Imo State Governopr, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has approved the appointment of Justice Ijeoma Agugua as the acting chief judge of the state.
Justice Agugua is currently the Administrative Judge of High Court Owerri, Imo State.
The governor appointed Agugua hours after the former Chief Judge, Justice Paschal Nnadi retired.
Justice Agugua’s swearing-in ceremony holds on Friday, March 13, 2020, at the Sam Mbakwe Expanded Exco Chambers at 9:00am.
Justice Agugua is a Christian and was born on May 10, 1960.
She attended Helen Kaunda Girls Secondary School, Kitwe, Zambia from 1971 to 1974, and later obtained her WASC in 1975 from Ogidi Girls Secondary School, Ogidi, Anambra State. In 1977, she obtained an HSC from Federal Government College, Port Harcourt.
She studied Law and obtained an LLB in 1980 from University of Lagos, awarded a BL in 1981 after attending Nigerian Law School, Lagos.
She was called to the bar in 1981.
She has had a work pedigree in the judiciary that is enviable, particularly in the area of administration since 1993 she joined the High Court after serving as Chief Magistrate.
She is currently a member of International Bar Association (ISA) Judges Forum and National Association of Women Judges of Nigeria (NAWJN).
Agugua is married with three children and loves reading, writing, gardening and travelling.
Meanwhile,
Uzodinma has reiterated his resolve to ensure that he creates structures and policies that will promote judicial autonomy.
The governor who was a Special Guest at the valedictory session in honour of Hon. Justice Paschal Nnadi, retiring Chief Judge of Imo State on Thursday, harped on the need for independence of the judiciary.
The governor remarked: “The independence of the Judiciary is a cardinal focus of my administration. In this regard we shall continue to support the existing structure and policies which promote judicial autonomy. We shall continue to encourage the domestication and updating of statutes aimed at strengthening and fast-tracking justice delivery in the state.”
Besides, Uzodinma acknowledged that under the watch of the retiring Chief Judge, Imo Judiciary dispensed Justice with neither fear nor favour; thus, upheld the maxim that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man. The governor who said that Justice Nnadi is still full of energy despite his retirement proceeded to appoint him Chief Technical Adviser on Judiciary, saying that the state still needs his expertise.
