HOW NANKA CUSTOMARY COURT IN ANAMBRA METAMORPHOSED TO MAGISTRATE COURT

HOW NANKA CUSTOMARY COURT IN ANAMBRA METAMORPHOSED TO MAGISTRATE COURT

History was made on Wednesday, February 6, 2019, in Nnanka, Orumba North local government area of Anambra State, as the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Peter Umadi, commissioned an ultra modern Magistrate Court building erected by some illustrations sons of the town.

The day was a dream come true for the people of the community, who have longed to have the court in place.

The new Magistrate Court building has four court rooms constructed to meet modern standard. Behind it is an ultra modern residential building for magistrates.

At the entrance gate was however, a countrified small building which used to be a court. This building was what was known as Agudo Court built in the 1940s by the British colonialists, but maned by the Warrant Chiefs, who were appointed by the white man from within the communities. The old Agudo Court enjoyed full compliments of Court buildings such as rooms, registry, library, court messengers, clerks, temporary custody, administrative offices, etc

In the 1990s, during the regime of Chukwuemeka Ezeife as governor of Anambra State, the Agudo Customary Court was moved to Igboukwu, the governor’s home town. However, during the regime of Chinwoke Mbadinuju as governor of Anambra State, (1999-2003), the court was restored in Nanka.

In 2008, the judicial headquarters in Awka availed Nanka community of building plans to enable them construct an ultra modern court building. The community started the project which the town mobilized hundreds of millions of Naira to build.

It was the newly constructed Magistrate Court building that His Lordship, the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Peter Umadi, in the company of other Judges in the state, came on Wednesday, February 6, 2019, to commission for use.

In his address during the commissioning ceremony, the President General of Nanka Patriotic Union, NPU, Chief Bernard Onyekwelu, praised the Chief Judge for his kind disposition in gracing the ceremony for the commissioning of the court building. He also commended good sons of the community, who pooled resources to start and complete the project such as, Peter Chinedu, Poly Emenike, Ebere Nwosu, Kofi Obijiofor, Okwudili Ezenankwo, Osita Ezechukwu, and others.

While also commending the judicial headquarters for ensuring that project was executed and furnished to specifications, the PG also pleaded with the Chief Judge to relocate the Agudo Customary Court, presently at a borrowed structure, to the new complex. He also requested His Lordship to create High Court No. 4, Nanka, Aguata Judicial Division, in the new structure.

In his goodwill message on behalf of Nanka Lawyers Forum, the President of the forum, High Chief Barr. Aniazoka Zokas, commended the Chief Judge for his commitment to commission the court complex and establish Nanka Magisterial District.

He added the forum’s voice in calling on the Chief Judge to approve High Court No. 4 to be domiciled in the complex in view of facilities on ground and the need to fast track justice delivery by deliberate decentralization of courts and decongestion of court dockets.

While commissioning the court complex, Justice Umeadi commended the community members for their vision and foresight in building the complex. He said that the new Magistrate Court will help in accelerated justice delivery, while also calling on other communities to emulate the gesture.

According to him, communities that will be under the magisterial division will include Nanka, Oko, Owgbu, Ndiokpala, Ndiowu and Omogho.

Umeadi went further to appoint His Lordship, L.C Okoye, a Senior Magistrate Grade I, as Chief Magistrate in charge of the Nanka Magistrate Court; while A.N Nweze was appointed as Assistant Chief Registrar.