By Abubakar Imam
Last Friday (February 28, 2025), a distinguished son of Ilorin and foremost legal practitioner, Alhaji AbdulHakeem Uthman Mustapha, SAN, quietly marked his diamond birthday.
As a prominent legal practitioner, committed soccer enthusiast and remarkable philanthropist, the anniversary of the birthday of Alhaji Mustapha did not go unnoticed by many individuals, institutions and organisations some of which celebrated him on pages of newspapers and on social media platforms.
Going through his intimidating resume, one would be convinced that Alhaji Mustapha truly deserves all the encomiums poured on him.
I grew up to know him as a brilliant lawyer, a son of an outstanding community leader, who served as an Honourable Commissioner in the first democratically elected government of Kwara State; and a grand son of an eminent jurist.
Despite knowing him as a pride of our community, my path and his didn’t cross until a few years ago (2020, to be specific) when he lost his mother. I and a few others had accompanied the immediate past National President of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), Alhaji Aliyu Otta Uthman, fsi, on a condolence visit to the Alikali Mustapha family of Isale-Aluko, Ilorin, on the demise of their matriarch. After exchanging pleasantries with Alhaji Uthman, the learned silk enquired from him whether the National Publicity Secretary of the Union, which I was then, was on the delegation.
When Alhaji Uthman responded in affirmative and introduced me to the senior lawyer and notwithstanding the requirement for social distance canvassed by medical authorities to tame the rampaging effects of COVID-19 pandemic of the period, Alhaji Mustapha embraced me warmly.
He, however, expressed surprise that the writer whose works he had been reading, was not as old as he expected. He thought that I should be a septuagenarian! He nevertheless congratulated me on my contributions and urged me to keep it up.
The next time we met was on the eve of the public presentation of my book, “Ilorin Emirate’s Frontliners”, on July 1, 2023. Our second meeting was at a function organised by The Likeminds, an Ilorin-centric sociocultural organisation, at the residence of his friend, Alhaji Idris Amosa Saidu. I walked up to him to introduce myself. The senior lawyer expressed the same feeling about what he considers a discrepancy between my age and the information I often dish out.
He added that if not for my event, he would have traveled abroad immediately after the Ileya festival. He subsequently honoured my invitation as one of the Chief Launchers.
Speaking at the well-attended book launch, Alhaji Mustapha recalled my previous interactions with him, highlighted what he felt were my contributions and announced a donation of ₦2,000,000:00.
Alhaji Mustapha redeemed the pledge almost immediately. He was also surprised when I told him that I have delivered the requested copies of the book at his GRA Ilorin residence with the deserved promptness.
Alhaji Mustapha earned more respect from all of our people following the comprehensive renovation of the Hiwanu Nasirudeen LGEA Primary School, Ilorin, which he singlehandedly undertook “for the love of our people”. Only a genuine patriot would do what he did.
I became more excited by his patriotism when I discovered that he didn’t attend the school. The only connection he has with the school, which has produced hundreds of outstanding individuals, is that it is located near his ancestral home.
This is not all. Alhaji Mustapha also renovated some segments of his alma mater, the Government Secondary School, Ilorin, as a way of giving back.
I sincerely believe that if all the privileged indigenes of Ilorin Emirate does as he has done with his hard-earned resources, our community would have been transformed to the delight of all.
Alhaji Mustapha was born on February 28, 1965 to the family of Alhaji Shehu Usman Mustapha and the late Alhaja Alarape Mustapha (Alhaja Mistress), a teacher at the famous Pakata Primary School, Ilorin, and later a Matron at Ilorin Teachers’ College and Government High School, Ilorin. His father, who would soon mark his 95th birthday, is the third National President of IEDPU as well as the third and current Wali of Ilorin. Alhaji Usman Mustapha is the only surviving son of Shaykh Mustapha Abubakar, otherwise known as Alikali Offa. Baba is also one of the few surviving western educated elder statesmen Ilorin Emirate is left with.
This senior lawyer was a pupil of Baboko Nursery and Primary School, Ilorin, between 1972 and 1977. He proceeded to the Government Secondary School, Ilorin, which was also attended by his father from 1944 to 1949. He was trained at the premier secondary school between 1977 and 1982. He was also educated at the School of Basic Studies (now Kwara State Polytechnic), Ilorin, where he pursued the ‘’A’’ Level programme of the Interim Joint Matriculation Board [IJMB]. He ran the programme from 1983 to 1985.
Alhaji Mustapha was offered admission into the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1985. He eventually obtained his Bachelor’s degree in law from the institution in 1988.
He proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, at the end of which he qualified as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar in 1989. Alhaji Mustapha proceeded to the prestigious Suffolk Law School, Bolton, United States of America from where he earned his Master’s degree in International Business Law in 2010. He also attended the Business School, Netherlands where he obtained an MBA degree.
This great lawyer consequently attended many reputable international institutions such as the Havard Business School, United State of America, in 2015 and 2016; where he underwent courses in Changing the Game Negotiation and Competitive Decision Making and leading professional services, respectively.
He also received training in Executive Management Development from the Manchester Business School, Manchester, United Kingdom, in 2013. He has also published no fewer than five professionally propelling and intellectually-exciting publications, which are often consulted and cited by students, scholars and professionals in the field of law across the world.
Earlier, Alhaji Mustapha had between 1989 and 1990 participated as a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the defunct Nigerian Merchant Bank Limited. He thereafter commenced his real working career at the legal department of the same bank. He was at the financial institution between till 1993.
As a focused and highly determined young man, Alhaji mustapha resigned from the bank and went into private legal practice with the establishment of his own law firm, A.U. Mustapha & Co., in 1993.
The professional enterprise of Alhaji Mustapha became an instant success. His legal outfit, which has offices in Lagos, Abuja and Ilorin, is a firm of Legal Practitioners, Consultants, Arbitrators and Notaries with Alhaji Mustapha as the Principal Partner.
This legal titan was deservedly conferred with the highest honorary professional title and most prestigious rank usually bestowed on extremely outstanding Nigerian Lawyers, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in 2016. He is also a committed member of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA).
He is also a member of the Pan African Lawyers Union. He is equally a well-regarded member of the International Bar Association(IBA) as well as a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCTI).
Alhaji Mustapha is currently the Chairman of the following reputable establishments; Airmec Renewable Energy Limited, IDC Consult Nigeria Limited and E-Tech Complete Solutiom Limited and SMABRIMS International Schools. He is also a Director of several Companies such as Trustbank Group and Haliquin Aviation Ltd., Association Brains and Hammers Limited, to mention a few.
In the corporate world, Alhaji Mustapha also served as Chairman Audit Committee of the defunct Inland Bank Nigeria Plc (later First Inland Bank PLC), which was later acquired by the First City Monument Bank(FCMB). He was also a Member of the Legal Committee of the National Council on Privatisation and was also a Member of the Governing Council of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). My findings revealed that this remarkable patriot did not draw any allowance for these assignments, which he did for four years.
Alhaji Mustapha also served as the Vice Chairman, National Appeal Committee, National Sports Commission. He is also a one-time Chairman, Electoral Committee, Nigerian Football Federation. He was also the President, Confederation of the African Football Board of Appeal, the first and only Nigerian to be so privileged. He is equally the first African to have successfully instituted legal action against FIFA at the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lusainne, Switzerland.
Alhaji Mustapha also got a Secretariat built for the Kwara State Football Association. He personally furnished the building to international standards. The edifice is renamed after his father who was not only a footballer during his younger days but also a former Chairman of the Kwara State Football Association in the 1970s and a member of the Nigerian delegation to the 1974 World Cup hosted by the defunct Western Germany.
On the social front, this respected legal giant is currently the President, Bridge Club, Lagos. He was also the pioneer President, Business School Netherlands Nigeria Alumni Association.
Alhaji Mustapha is also a distinguished member of Third Estate Group, Ilorin. He is currently one of the Vice Presidents of the respected body of distinguished professionals of Ilorin Emirate origin. Alhaji Mustapha is also one of the founding members of The Likeminds, Ilorin.
He was until very recently, the Chairman of the Kwara State Education Trust Fund (KWETF).
While holding this position, a dependable source to yours sincerely that Alhaji Mustapha didn’t draw any allowance. Yet, he paid all the expenses of all the board meetings of KWETF as part of his contributions to the development of Kwara State.
One of the great professional contributions of Alhaji Mustapha in relatively recent times was the celebrated case on Naira redesign, which he successfully prosecuted to the delight of Nigerians.
AU, as he is fondly called, is a patriot, who in addition to his inheritance of greatness, has also achieved greatness not only in his beloved profession of law but also in the corporate world and in football administration.
Alhaji Mustapha, who is the immediate younger sibling of the ebullient Wakili of Ilorin and a former Member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Mashood Usman Mustapha; and elder brother of the celebrated Chairman of the popular Sobi 101.9 FM, Ilorin, Mallam Lukman Olayiwola Mustapha, is happily married to Dr Muinat Seun Mustapha, a law lecturer at the University of Abuja. The marriage is blessed with chidren who are also doing very well.
I wish this great lawyer and unassuming patriot many beautiful years ahead.
Imam is National Secretary, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union.
