A prominent Owerri-based lawyer, Chinedu Agu, Esq, has written a scathing open letter to Governor Hope Uzodimma, accusing his administration of overseeing what he described as the “gradual suffocation” of the Imo State Judiciary through neglect, manipulation, and disregard for the rule of law.
In the strongly worded letter shared on social media, Agu — who humorously referred to his recent detention at the Owerri Correctional Centre as an “advanced 28-day training” — used biting satire to criticize what he called “executive interference and legislative gimmickry” in the state’s judicial system.
The lawyer thanked the governor “for the profound opportunity for civic exposure,” while mockingly introducing what he called the ‘Njemanzery Doctrine’ — a jab at alleged irregular court practices such as excessive adjournments and questionable bail denials.
Agu also referenced a new term, ‘Wigwe-prudence’, which he described as a “groundbreaking unveiling” of a Federal High Court doctrine suggesting that bail cannot be granted unless a charge is before the court — a concept he dismissed as legally absurd.
“These great innovations, midwifed under your benevolent government, have enriched our jurisprudence and will remain etched in legal history for generations,” Agu wrote sarcastically.
The fiery letter touched on a series of systemic issues plaguing the state’s judiciary, including the controversial High Court (Amendment) Law 2022, which allegedly allows a Chief Registrar to assign cases in the absence of a substantive Chief Judge — a move Agu said contradicts Section 271(4) of Nigeria’s Constitution.
He accused the state government of legislative manipulation, describing the amendment as “execu-lature gimmickry,” and questioned why such a law suddenly appeared after a long delay in appointing a new Acting Chief Judge.
Judiciary “on life support”
Agu painted a grim picture of the Imo judiciary, saying it was “gasping for breath” and “trapped under the rubble of neglect and executive manipulation.”
He decried the poor welfare of judiciary staff and lawyers in the Ministry of Justice, noting unpaid salaries, salary cuts, lack of official vehicles for magistrates, and the non-payment of retirement benefits to judiciary workers since 2019.
“Many magistrates still commute in public transport with litigants and defendants, sometimes to volatile areas, without security or official cars,” Agu wrote. “A poorly treated judicial officer is a danger to democracy. When justice is impoverished, corruption finds fertile ground.”
The lawyer further urged the governor to address the grievances of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), whose members recently suspended a strike over unpaid arrears and welfare issues.
“History will not remember sycophants”
As the Imo Judiciary’s Assizes — its annual legal ceremony — approaches on October 30, Agu challenged Uzodimma to use the platform to restore public confidence by announcing concrete reforms.
“The question is not whether you will speak, but what you will say,” he wrote. “Disregard the sycophants who tell you all is well. History will not remember them. It will remember you — the governor who either restored or ruined the soul of justice in this state.”
He concluded by urging the governor to “heed the call of justice, empower its workers, and restore its dignity,” warning that continued neglect would erode the state’s democracy and legacy.
