Tag: Justice Olukayode Ariwoola

The immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has urged newly inducted lawyers to remain committed to the ethics of the profession as a guarantee for their professional success.

Ariwoola, who is the Chairman of the Body of Benchers (BOB), spoke in Abuja on Thursday, which was the last of the three-day call-to-bar event by the Body of Benchers (BOB).

A total of 4,437 new wigs were inducted during the three-day event.

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Justice Ariwoola admonished the new wigs to always strive to uphold the rule of law and not conduct themselves in manners capable of impeding the administrator of justice.

He urged the new entrants to the profession to avoid conduct that are capable of attracting sanctions from the relevant disciplinary institutions established to regulate the profession.

Director of the Nigerian Law School (NLS), Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, (SAN) spoke about the many achievements of the institution.

Chiroma, who noted that the NLS is assisting other African countries in relation to its responsibilities, urged for more support from relevant stakeholders.

Thursday’s e event was attended by past Justices of the Supreme Court, senior lawyers, among other stakeholders.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will today swear in 22 newly appointed Justices of the Court of Appeal.

A statement yesterday by the Director of Information & Public Relations, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Dr Akande Festus, said the new justices, alongside 11 new judges for the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, will be sworn in today at the Main Courtroom of the Supreme Court of Nigeria at 10am.

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The new Justices are Abdullahi Liman (Nasarawa); Abiodun Akinyemi (Ogun); Olukayode Adeniyi (Oyo); Zainab Bage Abubakar (Kebbi); Isaq Sani (Kaduna); Lateef Lawal-Akapo (Lagos) and Ngozika Okaisabor (Imo).

Others are Ruqayat Ayoola (Kogi); Polycarp Kwahar (Benue); Fadawa Umaru (Borno); Oyewumi Oyebiola (Oyo) Ntong Festus Ntong (Akwa Ibom); Nehizena Afolabi (Edo) and Nnamdi Dimgba (Abia).

Also to be sworn in are Abdu Dogo (FCT); Abdulazeez Anka (Zamfara); Owibunkeonye Onwosi (Ebonyi); Asma’u Akanbi-Yusuf (Kwara State); Victoria Nwoye (Anambra) and Enenche Eleojo (Kogi).

• Fed Govt repositioning judiciary, says Wike

Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has assured President Bola Tinubu that the judicial process and system will not disappoint his administration.

He pleaded with the president that ‘all the judiciary needs is to be allowed to function unhindered’.

The CJN spoke at the sod turning of the N37 billion Appeal Court (Abuja Division) Complex at Daki-Biyu, Abuja.

Ariwoola, who noted that a care for the judiciary is a care for Justice, promised to ensure that the edifice is well utilised upon completion.

He lauded the numerous support the judiciary had received under the present Renewed Hope Agenda, and also solicited that members of the Supreme Court be considered.

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“What we have is great. We’ve gotten the division of the Court in Abuja managing the small space they occupy. Now you have 10 Court rooms and offices in a five-storey building.

“On behalf of the judiciary, we thank the FCT minister and appreciate you for this. You’ve just told the whole world that not only the Court of Appeal will benefit from your legacy, but also heads of various other courts.

“I understand you had mentioned it that not even the apex court will be forgotten. My board of justices of the Supreme Court are not here, but they said I should tell the minister that we don’t have another place to go other than the FCT. So, we believe that this administration will not forget about the apex court in the legacy being given to the judiciary.

“All the judiciary needs is to be left to function to perform its duty unhindered, as much as possible. Like the President of the Bar said, once you take care of the judiciary, you’ve taken care of justice. If you cry for peace anywhere in the world without justice, there can be no peace. We guarantee peace, we promise to ensure that peace is given to whoever is due, so that we can all enjoy peace. Justice is important and imperative. We promise we will always give justice.”

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike said President Bola Tinubu attaches so much importance to the welfare of judiciary staffs towards institutionalising justice across the country.

Wike, who stressed the need for the judiciary to be properly transformed to enhance the sector, said President Tinubu has approved N30 billion of the N37 billion in the 2024 budget, and promised to deliver the edifice by September 2025 Legal year.

He also said the president has approved 40 houses for top judiciary officers, 10 houses for Court of Appeal, 20 for FCT High Court and 10 for the Federal High Court, as well as retirement homes for the presidents.

The minister also clarified that no Area Council Chairmen has power over any land in Abuja.

Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, expressed concern that the judiciary, which used to be the hope of the common man, has become a thing that only the rich can afford.

He however said the complex will be a place where truth prevails and the people’s protected.

President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, who praised Wike for starting what he promised, said the edifice will facilitate smoother dispensation of justice in Nigeria. She said injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere in the world.