After the likes of Jude O. Nkama, who became the first African to be appointed as a judge in New Jersey, USA, another Nigerian has chalked a similar feat in Washington state when he was appointed to Snohomish County Superior Court as a judge.
Edirin Okoloko has worked for the past 13 years in the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, where he is a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney working on homicide, sexual assault, child abuse, and elder abuse cases. He will replace Judge George Bowden who is retiring, Nigerian media reports.
Edirin Okoloko
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Jay Inslee, the Governor of Washington state who made the appointment said: “Edirin has a clear dedication to the legal profession and a successful history of bringing justice to some of our state’s most vulnerable crime victims,”
“He will be an excellent addition to the bench in Snohomish County.”
A Nigerian, Edirin Okoloko was sworn in as a Judge today in the US State of Washington pic.twitter.com/N9mjnjKHMb
— Oke Umurhohwo (@Stalyf) October 23, 2018
Okoloko, who hails from Ekakpamre in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, received his Bachelor of Law from the University of Benin in Nigeria and his law degree from the Seattle University School of Law.
The eminent jurist, apart from his role as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney at the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, has also worked in the office’s violent crime, property crime, and District Court units, and he represents the office on the Snohomish County Multiple Agency Response Team which investigates incidents of suspected excessive force by police officers, The Guardian reported.
Okoloko has further prosecuted four murder trials and has been recognised by his office for completing dozens of jury trials. Prior to his work as a prosecutor, Okoloko served as a judicial law clerk for former Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Michael Downes.
Nigerians have since welcomed the appointment of the Deltan judge, with the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa describing the feat as “well deserved considering Okoloko’s astute contributions to the legal profession and a rich history of bringing justice to endangered crime victims in the state of Washington.”
Okoloko’s appointment is a shining example of Nigerians who have been impacting the world with their highly-improvised skills.
Talk of Dr Osatohanmwen Osemwengie, who builds drones for the most powerful army in the world, the super-talented Nigerian man who designed the 2014 Chevrolet Volt; the Nigerian engineer who built the fastest carbureted front-wheel car in the world all the way to the 26-year-old Nigerian who is now the highest paid robotics engineer in the world, Nigerians have made their country proud with these wonderful undertakings.
Here’s how people reacted to Okoloko’s appointment:
Nigerian Edirin Okoloko, a Snohomish County deputy prosecutor, as been appointed to serve as a Superior Court judge in Washington State.
How many Retweet for him ?
Show him some love??
I follow back pic.twitter.com/MxodqLSr9l
— Odeyele Ayodeji. (@Haywhy_Jah) October 22, 2018
Congratulations to him, these guys minimize there sentiment to a large extent, back here, some States can’t even try it, a non tribe can’t be a VC of a University regardless of how qualify the person is,
— P U-square (@ufana6) October 23, 2018
Meanwhile it is difficult for a Yoruba man to be a judge in IMO state or an Igbo man to be a judge in Kaduna. This is the reason why America will remain the leader of the world.
— Tj MONEY (@_tj_money_) October 25, 2018
For you mind you think he is a Nigerian?He can be by birth but he has long remove the Nigerian in him.
— Odiakose Greg Onyeka (@OdiakoseGreg) October 28, 2018
USA! That’s what makes them great in the world today.
They accept all, as long as you are productive.
In some Country, they jail you for your creativity or frustrate you.— Usman Abubakar (@UsmanAb91835227) October 26, 2018
congratulations!
— Congratulatron (@congratsbot) October 24, 2018
This is awesome.
Congratulations to him— Dada Hope Bukunmi (@iamdahope) October 24, 2018
Wawuu only one black person in the room.
— ELDER NOT MR ??? (@director_von) October 24, 2018
He deserves some accolade!
— Bau (@AHAOTUEZINWANNE) October 24, 2018
Congrats to the urhobo nation and Nigeria at large
— Franklin Onoriode (@FranklinOnorio1) October 24, 2018
