Lifestyle
Justice Akinwunmi Rhodes-Vivour: A Legacy Carved in Law and Integrity
Born on the 8th of July, 1910, in Lagos Island, Akinwunmi R.W. Rhodes-Vivour came from a distinguished lineage that would later shape some of Nigeria’s most illustrious legal minds. His father, Garnet Vivour, and mother, Sarah Rhodes de Vivour, belonged to the early class of educated Lagosians. From the start, his life was steeped in the values of hard work, discipline, and public service.
He began his early education at the Methodist Church Primary School and continued at the prestigious Wesleyan Boys’ High School in Lagos. Initially trained as a surveyor, he obtained a diploma in Surveying from the British Institute of Engineering Technology, London, and worked with Shell and D’Arcy Exploration between 1939 and 1942. However, destiny had other plans. Inspired by his uncle, Justice Steven Bankole Rhodes—one of the earliest Nigerian judges—young Akinwunmi turned his attention to law.
He went on to study law in London and was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple on the 18th of November, 1946. Upon his return to Nigeria, he joined the colonial judicial system as a Magistrate Grade I on August 1, 1950. Through sheer dedication and an unwavering commitment to justice, he rose through the ranks: promoted to Senior Magistrate in 1955, Chief Magistrate in 1961, and appointed a High Court Judge in 1964. He served in this capacity until his retirement in 1972.
Justice Rhodes-Vivour’s tenure was not without turbulence. During the military rule of Col. Samuel Ogbemudia in the Mid-Western region, he was falsely accused of bribery in a case widely believed to be politically motivated. He fought the charges in court, was acquitted, and emerged with his integrity intact—a testament to his character and resilience in the face of power.
Beyond the bench, he was deeply respected in society. In 1972, the Alake of Egbaland honored him with a traditional chieftaincy title. He was also a prominent member of the Lagos Metropolitan Club and the Island Club, institutions that symbolized the emerging Nigerian elite of his time.
Justice Akinwunmi Rhodes-Vivour’s influence did not end with his own life. His legacy lived on through his son, Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, who rose to become a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and through his grand-nephew, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, a prominent architect and political figure in Lagos.
He passed away in 1987, leaving behind a name etched into the annals of Nigerian legal history—respected, tested, and never found wanting.
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