U-Report: Imo Assembly Calls For The Immortalization Of Late Justice Oputa

Late Justice Oputa

Report By Emeka Ahaneku

Members of the Imo State house of Assembly, Thursday, Unanimously adopted a motion urging the executive arm of government in the state to consider immortalizing the late legal icon, justice chukwudifu Oputa.

Rising on a motion initiated by the deputy Speaker and the member representing Oru West State Constituency in the State Assembly, the House prayed the executive to name the new judicial council secretariat after the fallen legal luminary, while one minute silence was observed in his honour.

The House also resolved to send a high-powered delegation to condole with the bereaved family, while urging the executive to give justice Oputa, a befitting state burial, owing to his monumental achievement in the legal practice.

In his motion, Hon. Donatus Ozoemena, described the late Justice Oputa, as an icon and a celebrated jurist of international repute, maintaining that as an illustrious son of the state and a onetime Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice Oputa, Over hauled and repositioned the state judiciary in a grand style.

He stated that justice oputa, exhibited uncommon courage and wisdom in handling many sensitive judgments in a manner that built public confidence in the country’s judicial system, and adding that the doyen of legal profession served Imo State and Nigeria meritoriously and without blemish in various capacities.

Supporting the motion, member representing Isiala Mbano State constituency, Hon. Simeon Iwunze, described the late Justice Oputa, as an institution who ensured that the privileges and rights of the people are respected in the realms of the law.

He commended the untiring efforts of justice Oputa in entrenching discipline and integrity in the legal profession and regretted that the state and the country have lost a rare gem.

Also, the member for Ikeduru State constituency Chief Samuel Anyanwu, described the late jurist as epitome of humility, stressing that his land mark achievements in the legal practice were unparalleled.

Other members who contributed to the passage of the motion, Hon. Ikechukwu Amuka (Ideato South) Hon. Eudora Igwe (Ideato North) and Hon. Acho Ihim (Okigwe), collectively extolled the sterling  qualities of the late sage and described him as a broad minded jurist who respected the wishes of others.

Ruling on the motion, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, thanked his colleagues for their support to the late Justice Oputa, Maintaining that the vacuum created by the exit of the legal luminary would be hard to fill.