Justice Kekere-Ekun takes over as Nigeria’s new Chief Justice
By BASHIR ADEFAKA, KEMI KASUMU and OUR REPORTER, Abuja
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has been sworn-in as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
She took her oaths of office around 11:38am succeeding retired Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the 23rd CJN and second female to occupy the highest judiciary position in world’s most populous black nation, at a ceremony held in the Council Chamber of State House, Abuja, the Nigeria’s capital, on Friday August 23, 2024.
READ ALSO: President Tinubu to swear in Kekere-Ekun as CJN today
The DEFENDER reports that Kekere-Ekun will, however, operate in acting capacity until due conformation of her appointment by the country’s Senate.
After the brief ceremony, Justice Kekere-Ekun took her rightful sitting position in the Council Chamber on the left hand side of the President.
She is on the acting capacity for now as a result of the retirement of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, her nomination and presentation to President Tinubu by the National Judicial Council (NJC) on August 15.
As the second female CJN, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun is coming after Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, who was the Chief Justice of Nigeria between July 2012 and November, 2014.
Present at her swearing-in ceremony on Friday were other Justices of the Supreme Court; the President of the Senate, God’swill Akpabio; the leadership of the House of Representatives, represented by Prof Julius Ihonbvere; the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
Also present were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume; National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris.
Kudirat Kekere-Ekun was born on May 7, 1958, in London, United Kingdom. Her journey in the legal profession commenced at the University of Lagos where she obtained her first degree in law in 1980. After completion of her compulsory course at the Nigeria Law School, she was called to the Nigerian Bar on July 10, 1981.
She was awarded a Master of Law in November 1983 at the London School of Economics.
Kekere-Ekun began her career in the judiciary as a Senior Magistrate II in the Lagos State Judiciary before being promoted to the status of State High Court Judge.
She also served as the Chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja from November 1996 to May 1999.
Kekere-Ekun was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2004 in recognition of her contribution to the development of the judiciary.
