Steven Bankole Rhodes II, C.B.E. (1890-1951) was a Nigerian jurist and administrator. He was one of the founding fathers of both the Nigerian Judiciary and the Executive arm of Nigeria's government, serving successively in the Legislative Council, at the High Court, and in the Executive Council.
On 8 November 1945, he was the second indigenous judge appointed into the Nigerian Judiciary, the first being Justice Jibowu and the third being Justice 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 began to serve 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.[1]
- ^ Coleman, James (1958). Nigeria background to Nationalism. University of California Press. pp. 153. ISBN 9780520020702.