code: public static <T> T checkNotNull(
          @Nullable final T reference,
          final String eid,
          final String messageFormat,
          final Object... parameters
      ) {
          if (reference == null) {
              throw new EidNullPointerException(
                  ensureEid(eid).message(messageFormat, parameters)
              );
          }
          return reference;
      }
docs: Ensures that an object reference passed as a parameter to the calling
  method is not null.
  <p>
  Please, note that for performance reasons, Eid is not evaluated until
  it's needed. If you are using {@code Validator},
  please use {@link #checkNotNull(Object, Eid, String, Object[])} instead.
  
  @param <T>           type of object reference being checked
  @param reference     an object reference
  @param eid           the exception message to use if the check fails;
  will be converted to a string using
  {@link String#valueOf(Object)}
  @param messageFormat message format in form accepted by
  {@link MessageFormat#format(String, Object...)}
  @param parameters    parameters fo message format in accepted by
  {@link MessageFormat#format(String, Object...)}
  @return the non-null reference that was validated
  @throws EidNullPointerException if {@code reference} is null