated but thank God it has not gone into my head.
So I don’t know how to describe that, at times I see myself and ask, what is this, I just thank God for everything. Now there was a time, I did not know of this until much later, somebody wrote a petition and swore to an affidavit that I frustrated his becoming a governor of a State, it was a petition to the Chief Justice of Nigeria. Nobody invited me for anything, only much later I saw the minute that “we have a deal and we have spoken”.
I read all these things, this person swore to an affidavit on something that I knew nothing about, this person believed that I was working for a serving governor then, that governor up till today I have never met him one-on-one, he has never sent anybody to me, but this person went and said I did this and that the Chief Justice then gave a directive, I did not follow the directives, and the alleged directive is nowhere to be found. it’s just a figment of the imagination of the petitioner. Any time I remember this thing it is always embarrassing.
Sir, can you just tell us one of the most memorable moments you had while in office.
There are many, now a memorable moment is when a matter that is time-bound, i.e it has a limitation of time, for whatever, the lawyers, maybe they did not file on time and they are now coming at the wee hour to show us that each time we come….. and maybe the matter has been filed earlier, maybe it is the registry that did not pay particular attention to it, now, we can file and walk to the CJN to confess our sin, and the sin is that this is from the registry, we did not avert our minds to it My Lord, this matter has to come up tomorrow or next, he will agree, just inform the justices, I do have the confidence to go to the justices having informed the CJN as directed, lol and behold they will sit on the matter and when such matter is adjourned for judgments I am always on top of that, I am always very happy about that.
Sir as you are bowing out, what will u miss?
I will miss everything, I will miss the interaction, the wisdom of these men of wisdom, the justices of the Supreme Court who have taken me as their child, they always counsel me, they always advise me. I am very free to all of them, I will certainly miss that, and I will miss the staff of the litigation department, they do come here and offer sincere advice, it doesn’t matter if I like it or not, they will say it. I will miss these officers including the management.
Sir, you have worked with many, I think within the judiciary you would have been the only litigation official who has worked with many CJNs, can you remember how many you have worked with?
I came when Hon. Justice Lawan Uwais was the Chief Justice, I was here when Hon. Justice SMA Belgore became the Chief Justice, I was here when Hon. Justice I. L. Kutigi became the Chief Justice, I was the Acting Head of Administration then, and I was here when Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapher was the Chief Justice, I became the Head of Litigation, Department, afterward Hon. Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar became the Chief Justice the very 1st woman to attain that height, I became a Director during his tenure.
I was heading the Litigation Department when Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed became the Chief Justice and remained so throughout his tenure. I worked with Hon. Justice WSN Onnoghen as a Director and Head of the Litigation Department then the incumbent Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad who I have been working directly since when Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapher was the CJN, he was the supervising Justice of the Litigation Department. The current Secretary, National Judicial Council, Mr. Ahmed Gambo Saleh was the DCR, Litigation. I’m glad I had a very good working relationship with all of them to the glory of almighty God.
Sir, what advice will you give anyone stepping into your shoe?
There must be the sincerity of purpose, there must be contentment. What do I mean, I told you that the Supreme Court is only one, we have several trial courts, ie High Courts, and we have many Divisions of the Court of Appeal, but here it is just one Supreme Court and everybody wants his matter to be heard and determined one way or the other. So there may be intent to compromise if there is no contentment could be a ditch, and if such happens and one will not be able to defend it, you are bringing the name of the institution down and dragging it to the mud and I will advise the person to be open to his staff and to participate in the processes when matters are coming up, he should not just sit here, he should go there, if he doesn’t he will not be able to answer some questions that may be posted to him unknowingly and he will not be close to the justices as it where.
Sir, we discover that the rate at Supreme Court delivers her judgments is always fast than the previous years, and always on the increasing side. What formula did you use to achieve that?
It’s not about me, it’s about the justices and the system, the justices are humane and they have conscience as it were, as I have mentioned to you, the Constitution has given preference to the election and pre-election matters now these ones we have multiple filing of the same matter coming to Supreme Court and when they come it means all other matters will have to hold on. The Justices in their interest for the nation having had these political matters still accommodate all other matters be it civil or/and criminal matters. You will notice that the number of appeals heard and delivered are more in the election years as 2023 is approaching. The Court frowns at abandoning other matters so the Justices bend to accommodate other matters outside the Political Appeals at the Pre Election and Election Appeals peak. So it’s not about me, we should give credit to their Lordships.
Sir, would you still like to go back to Ilorin?
Obviously, yes, I will like to go but I’m not relocating immediately but if the circumstances warrant why not?
Sir, how would you like to be remembered?
There are people that grow from grace to grace but I’m somebody from nowhere to somewhere, nowhere in the sense that I have never been or mentioned that my parents are this or that. I told you about my Secondary School, I never thought or dreamt to reach this height. I would like to be remembered as somebody who is lucky and who God in His infinite mercy has favoured but never taken it for granted. Always thankful to God and to those I have come across.
Sir, can you remember any of your friends in Law school?
There’s this Alhaji Ibrahim Saka, there’s this permanent Secretary Mr. Sulaiman & Luqman Fagbemi the duo are Mr. Lateef Fagbemi’s SAN elder & younger brothers, we were together in law school and one immigration officer Mrs. Ramat Adebayo who taught me acronyms to tackle Bar examinations.
Sir, can you use 2 minutes to appreciate those who have worked with you for so long as they are still part of you.
As I said to God be the glory, all this while it’s not about Mr. Gold alone, there are silent people I mean staff that that are always there for me anytime. First, I will appreciate the almighty God and I appreciate Umar Yakubu, when I was posted to litigation I didn’t know anything about litigation, it was this young man that took me through the job and I want to recognize Mr. Peter Yahaya of blessed memory, then my Secretary -Mrs. Adija Aregbesala aka Iya Are, always holds the fourth anytime I’m out of the office. Many thanks to all Sectional and Unit Heads including the Courts Registrars and their staff. To Mr. Christopher Udo, Mr. Festus Ayobami, I can’t forget Mr. Usman Bature Batagarawa and Mr. Tunde Adebakin (rtd). I appreciate all I have worked with within the Litigation Department and those outside Litigation like Library, Administration, Stores/Procurement, and the Chambers Staff. Many thanks to all.
What is your relationship with the lawyers too?
My relationship with the Lawyers is very fantastic I appreciate them all including the senior ones who are numerous to mention.
Thank you sir for your time, I wish you a successful retirement. Your life will not be cut short and you shall live to eat the fruit of your labour and the name you have protected for so long will not spoil and all your children shall be greater thank you
Thanks for being thoughtful
