By Cheta Enyoghasi
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has been sworn in as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) by President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.
She will operate in acting capacity until confirmation by the Senate.
Kekere-Ekun is the second Nigerian female Justice to serve as the CJN, following Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, who was the Chief Justice of Nigeria between July 2012 and November 2014.
Other Supreme Court Justices, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, the leadership of the House of Representatives, represented by Prof Julius Ihonbvere, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwoolu, and the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, were all present.
George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser (NSA); Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President; and Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, were also in attendance.
The newly sworn in CJN was born on May 7, 1958, in London, United Kingdom, and obtained her first degree in law from the University of Lagos in 1980. She completed the Nigeria Law School and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 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 served as the Chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja from November 1996 to May 1999. In 2004, she was appointed to the Court of Appeal in recognition of her contribution to the development of the judiciary.
