By Obono Obla
Today in Banjul, the capital of the Republic of Gambia, Cross River State born Dr. Martins Ubana Okoi would be sworn in as a Judge of the High Court of Republic of Gambia by President Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jammeh.
Justice Martins Okoi is from Ijiman Ward of Ugep, Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State of Nigeria.
He studied in Hope Waddel Training Institute, Calabar. He was the Senior Prefect of the famed Hope Waddel Institute that has produced great men including the revered Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe the First President of Nigeria. Hope Waddel was founded in 1895 by Presbyterian missionaries from Scotland, United kingdom.
Justice Okoi did his Advanced Level at the defunct School of Arts and Science, Uyo. He thereafter gained admission to the prestigious Faculty of Law of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos. He graduated in 1984. He attended the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985.
After his NYSC he practiced Law in Calabar in the same law firm with Honorable Justice Okoi Ikpi Itam, honorable Chief Judge of Cross River State of Nigeria and Chief Eteng Okoi-Obuli, former Minister of Agriculture, Federal Republic of Nigeria (1981-1983).
Thereafter he set up a partnership with his friend, Barrister Eno Ofong. In 1992 he joined the Public Service of the Federal Government of Nigeria when he was employed by the defunct Council of Inter-Governmental Relations in the Presidency with the assistance of late Professor Erim (Who was then a Board Member in the Council of Inter-Governmental Relations).
He served later as the Secretary of the General Hospital, Gwagdalawa, Abuja. He left there to join the Federal Ministry of Justice as Director. In 2008 he was appointed Director of Civil Litigation, Ministry of Justice, Republic of Gambia on secondment.
Justice Okoi is said to be a brilliant, conscientious and diligent professional. He is the fourth Cross Riverian to be appointed a Judge of the High Court of the Republic of Gambia.
The others are Justice Okoi Ikpi Itam; Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, who was later appointed Chief Justice of the Republic of Gambia and now a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, and Justice Ekpala.
The Republic of Gambia for several decades has relied on Nigeria for manpower supply of lawyers in her public service and judges for its judiciary.
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