page_title: Steven Bankole Rhodes
section_title: Judiciary
hierarchical_section_title: Steven Bankole Rhodes / Judiciary
caption_attribution_description: English: L-R Akinwumi Rhodes-Vivour , Justice S.B. Rhodes , Steve Rhodes
context_page_description: Justice S.B. Rhodes C.B.E. was one of the founding fathers of both the Nigerian Judiciary as well as the Executive arm of government. On November 8, 1945, he was the second indigenous judge appointed in to the Nigerian Judiciary, the first being Justice Jibowu and the third being Justice Adetokunbo Ademola. As a pioneer Judge, He contributed immensely to the development of Nigerian case law, by adapting the principles of the English common law, in their practical content, to the Nigerian environment.
  In 1943 he served on the Executive council of Governor Sir Bernard H. Bourdillon; Prior to this, no African had participated directly in policy formulation at the central executive level in Nigeria. He also served on the legislative council representing the Rivers division prior to his appointment to the Executive council.
context_section_description: On The 9 October 1945, King George VI gave directions for the appointment of Steven Bankole Rhodes C.B.E., to be appointed as a Puisine Judge of the Supreme Court of Nigeria . He was the first Nigerian lawyer to be elevated to the Supreme Court Bench straight from the Bar, assuming his role on the 8th of Nnovember 1945 .
  Others on the Bench included, Puisne Judges – O. Jibowu ; A.G.b Manson ; H.m.s Brown; C.T .Abbott ; W. Wells Palmer ; G.G Robinson ; F.W. Johnston ; E.Hallinan ; G.R Gregg.
  One of the most famous and controversial cases brought before him was the trial of Heelas Ugokwe for the attempted assassination of H.M. Foot.
  Heelas Ugokwe, a postal worker who in the midst of a countrywide crackdown on anti-colonial activists, carried out an assassination attempt on Colonial Chief Secretary, Hugh Foot. He stabbed him with a jack-knife from behind but Foot was rescued by a messenger. In court, Ugokwe revealed that his target was the British Governor, but because he could not reach him, he decided to assassinate Foot. He accused the British of carrying out massacres of Nigerians and that if the British officials who murdered Nigerian coal miners were free, he saw no reason why he should not be set free. His only regret, he told Justice S.B. Rhodes was that he did not succeed in assassinating Foot. The judge gave Ugowe the maximum life 
  'In which law book did Mr S. B. Rhodes read that a type of Ugokwe's charge was punished by life' - Nnamdi Azikiwe.                                                  The judgment infuriated the Zikist that had come to regard Helas as a champion for Nigeria's liberation.
caption: L-R  Justice Akinwummi Rhodes-Vivour (sat on the chair), Justice S.B. Rhodes, Steve Rhodes (far right)
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