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A day of honour for Justice Aloy Nwankwo

For his successful service as Chief Judge, the people of Ezza clan, Ebonyi State, last week, celebrated one of their sons, Justice Aloy Nwankwo with a chieftaincy title, civic reception and public lecture, UCHENNA INYA reports

Last Friday December, 2020, Okpoku Ezzekuna, Onueke the ancestral home of Ezza clan came alive. Traditional rulers of the clan, other custodians of culture, elders, stakeholders, men and women gathered at the ancestral home (cultural centre) to celebrate the Chief Judge Emeritus of Ebonyi state, Justice Aloy Nweke Nwankwo who served as the Chief Judge for 15 years before he retired from service last year.

It was pomp and pageantry as the custodian of cultures in the clan rolled out their drums to celebrate one of their own. There was also reception/inaugural leadership lecture in his honour. Traditional ruler of Umuezekoha, HRH Igboke Ewah, flanked by other traditional rulers of the clan during the conferment of Ozoigbondu of Ezza nation chieftaincy title on Nwankwo, said the former Chief Judge made Ezza clan proud by discharging his duties diligently as Chief Judge of the state.

He noted that the retired Chief Judge surmounted all the challenges during his days as the Chief Judge and came out victorious, describing him as a true son of Ezza Ezekunna. An elated Nwankwo while thanking the traditional rulers said “the emotions and sentiments eloquently expressed in your words and actions in this occasion, have completely overwhelmed me, that I lack the appropriate words to aptly demonstrate my true feelings of appreciation of the historic honour, bestowed on me today.

“My happiness is not just that I am honoured but that we are able to come together like brothers, united in purpose irrespective of some inherent social-political differences. This attitude should be sustained and handed over to the next generation, as a cherished legacy.

“Time has come in our generation, for us as leaders in different levels, to begin to take deliberate and calculated measures to emphasize and entrench the things that unite us than the ones that divide us as one people with common interest. I have stressed in another occasion, we should not let politics and primordial sentiments to ignite centrifugal forces to disunite us.

Let’s begin to develop programs nurture love and unity amongst our people. In his remarks at the leadership lecture in his honour held at Women Development Centre, Abakaliki, the retired Chief Judge announced a cash donation of N100,000 each to two best graduating students of Faculty of Law of the state University, EBSU to promote intellectualism and handwork. He also announced donation of some books to the faculty saying, “the young faculty has proved its mettle and I am proud of the lecturers and lawyers they have produced”.

In his goodwill message, the state Deputy Governor Dr. Kelechi Igwe, a lawyer said Nwankwo was celebrated because of his midas touch laced with resounding quality and integrity he brought to bear on his judicial actions which according to him, the former Chief Judge successfully bequeathed to posterity.

Also, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, EBSU and former Commissioner for Information in the state, Dr. Chike Onwe said Nwankwo as a young lawyer was doing exploits and making great gains in politics. “The man in whose honour we gather here understands the time and knows his timing. He saw politics as a vocation. He had a main address. His passion was in legal practice and therefore never allowed the peck of power to distract him from his first love. In his passion, he found his place.

“By this, he has become a reference point to some lawyers who have literally abandoned the courtroom for politics. He was wise enough to play his politics without compromising his legal practice. But he was sensitive enough to know when to quit politics for the bench. The outcome of his robust sensitive mind is what we celebrate.

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