Safiya Umar Badamasi, from kastsina first Hausa/Fulani Muslim woman to become SAN speaks on feat

Safiya Umar Badamasi, the first Hausa/Fulani Muslim woman to become Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and first lawyer from Katsina State to attain the exalted bar position has spoken on the feat.

Badamasi is among the 38 lawyers to be conferred with the title in September.

Solicitor-General of the Federation (SGF) and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Adedayo Apata, wife of Supreme Court Justice, Mrs. Adedoyin Rhodes-Vivour, human rights activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, among others were on Friday announced for the title.

The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) also named Olusegun Jolaawo, Prof Alphonsus Alubo Okoh, Prof Maman Lawan, Prof Uchefula Chukwumaeze, Abdullahi Haruna, Manga Nurudeen and John Asoluka.

Others are Adedokun Makinde, Daniel Enwelum, Emmanuel Oyebanji, Tuduru Ede, Abdul Ajana, Ama Etuwewe, Oladipo Olasope, Leslie Nylander, Olusegun Fowowe, Andrew Hutton, Olukayode Enitan, Paul Harris Ogbole, Olaniyi Olopade, Samuel Agweh, Ayo Asala, Abiodun Olatunji.

Also on the list are Olumide Aju, Chimezie Ihekweazu, Usman Sule, Safiya Umar Badamasi, Echezona Etiaba, Godwin Omoaka and Emeka Ozoani, Alexander Ejesieme, Jephthah Njikonye, Aikhunnegbe Malik, Alhassan Umar and Oyetola Atoyebi.

In an interview with Daily Nigerian, she said: “My guidance and counselling teacher was the one who motivated me. I was good in History and Literature in secondary school, so they advised me to study Law.”

On her plans after the SAN conferment: the learned Badamasi disclosed: “I will rather stay in Katsina to promote my state and groom young lawyers than go elsewhere because money,” she said.

Born on June 12, 1968 at Malumfashi town of Katsina State, the erudite lawyer rose through the rank to become the Solicitor General/Permanent Secretary of the Katsina State Ministry of Justice in November 2018.

She began her primary education at Aya Primary School, Funtua and obtained Primary School Leaving Certificate in 1980. She proceeded to FGCC Bakori, Katsina State between 1981 to 1985.

In 1985 she commenced the study of law in the then Kaduna State College of Legal and Islamic Studies, now Hassan Usman Katsina State Polytechnic and obtained a Diploma in Law in 1987.

She attended Bayero University Kano between 1991 and 1995, where she obtained LL.B (Hons). She proceeded to Nigerian Law School and was called to the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1998.

Badamasi began her working career with Katsina Ministry of Commerce and Tourism briefly between 1989 and 1990 as Assistant Tourism Officer.

She later transferred her services to Katsina State Ministry of Justice where she rose from Litigation Officer to her current position of Permanent Secretary/Solicitor-General.

Before becoming the Solicitor-General, she was Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Katsina State between 2007 and 2018.

She has to her credit four Supreme Court judgments as well as may Court of Appeal and High Court judgments.