The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, said on Thursday the state government would immortalise the late Nigerian ambassador to the U.S, Sylvanus Nsofor, by renaming the Imo High Court complex after him.

The late Mr Nsofor, who died in December in the U.S at the age of 85, was a retired justice of the Supreme Court.

He hailed from Oguta in Imo State.

Mr Uzodinma’s announcement of the government’s plan to immortalise Mr Nsofor was made at a valedictory session held at the Court of Appeal, Owerri, in his honour.

The governor said Mr Nsofor was a man who stood for justice and fairness when he served as a judge of the Court of Appeal.

“My government will immortalise Nsofor because he was a man with a high level of integrity and he made us proud as a state.

“His legacy should be emulated by every leader. He showed good example as a lawyer and also gave remarkable judgments as a judge,” Governor Uzodinma said.

“Even in death, we are proud of him because he represented us well,” he added.

A judge of the Court of Appeal, Owerri, Ayobode Sodipe, said the late Mr Nsofor would be remembered for his contributions to the “bench”.

“I was able to read most of his judgments as an Appeal Court judge, I saw wisdom in all his decisions and his legacies will forever remain.

“He was a great man who was respected by the international community, on behalf of my colleagues here, we say a last farewell to an honourable gentleman,” Justice Sodipe said.

A senior lawyer, Mike Ahamba , said Mr Nsofor had a good track record as a judge and represented Nigeria well as an ambassador.

“We are very proud of him, even in death, he will be highly respected because he served both Imo state and the Federal Government diligently,” he said.

Blessing Iweajunwa, an Owerri-based lawyer, said Mr Nsofor’s track record was a big source of motivation for lawyers.

“He practises as a lawyer before he was elevated as a judge, he had an excellent career and we are very proud of him,” she added. (NAN)

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