By Christiana Nnaemeka
His Royal Majesty, Eze Dr. Matthew Chiedozie Nwokoma (Okome IV) of Umuokanne Ancient Kingdom, has expressed joy and deep appreciation after being conferred with the Justice of the Peace (JP) title in Imo State.
The event, which took place on Wednesday at Rockview Hotel, Owerri, saw 74 inductees formally inaugurated by the Imo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Paul Obinatu.
Speaking after receiving the honour, Eze Nwokoma said he was pleasantly surprised by the nomination.
“To be very sincere, I didn’t even know how my name appeared. This shows that as you are doing things, people are watching. I didn’t lobby for it or apply. They wrote to me, informing me I had been nominated as a JP. That means someone who knows my antecedents must have recommended me,” he said.
The monarch, who serves as Chairman of Peace, Security and Conflict Resolution in the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, and Chairman of Ethics in the South East Council of Traditional Rulers, noted that this conferment is significantly different from the informal ‘JP’ designation associated with pilgrimage.
“We’ve been answering JP because we went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, but today is the real JP—one that comes with lots of responsibilities. We have been told our duties, and they are enormous, so we must be careful,” he added.
Eze Nwokoma highlighted the statutory responsibilities placed on JPs under Section 11 of the Imo State Magistrate Court Law, Cap 82, Laws of Eastern Nigeria 1963 (as amended). These include:
Preserving peace and order
Suppressing riots and dispersing disorderly gatherings
Seeking police assistance where necessary
Issuing civil and criminal summonses and warrants
Granting bail or remanding suspects, among others
He also referenced Sections 54(2) and 55 of the Imo State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2020, which empower JPs in the administration of search warrants.
“These are duties delegated to us by judges and magistrates, and we must apply them with empathy. If we use these powers wrongly, then we are abusing them,” he cautioned.
The traditional ruler, a retired police officer, described the role as a continuation of his lifelong commitment to peace and justice.
“I left the police to become a traditional ruler, and this JP role is a continuation of the work I have always done. It is a challenge, and I assure the people of Umuokanne Ancient Kingdom—the most peaceful kingdom in the Southeast—that I will not disgrace them. I will make them proud.”
He also expressed gratitude to the Attorney General, Hon. Obinatu, for initiating the programme and finding them worthy of the honour, assuring that he would not disappoint those who entrusted him with the responsibility.
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