The Enugu State Judiciary on Tuesday paid final respect to departed colleague and a former Journalist, Mr Emmanuel Eze, who died at the age of 56 in Enugu.
The valedictory session was presided over by the Enugu State Chief Judge, Justice Mrs Ngozi Emehelu, as a mark of respect for late Eze who hails from Umunko town in Igbo- Etiti Local Government Council, Enugu State.
Speaking during the session at the High Court Auditorium, Emehelu described late Eze as a legal luminary who would always be remembered for his humanitarian works.
“Our departed colleague lived a good life while on the earth and left his footprints on the sands of time.
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“Thus, it is not how long you lived but how well one lived in this our transitory sojourn here on earth that matters.
“We should be consoled by good legacies he left behind. We must bear in mind the admonition in the book of Ecclesiastics 7:1.
“A good name is better than fine perfume and the day of death is better than the day of birth,’’ she said.
She noted that Eze studied law and was called to the Bar in the year 2004 after his earlier academic achievement of PhD in Mass Communication and others.
“Eze started his career as a secondary school teacher and rose to the post of a lecturer at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
“Our late colleague was a part time lecturer at the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu.
“He once worked with Champion Newspapers as a reporter and Daily Star Newspaper, Enugu,’’ Emehelu said.
The Enugu State Attorney-General, Mr Melitus Eze, described the late Eze as a good and good-fearing man.
The attorney-general who was represented by Mr Anayo Edeh said that the late lawyer’s friendship at the Bar was not only commendable but vast, saying that he was a lawyer per excellence.
“I wish to condole his friends, family members and others as those who have faith know that he lived a good life here on earth,’’ he said.
The Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Enugu Branch, Mr Anene Ojinta, described late Eze as a quiet personality and man who did his work with dedication.
“To show how intelligent and how he loved education, he started with a National Diploma in Sociology and Anthropology to PhD in Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
“He was called to the Bar in 2004 and he never rested; leading him to venture into lecturing before his death,’’ Ojinta said.
Mrs Joy Odo, NBA Chairman Obollo Afor Branch, raised concern over the death rate of lawyers, saying this was becoming frightening.
Odo recalled that the Judiciary held a valedictory session in honour of a colleague, late Isaac Ojeba on May 3, in the state.
She urged the Judiciary to declare fasting for at least one day to seek God’s face.
“My lord, permit me to further pray that Enugu State Judiciary should organise a seminar for lawyers on the importance of regular medical checkups.
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“Also to call on medical experts to give us lectures on Stress Management and Healthy Living, which I think will help reduce the death rate in the Judiciary.
“Experience has shown that what kills lawyers most is stress and by this, I mean both emotional, physical and social stress,’’ Odo said.
She said that the deceased who was lying lifeless had spent all his life struggling to make it in life; he was not financially buoyant but determined to get to the highest echelon in law.
“Here he lies lifeless without enjoying the fruits of his labour after gaining a lecturing job at Open University of Nigeria two weeks ago.
“Late Eze never received his first salary from the school and death came knocking.
“While we bid farewell to late Eze, I pray we make peace with our maker now that we still have the opportunity because we do not know whose turn it will be,’’ Odo said. (NAN)
