By Abiola Olawale
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Friday, administered an oath of office to Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The President presided over the inauguration ceremony of Kekere-Ekun as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria, subject to Senate confirmation.
The New Diplomat reports that the swearing-in event took place at the Council Chamber of the State House in Abuja on Friday at around 11:40 am.
She will operate in an acting capacity until confirmation by the Senate. It would be recalled that this is coming after the National Judicial Council, at its 106th Meeting, presided over by the immediate past CJN, Olukayode Ariwoola, recommended Kekere-Ekun to Tinubu for appointment as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The New Diplomat reports that Kekere-Ekun is one of the top female Justices in the nation’s apex court.
The 66-year-old jurist was born on May 7, 1958. She bagged her law degree from the University of Lagos and was called to the Nigerian bar in 1981.
She thereafter proceeded to the London School of Economic and Political Science to obtain an LL.M. in November 1983.
Justice Kekere-Ekun’s legal career started in Lagos as a private lawyer from 1985 to 1989.
In December 1989, she was appointed a Senior Magistrate Grade II, Lagos State Judiciary. She later became a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State on July 19, 1996, and served as chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lago,s from November 1996 to May 1999.
Kekere-Ekun was elevated to the Court of Appeal on 22nd September 2004 where she served in various Divisions of the Court and as presiding Justice of two Divisions of the Court (Makurdi & Akure).
She was elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria as the 5th female Justice of the Court and was sworn in on Monday 8 July 2013.
