Nigeria | Hopes For Judicial Reforms Increase As New Historic CJN Is Sworn In [Pidgin] 

President Bola Tinubu don swear in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as di Acting Chief justice of Nigeria pending senate approval.

Upon Senate approval, Justice Kekere-Ekun go succeed Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, wey bow out on Thursday after clocking di retirement age of 70 years.

Justice Kudirat Motonmori Kekere-Ekun go den be di second female justice to hold di position for di kontri.

According to Dada Olusegun wey be special assistant on social media to di president, “Na president Tinubu preside ova di swearing-in ceremony of di acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.”

Di swearing-in happun for Friday 23 August, 2024.

Justice Kekere-Ekun replace Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola wey siddon for dat seat since im collect appointment from former President Muhammadu Buhari for September 21, 2022.

As e dey expected, na di most senior Justice for di kontri go step in as next CJN as Justice Ariwoola bow out for August 22 2024 afta im reach di retirement age of 70.

But as she enta office, plenti work dey wait for her to do for di justice system of Nigeria.

Legal expert tok reforms wey new CJN need to prioritise

Fast court judgement

One ogbonge expectation wey many pipo especially di legal practitioners (lawyers) dey expect from di new CJN na to see reforms wey go help di judicial system get strength for Nigeria.

One legal practitioner, Kayode Oluwafemi, tell BBC Pidgin say as Justice Kekere-Ekun dey come, make she add innovations and structures wey go give hope to Nigerians for di judicial system.

Kayode say cases too dey tey for court and some no dey get judgement for di right time leading to lack of trust for di justice system.

“Di reform wey dey important and wey she need to work on na di aspect of making court processes quick. E get many cases wey don too tey for years, for some, dem go appoint new judges and di mata no go get any hearing for long and no judgement.

E add say judgement need to dey delivered at di right time so di pipo go fit get trust fot di justice system for Nigeria.

“We need to make our judicial system dey fast, and judgement need to dey delivered on time. If we get system wey justice fit dey delivered quickly to di masses, di pipo no go lose hope for di judicial system of Nigeria.”

Kayode wey dey practice law for Nigeria say make di justice system for di kontri dey faster dan bifor.

Better payment for judges

Anoda side wey many legal pipo dey complain about na di payment for judges. Some say di poor pay dey allow some of di judges dey compromise and give judgement wey no suppose be.

Lawyer Kayode say if di new CJN want make pipo get hope for di court, make better payment dey for judges so dem no give mago-mago judgement sake of say dem collect bribe.

“She need to enta wit her own idea wey go make di common pipo fit come court and get justice. From last elections, many Nigerians no too get hope for di judicial system.”

How Justice Kekere-Ekun become new CJN

Di National Judicial Council bin recommend Justice Kekere-Ekun to President Bola Tinubu for appointment as Chief Justice of Nigeria.

NJC tok-tok pesin, Soji Oye for inside one statement say dem take di decision for dia council meeting wey di outgone CJN Justice Olukayode Ariwoola lead.

Since Justice Ariwoola tenure dey end, anoda Justice need to takeova and na Justice Kekere-Ekun be di next for di position.

As dem confam her as di new CJN, Justice Kekere-Ekun become Nigeria second female CJN afta Justice Aloma Mukhtar, wey bin serve between July 2012 and November 2014.

While di Supreme Court currently dey complete wit 21 Justices, di NJC don also “recommend (27) candidates for appointment as Judges of States Courts.”

Who be Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun

Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun na one of di top female Justices for di Supreme court of Nigeria.

Dem born her for May 7, 1958. She be 66 years old.

Justice Kekere-Ekun get her law degree from University of Lagos and dem call her to bar for 1981.

For her LL.M, she get am from di London School of Economic and Political Science for November 1983.

Her legal career start from Lagos south west Nigeria.

She collect appointment as Senior Magistrate Grade II, Lagos State Judiciary for December 1989.

And den become Judge of di High Court of Lagos State for July 1996.

She serve as Chairman Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos from November 1996 to May 1999.

And for September 22, 2004, she step up as Justice of the Court of Appeal.

Na from dia she collect appointment go Supreme court for June 8, 2013.

Aside law, she dey enjoy reading, music, information technology and counselling.

Past Chief Justices of Nigeria

Hon. Justice Stafford Foster Sutton – 1955-1958

Hon. Justice Adetokunbo Ademola – 1958-1972

Hon. Justice Taslim Olawale Elias – 1972–1975

Hon. Justice Darnley Arthur Alexander- 1975–1979

Hon. Justice Atanda Fatai-Williams – 1979- 1983

Hon. Justice George Sodeinde Sowemimo – 1983–1985

Hon. Justice Ayo Gabriel lrikefe – 1985–1987

Hon. Justice Muhammed Bello – 1987–1995

Hon. Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais- 1995–2006

Hon. Justice Salisu Modibo Alfa Belgore – 2006–2007

Hon. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi – 2007–2009

Hon. Justice Aloysius Iyorgyer Katsina-Alu – 2009–2011

Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapher – 2011–2012

Hon. Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar – 2012–2014

Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed – 2014–2016

Hon. Justice W. S. Nkanu Onnoghen – 2016- 2019