CJN Reads Riot Act To Son, 22 New FHC Judges

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has read the riot act to his son, Olukayode Ariwoola Jnr and 22 others who were sworn in on Wednesday, as new Judges of the Federal High Court of Nigeria.  In a speech shortly after swearing in the new judicial officers, Justice Ariwoola reminded the fresh Judges that they have by virtue of the oath they had taken, automatically, assumed new status and responsibilities in life.  The CJN stated that even though judicial officers are not spirits or superhuman beings, however, he told them that so much impossible things are yet expected from them by the society.  On this note, Justice Ariwoola warned them to be wary of conducts in and out of courts that are capable of dragging their hard-earned reputation into the murky waters of public shame and disgrace.  “Appointment to the bench is not an appointment to wealth, vainglory, dishonest disposition or ostentatious lifestyle through corrupt acquaintances.  “The searchlight of the National Judicial Council beams brightly on all judicial officers across the country. “The NJC should never, either by omission or commission, be mistaken for a toothless Bulldog.  “It can bark fiercely and as well bite deeply and aggressively, too.  “Our radar is sophisticated enough to detect every form of corruption and wrongdoing by judicial officers; and we will not waste a moment in taking the necessary action to fish out the bad eggs.  “The remoteness of your location of adjudication can never blur our sight on you.  “We have put in place the right machinery to capture and document your conduct.  “So, be careful and take heed, or else, you may end up regretting ever being appointed a judicial officer” the CJN warned. Justice Ariwoola advised the new Judges to heed to the entire letters and words of the oath they had taken, stressing it must reside in a prime place of their hearts and be generously applied in the discharge of their adjudications. “You must be impartial, fair to all, and apply justice in all your undertakings.  “The times that we are in, are quite perilous, so we need judicial officers who are calculative, honest, objective and dispassionate in all ramifications.  “Thus, your appointments to the bench at this crucial period of our national history are not by accident but by divine ordination” the CJN stated. 

CJN To Inaugurate 23 Federal High Court Judges Oct 4 

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will on Wednesday October 4, 2023, swear-in the newly appointed 23 Judges of the Federal High Court. A statement by the Court’s Director of Press and Information on Sunday, Dr Festus Akande said that the Judges are to be inaugurated at the Main Courtroom of the Supreme Court of Nigeria at 11am. The new Judges are: Dipeolu Deinde Isaac from Ogun State; Ogundare Kehinde Olayiwola from Ekiti State; Agbaje Olufunmilola Adetutu from Lagos State; Musa Kakaki from Kaduna State; Abdullahi Muhammad Dan-Ige from Sokoto State; and Sharon Tanko Ishaya from Kebbi State. Others are Salim Olasupo Ibrahim from Ogun State; Yilwa Hauwa Joseph from Gombe State; Wigwe-Oreh Chituru Joy from Rivers State; Owoeye Alexander Oluseyi from Kogi State; Anyalewa Onoja-Alapa from Benue State; Amina Aliyu Mohammad from Katsina State; Abiodun Jordan Adeyemi from Kwara State; Hauwa Buhari from Federal Capital Territory; and Aishatu Auta Ibrahim from Borno State. The rest are Hussaini Dadan-Garba from Bauchi State; Ibrahim Ahmad Kala from Gombe State; Mashkur Salisu from Zamfara State; Onah Chigozie Sergius from Enugu State; Egbe Raphael Joshua from Bayelsa State; Ariwoola Olukayode Jnr. from Oyo State; Ekerete Udofot Akpan from Akwa Ibom State; and Ogazi Friday Nkemakonam from Ebonyi State.   Also, a valedictory Court session will be held on Tuesday 10th October, 2023, in honour of the late Justice Chima Centus Nweze at the Main Courtroom of the Supreme Court at 10am. As is customary, the Chief Justice of Nigeria will preside over the session which will, among other things, feature the presentation of tributes by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and President of the Nigerian Bar Association, in honour of the departed Jurist.  It will be recalled that Justice Nweze died on Saturday, 29th July, 2023 in Abuja after a brief illness at the age of 64 years.  He was sworn-in as Justice of Supreme Court on 29th October, 2014. He was born in Obollo, Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State on 25th September, 1958.  He attended St. John Cross Seminary, Nsukka from 1972 to 1977, emerging with a Distinction in the West African School Certificate Examination.  He gained admission into University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus in 1979 where he graduated with a Degree in Law in 1983. In the same year, he represented the Law Faculty and, indeed, all Nigerian Law Faculties, at the Philip Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition in Washington DC, as the Chief Oraclist.  Justice Nweze did his NYSC between 1984 and 1985 in Bauchi, after being called to the Nigerian Bar in 1984. He equally had his Doctorate Degree in Law from the same University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.