SEBASTINE HON: A TRUE ADVOCATE OF THE MASSES

By Tersoo Orbunde

For many years, I have followed with admiration the Professor of Law Practice and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Sebastine Tar Hon, SAN. In him, Tiv land and indeed Benue State has an illustrious son, a man whose heart beats for his people and whose courage never bends in the face of injustice.

I first took special interest in Professor Hon when he strongly condemned the Zaki Biam massacre, a painful chapter in our history that many would rather forget. Recall that between October 20 and 24, 2001, soldiers invaded several Tiv towns and villages, including Gbeji and Zaki Biam, killing hundreds of innocent people and leaving behind ruins of burnt homes and broken lives. After he strongly condemned the killings, he later joined the legal battle following a Federal High Court judgment in favour of the victims who were also awarded N41.8 billion in damages but the government was foot-dragging in executing the judgment.
Hon stood stoutly with the victims, gave them a voice in the courts of power, and fought relentlessly for the victims.

When the Federal Government later offered N8 billion as out-of-court compensation in 2013, Hon and his colleagues rejected it, not out of greed, but out of principle. They insisted that the victims deserved dignity, consultation, and proper compensation.

That was not just lawyering. That was humanity in action.

Over the years, Professor Sebastine Hon has remained an unflinching defender of his people, speaking out boldly against the recurring violence in Benue State. Whether in court rooms, through press statements, petitions, or open letters, he has continued to remind those in authority that the lives of Benue men, women, and children matter, that the soil soaked in innocent blood still cries for justice.

One of Hon’s most recent interventions was a heartfelt letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging urgent action on the worsening security situation in Benue State. The letter was not political. It was a cry from a patriot who could not keep silent while his people bled. Every line of that letter reflected his sincerity, pain, and deep love for his homeland.

Only weeks ago, Professor Hon again displayed uncommon courage and selflessness when he voluntarily appeared in defence of Professor Zacharys Anger Gundu, former Pro-Chancellor of Benue State University and now Vice Chancellor of the University of Mkar, in a case filed against him by Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State. Hon did not have to do it, but he did, because he believes that truth must be defended, no matter who stands on the other side.

Yet, beyond the courtroom battles and public interventions, there is a softer, quieter side to this man of letters and law. Professor Hon is a mentor to countless young lawyers who look up to him as a model of integrity, discipline, and brilliance. He spends his time and energy grooming the next generation of advocates, reminding them that the practice of law is not just a profession but a sacred duty to society.
Hon has also sponsored countless students from the three Senatorial Districts of Benue State, even up to PhD level.

His academic contributions are no less remarkable. Through his books, essays, and public lectures, Hon has shaped the understanding of constitutional and procedural law in Nigeria. His works are quoted in courts and classrooms across the country, and his intellectual depth commands respect from peers and students alike.

But what makes him truly stand out is his humility. Despite his towering stature as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Professor Hon remains approachable, compassionate, and down-to-earth. He speaks to the poor with the same warmth he gives to the powerful. He has quietly sponsored students, supported widows, and funded community projects without fanfare. To him, charity is not a show, it is a calling.

In a time when fame often overshadows service, Sebastine Hon stands tall as a reminder that greatness is measured not by titles but by impact. His life is a story of courage, the kind that challenges impunity and marginalization while defending truth, and uplifting the weak.

If Nigeria had more men like Hon, men of principle, empathy, and unyielding integrity, our society would be fairer, our justice system stronger, and our people freer.

Professor Sebastine Hon is, without doubt, a man of the people, a light in dark times, a defender of the voiceless, and a timeless advocate of justice.

History will remember Professor Sebastine Hon not just as a brilliant lawyer, but as a man who is using the law to heal wounds, restore dignity, and give hope to the broken.