President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday sworn in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
The President administered the oath of office on her about 11:38am at an event which took place at State House, Abuja.
Kekere – Ekun , thereafter took her rightful sitting position in the Council Chambers on the left hand side of the President at exactly 11:45am..
The new CJN will operate in acting capacity until conformation by the Senate.
Justice Kekere-Ekun is assuming office following the retirement of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola and her nomination and presentation to President Tinubu by the National Judicial Council (NJC) on August 15.
She is the second female in Nigeria’s history to become the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The first female CJN, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, was in office between July 2012 and November, 2014.
Among those who witnessed the event were other Justices of the Supreme Court; 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 Sanwo-olu; and immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
Also present were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume; National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Information and National Orientation, 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 she completed 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.K
Kekere-Ekun was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2004 in recognition of her contribution to the development of the judiciary. (vitalnewsngr.com)
