PROFILE OF HON. JUSTICE SYLVESTER S. POPNEN
The Honourable Justice Sylvester S. Popnen was born on the 30th day of April, 1975 to the family of late Chief Aaron Popnen Dorgba of B.Dere in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He had his primary education at Gberenyorwa Primary School 1, B.Dere where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate. He later attended Community Secondary School B.Dere and he obtained his Junior Secondary School Certificate and had his senior secondary education at Baptist High School, Port Harcourt from 1989-1991 and also took remedial O’ level subjects at Government Secondary School Lumene, Khalga in 1995. In 1997, he was admitted to the Faculty of Law, Rivers State University of Science & Technology, Port Harcourt (now Rivers State University) and he obtained his LL.B (Hons) Second Class, Upper Division in 2002.
He also obtained his LL.M degree from the same university in 2007. He attended the Nigeria Law School, Bwari, Abuja from 2002 to 2003 and upon passing the Bar Final Examination, obtained B.L (Hons) Second Class, Upper Division and was called to the Bar in July, 2003 following which he enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Barrister and Solicitor.
Upon completing the National Youth Service Scheme in 2004, he joined the Law Firm of B.M. Wifa & Co. Ebipnale Chambers where he practised law and later the Law Firm of Popnen & Popnen where he was a Principal Attorney and was appointed a Lecturer in Law, Faculty of Law, Rivers State University of Science & Technology in May, 2005 but relinquished the said position following his appointment as a Judge of the High Court of Rivers State in December, 2021.
In 2013, the then Chief Justice of Nigeria appointed him to be a Notary Public of Nigeria. He has engaged in research in different areas of law and have several legal publications to his credit.
The Honourable Justice Sylvester S. Popnen is a jurist with an avowed interest in law and its relevance in the society and is married with children.