CJN Ariwoola Inaugurates 58 New SANs November 27

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Ariwoola will swear-in 58 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria on Monday,  November 27, 2023, at the main Courtroom of the Supreme Court, as part of the programme lined up for the 2023/2024 legal year of the Court.  In line with the age-long tradition, the CJN will during the special court session, deliver a state-of-the Judiciary address that would highlight the performance of the Supreme Court in particular and the Nigerian Judiciary in general in the 2022/2023 legal year.  The Director of Press and Information of the Apex Court, Dr Akande Festus made this known in a press statement he issued on Sunday in Abuja. According to him, other leading stakeholders in the Justice Sector will present speeches bordering on the state of the justice sector of the country at the occasion. They include the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) amongst others. It will be recalled that 114 applications were received by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) for the award of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2023.  Out of the number, 101 are advocates while 13 are academics.  The total number of qualified applicants shortlisted after the Advocates 1st and 2nd Filtration Stages, Academic Pre-qualification, Academic 2nd Filtration Exercise, the Independent Appeals Hearing and Chambers Inspection Exercises was 69 comprising 57 advocates and 12 academics.  After conducting the specified screening and filtration exercises which include a number of appearances in superior courts, recommendations by Justices of the Supreme Court and Judges of superior courts, Chamber inspections; approval on eligibility and integrity of the candidates from the Nigerian Bar Association, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria and the general public, amongst others, the LPPC came up with 58 successful candidates.  Out of the figure, 57 are advocates while one is an academic.  The Supreme Court commenced its annual vacation on Monday, 24th July, 2023.  Though the Court had started sitting since Monday, 18th September, 2023, the new legal year ceremony is to be formally held in accordance with its tradition.  All the programmes outlined to mark the formal commencement of the new legal year will start at 10 am in the main Courtroom of the Supreme Court.

Strive To Maintain Public Trust, CJN Tasks Judges 

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has tasked judicial officers in Nigeria to work assiduously towards sustaining public confidence and trust reposed on the judiciary. Ariwoola posited that as indispensable pillars of democracy, judicial officers must distance themselves from all forms of indiscretions and ventures capable of bringing the judiciary to disrepute.  The CJN gave the charge at the opening ceremony of the 2023, All Nigerian Judges’ Conference in Abuja.  “My Lords, the importance of the foregoing cannot be overemphasized since what we do now will invariably determine the legacy we leave behind.  Justice Ariwoola described the conference as a “convergence of the most brilliant minds and mainstays of hope and order in the society” adding that the conference primarily serves the dual purpose of stocktaking and visioneering.  The CJN expressed dismay over the way decisions of the Court are treated with orders of the Court being flagrantly disobeyed.  “While there is no justification for this, it is impossible to divorce this unsettling development from the perceived image of the Judiciary as a mere appendage of the other arms of government, expected to do their bidding at all times and incapable of making decisions devoid of predilection.  He exuded confidence that the Conference, which is the first since the commencement of the new administration, will come with an improved disposition towards the welfare of the Judiciary especially as it pertains to the protracted issue of its independence as well as a strong desire to foster healthy and productive relationships among all three arms.  “It is my hope that the Conference will help drive robust discussions between the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary on fostering mutual respect for one another and also on strengthening synergies devoid of any subterfuge.  “It will equally afford us the opportunity to unravel the issues already identified, the bulk of which holds grave repercussions for Nigeria’s polity.  “It is also my firm belief that this interface will reaffirm across the board, our commitment to upholding the tenets of Democracy and the Rule of Law therefore bolstering the trust and confidence of the citizenry in the operationality of the government” Justice Ariwoola stated.  In his welcome address, the Administrator, National Judicial Institute, Hon. Justice Salisu Abdullahi, said the Conference provides a platform to give judges the  acclaim for their unrelenting devotion to prospering the ends of justice, and for their conspicuous role in nation building.  Secondly, he said the Conference affords Judges the opportunity to critically appraise happenings and developments in the course of the year, especially those that greatly impacted the performance of their functions and which holds great implications for the Judiciary by extension.  “In the same vein, while it is a cardinal rule of natural justice that no one should be a judge in his own cause, this Conference offers an apposite exception to this since it allows judicial officers to evaluate and critique themselves, Abdullahi said.  The goal of such evaluation, he said, is to enable advancement and growth within the Judiciary through the conclusions that will be reached and strategies that will be devised from robust discussions led at the Conference.  He stated that the theme of the Conference; “STRENGTHENING JUDICIAL COMMITMENTS TO THE RULE OF LAW AND DEMOCRACY”, will afford Judges the opportunity to recharge, recalibrate and re-strategize. 

Supreme Court Justices Reduced to 10 as Musa Dattijo Retires October 27

The Supreme Court of Nigeria will see its number of justices reduced to 10 following the retirement of Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad on October 27, 2023. Justice Dattijo’s retirement notice, sent to the Court’s management, specifies that a special valedictory court session will be held in his honor on the retirement date. The Court’s Director of Press and Information, Dr. Akande Festus, announced in a statement on Sunday that the valedictory session is scheduled to take place at the Main Courtroom of the Court at 10 am. Born on October 27, 1953, in Minna, Justice Musa Dattijo, hailing from Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State, attended Native Primary School, Minna, earning his First School Leaving Certificate between 1960 and 1966. He later attended Sheikh Sabbah College (now Sardauna Memorial Secondary School) in Kaduna from 1967 to 1971. This led to his admission to the Faculty of Law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained a degree in Law in 1977. Justice Dattijo was called to the Nigerian Bar on July 2, 1977, but he didn’t stop there. In 1982, he sought further education and earned an LLM Degree from Warwick University in 1983. His exemplary career led to his elevation to the Court of Appeal on November 21, 1998, having served diligently in various Divisions. He was sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court on July 10, 2012, marking another significant milestone in his career. The retirement of Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad reduces the Supreme Court of Nigeria’s justices to 10, as noted in the statement. Top of Form

Justice Odili Inspires New Lawyers To Combat Injustice With Legal Expertise

Justice Mary Peter Odili, Chair of the Body of Benchers, inspired a fresh wave of legal professionals during the call to bar ceremony. She urged the 1,097 newly minted lawyers to wield their legal skills as tools against injustices and inequalities that persist in Nigeria. She implored them to champion the rights of the less fortunate who cannot defend themselves. “Your law degrees and call to bar certificates are not just pieces of documents you will hang on your wall or boast about. These are credentials that you can wield as your sword to fight against injustice,” Justice Odili declared. She reminded the young lawyers that their legal expertise allows them to transform the world for the better, whether in private practice, government service, entrepreneurship, or any other field they choose to venture into. Justice Odili also emphasized the importance of adhering to ethical and moral obligations, civility, and professionalism, stressing that their actions as legal practitioners will have a profound impact on their clients and society as a whole. Furthermore, she urged the new lawyers to seek guidance from experienced colleagues when facing challenges and difficulties, and she cautioned against the improper use of social media, which could tarnish their reputation and that of the legal profession. The ceremony, attended by prominent legal figures such as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, marked the successful transition of these aspiring lawyers into the legal profession. It was a significant milestone in their journey to uphold justice, ethics, and professional conduct in the legal field.