Justice Josephine Oyefeso dies at 66; NBA Eti-Osa mourns “Pillar of Justice”

The Nigerian legal community is mourning the sudden death of Justice Josephine Efunkunbi Oyefeso of the Lagos State High Court, Eti-Osa Judicial Division. She died on May 15, 2026, at 66.

The Nigerian Bar Association, Eti-Osa Branch, described her passing as a “devastating blow” to the Lagos judiciary and the wider legal profession. In a statement signed by Chairman Olanrewaju Obadina, the branch said she was “more than a Judge; she was a guardian, mentor, motherly figure and pillar of support.”

Justice Oyefeso was widely regarded for her integrity, diligence, and reform-minded approach. She served across the Commercial, Criminal, Civil, Family and Lands divisions and was an Alternative Dispute Resolution Judge and immediate past Chairman of the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse Governing Council.

Called to the Bar in 1986, she began her career at Babalakin & Co. before moving into banking as Company Secretary and Legal Adviser. She joined the Lagos bench in 2001. Her academic training spanned a BA in History from the University of Lagos, an LLB from the University of Warwick, and an LLM from the University of Lagos.

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Beyond adjudication, she advocated for inclusion, mediation, and women’s advancement in law. In March 2026, she spoke at an international webinar by the National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria on work-life balance, maternity leave, and structural barriers facing female legal professionals. She was a CEDR Accredited Mediator and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators.

Colleagues remembered her courtroom for combining firmness with humanity and for fostering cordial relations between the Bench and Bar.

“She carried herself with grace and humility while continuously fostering cordiality between the Bench and the Bar,” the NBA Eti-Osa Branch said.

Tributes have continued to pour in from judges, lawyers, and former associates. Her death raises fresh questions within legal circles about institutional memory, mentorship, and the strain on Nigeria’s overburdened judiciary.