Titus Eleweke, South East Editor I Thursday, June 11.2026
AWKA, Anambra – Human rights activist, Comrade Osita Obi, has expressed deep concern over what he described as the frequent non-sitting of Magistrate Court 4, Amawbia, and has called on the Anambra State Government to urgently reform the magistrates’ court system to better serve the people.
The case between Comrade Osita Obi and the Catholic Diocese of Awka over alleged cyberbullying and defamation could not proceed on Thursday at Magistrate Court 4, Amawbia, in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, as the presiding magistrate was absent.
The Catholic Diocese of Awka had instituted the suit against Obi, accusing him of defaming the Diocese through posts published on his Facebook page.
After waiting for several hours for the court to sit, parties involved in the matter were informed that the magistrate would not be available. No official reason was provided for the magistrate’s absence.
Speaking with journalists after receiving the information, Obi expressed disappointment that the court failed to sit and that litigants were not informed beforehand.
According to him, many litigants and lawyers regularly travel long distances to attend court proceedings, only to be informed after spending hours at the court premises that the magistrate would not be sitting.
“Today was scheduled for the hearing of the matter between myself and the Catholic Diocese of Awka. Unfortunately, I arrived at the court after hours only to discover that the court was not sitting. This situation is becoming very worrisome to me. This is the fourth time the court has failed to sit in relation to my case without any explanation being given,” he said.
Obi called for immediate reforms within the Anambra State judiciary, particularly at the magistrates’ court level, which he noted serves mostly ordinary citizens and low-income earners seeking justice.
“I think there should be immediate reforms in the magistrates’ court system in Anambra State. What is happening here is not common at the higher courts in the state. It is not proper for litigants to travel all the way from Abuja, Enugu, Lagos, and other parts of Anambra State, only to be informed after waiting for several hours that the court will not sit. This amounts to a monumental waste of litigants’ time, energy, and resources,” he lamented.
He further stated that whenever a court will not be sitting, litigants should be notified through their lawyers via WhatsApp messages, text messages, telephone calls, or other official communication channels to save them from unnecessary expenses and inconvenience.
“If litigants are informed ahead of time that the court will not sit, they will not have to travel here unnecessarily and waste their time and resources. I am calling on the Attorney-General of Anambra State and the Commissioner for Justice to take a holistic look at the magistrates’ court system and implement immediate reforms in the public interest,” he said.
Obi noted that he had spent over three hours at the court premises without any prior information before eventually being told that the magistrate would not be sitting.
“I have been here for over three hours without any information, only to be told now that the magistrate is not coming. It is very sad. The worst aspect of it is that no reason was given for the absence.
“I am losing a lot because I still have to pay my lawyer, and there are other important engagements I cannot attend because I chose to honour the court process and appear in court as required,” he added.
According to Obi, reforms similar to those introduced in Lagos State under former Attorney-General, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, significantly improved judicial administration, particularly at the magistrates’ court level, and could be replicated in Anambra State.
“There is an urgent need for comprehensive reforms of the Anambra State Magistrates’ Courts to save litigants from unnecessary hardship and the waste of scarce resources, especially given the current economic realities in Nigeria,” he said.
Some lawyers who were present at the court also expressed disappointment over the development. They noted that such occurrences are more common in lower courts and argued that the practice undermines public confidence in the administration of justice.
The lawyers observed that in many High Courts, lawyers are usually informed in advance whenever a judge will not be sitting, enabling them to notify their clients and avoid unnecessary inconvenience.
They further stressed that better communication and accountability mechanisms should be introduced within the magistrates’ court system to ensure that litigants and legal practitioners are not subjected to avoidable delays and disruptions.
