Mgbenwelu: The Cock of Imo Bar At 88■ A celebration of Ndigbo’s legal effigy,pride

By Kennedy EWEAMA
(08035529265)

Today is the 88th birthday anniversary of one of Nigeria’s finest legal scions – a man with many eye-popping definitions. To many,there is no better way to buttress the fact that man can indeed find grace and favour in the sight of God Almighty because of his uprightness and exemplary lifestyle.

Today, Nigerians and the legal community celebrate Chief (Barr)Peter Mgbenwelu – Dum Dum of Igboland. A man who represents so many positive things to many Nigerians of different social strata. An incontestable testament of God’s grace on humanity. An epitome of grace, wisdom, service and impact.

To former Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State:
“Dum Dum is a man of principle and integrity whose life has been guided by an unwavering devotion to justice and humanity.”

“88 years is not merely a number; it is a testimony of divine grace, strength of character and a legacy built on purpose. Dum Dum has not only witnessed history but have helped to positively reshape it through his wisdom, mentorship and exemplary life,” Ohakim stated.

To the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in Imo State : He is the learned Cock of Imo Bar and a living legal library.

To Ndigbo: Dum Dum is an effigy of pride and resilience

To the elders: He is an exemplary statesman full of eloquence and amazing etiquette

To the youths: Dum Dum exemplifies an effervescent jolly good fellow and youth at heart.

The legal community in Southeast, Nigeria and beyond, is without sceptism elated to celebrate a rare milestone: the 88th birthday of Chief (Barr) Peter Mgbenwelu, fondly called “Dum Dum”. For the bar and bench, the occasion is more than a birthday. It is a living lesson in history. With about 61 years of uninterrupted legal practice since his call to the Nigerian Bar in 1965, Chief Mgbenwelu is widely recognised as the oldest practicing lawyer and Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, in the Southeast,if not in Nigeria as a nation.

Friends, family, fellow lawyers, and judges from Imo, Abia, Anambra, Enugu, and Ebonyi States are in celebrative mood because of a man, whom many revere as an enigma of sort. The mood is not only celebratory, but also reflective. In a profession where many retire early, “Dum Dum” has remained at his desk, mentoring, writing opinions, and still appearing occasionally to offer counsel. His longevity is unmatched in Southeast’s legal annals.

Dum Dum’s legal odyssey

Dum Dum’s journey to the law began in the 1950s. After his secondary education, he proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and later the Nigerian Law School, Lagos. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1965, at a time when the number of indigenous lawyers in the Eastern Region could be counted in hundreds, not thousands.

Colleagues say the nickname “Dum Dum” was earned early in his practice, not for any courtroom theatrics, but for his methodical, “booming” clarity in cross-examination and his habit of settling matters decisively. His admirers posit that when Dum speaks in chambers, the matter is usually finished. Over six decades, that reputation still stuck.

Six Decades of Practice: Trials, Precedents, and Mentorship

Chief Mgbenwelu’s career spans Nigeria’s post-independence era, the Civil War, military rule, and four republics. He handled civil, criminal, chieftaincy, and land matters across the Southeast. Lawyers who trained under him recall his insistence on three things: thorough research, courtesy to the court, and integrity with clients.

It is on record that many Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN)today first learned how to draft a proper originating summons in Dum Dum’s chambers. He is known for never withholding knowledge. “If you were serious, he would sit with you after hours and go through case law line by line,” Duru, a senior lawyer with the NBA, Owerri branch averred,pointing out that Dum Dum’s “mentorship model has produced a generation of lawyers now on the bench, in academia, and in private practice across Nigeria and abroad.”

The Man Behind the Wig

Away from court, Chief Mgbenwelu is described as a community man. He is a “titled chief” and has served on several educational and church boards. A devout Catholic; he has consistently linked the law to conscience and continually advises young legal practitioners to “see the law as service, not just a trade.”

Dum Dum credits his stamina to discipline, reading, and “staying away from trouble.” At 88, he still reads law reports daily and follows Supreme Court judgments because of his belief that the law is not static. “If you stop reading, you become obsolete,” he stressed. That mindset explains why he never fully retired, even after clocking 61 years at the Bar.

Why Dum Dum’s Story Matters Now

Chief Mgbenwelu’s 88th birthday comes at a time when Nigeria’s legal profession is grappling with issues of ethics, welfare, and youth retention. His example answers several questions at once. It shows that a legal career can be long without being compromised. It shows that mentorship still matters in an age of instant information. And, it reminds the public that lawyers can be community builders, not just litigators.

For young lawyers in the Southeast, “Dum Dum” is proof that the bar is a marathon, not a sprint. In a system often criticised for delays and sharp practices, his 61-year record of steady and ethical practice offers a counter-narrative. He did not chase fame; he built a reputation. He did not retire from relevance; he aged into wisdom.

Dum Dum: The birthday “boy”

Dum Dum is a metaphor; a bridge between the old and the young. This perhaps underscores why the youths regard him as “an effervescent jolly good fellow and a youth at heart.”

As he cuts his 88th birthday cake, Chief Peter Mgbenwelu is not just celebrating age. He is celebrating a life spent in the service of law, learning, and community. The Southeast Bar does not have many like him. While the legal profession continues to evolve with technology and new challenges, the story of “Dum Dum” will remain a positive reference point for many more years to come.

At 88, with 61 years at the Bar, Dum Dum is not just the oldest lawyer in the Southeast; he is one of the finest in the legal profession.

Congratulations to the “Cock of the Imo Bar” and many happy returns,Chief (Barr)Peter Mgbenwelu – the Dum Dum of Igboland.