Chief Justice of Nigeria

Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of Nigeria
since 22 August 2024
Supreme Court of Nigeria
StyleMadam Chief Justice
(informal)
Your Honor
(within court)
The Honorable
(formal)
StatusChief justice
Member ofFederal judiciary
National Judicial Council
SeatSupreme Court Building, Three Arms Zone, Abuja, FCT
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Term lengthResignation
Death
Attainment of age 70
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Nigeria
Formation1914
(110 years ago) (1914)
1 October 1963
(61 years ago) (1963-10-01) Supreme Court of Nigeria
First holderSir Edwin Speed (colonial)
Sir Adetokunbo Ademola (Indigenous)
Websitehttp://www.supremecourt.gov.ng/

The chief justice of Nigeria or CJN is the head of the judicial arm of the government of Nigeria, and presides over the country's Supreme Court and the National Judicial Council.[1] The current chief justice is Kudirat Kekere-Ekun who was appointed on 22 August 2024.[2] She was appointed acting chief justice of the Federation upon the retirement of incumbent chief justice, Olukayode Ariwoola. The Supreme Court of Nigeria is the highest court in Nigeria and its decisions are final.[3] The chief justice of Nigeria is nominated by the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon recommendation by the National Judicial Council and is subject to confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.[4] The CJN holds office at the pleasure of the Nigerian constitution and can only be removed from office by death or on attainment of age 70 whichever occurs first or by impeachment by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which requires a super majority of the members of the Nigerian Senate.[5]

List of chief justices

The following is a complete list of chief justices.[6]

Chief Justice Term
Sir Edwin Speed 1914–1918
Sir Ralph Combe 1918–1929
Donald Kingdon 1929–1946
Sir John Verity 1946–1954
Sir Stafford Foster-Sutton 1955–1958
Sir Adetokunbo Ademola 1958–1972
Taslim Olawale Elias 1972–1975
Darnley Arthur Alexander 1975–1979
Atanda Fatai Williams 1979–1983
George Sodeinde Sowemimo 1983–1985
Ayo Gabriel Irikefe 1985–1987
Mohammed Bello 1987–1995
Mohammed Uwais 1995–2006
Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore 2006–2007
Idris Legbo Kutigi 2007–2009
A. I. Katsina-Alu 2009–2011
Dahiru Musdapher 2011–2012
Aloma Mariam Mukhtar[7][8] 2012–2014
Mahmud Mohammed 2014–2016
Walter Onnoghen 2017–2019
Tanko Muhammad 2019–2022
Olukayode Ariwoola 2022–2024
Kudirat Kekere-Ekun 2024–present

List of previous chief justices

Lagos (1863–1929)
  • Benjamin Way (?–1866)
  • John Carr (1866–?) (West African Settlements Supreme Court)
  • George French (1867–1874)
  • James Marshall (1874–1886)
  • Sir John Salman Smith (1886–1895)
  • Sir Thomas Crossley Rayner (1895–1902)
  • Sir William Nicholl (1902–1908)
Northern Nigeria
  • Alastair Davidson (1900–1901)
  • Henry Cowper Gollan (1901–1905)
  • Sir M R Menendez (1905–1908)
  • Sir Edwin Speed (1908–1913)
Southern Nigeria
  • Henry Green Kelly (1900–1902)
  • Willoughby Osborne (1906–1913)

References

  1. ^ "Constitution". The National Judicial Council. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  2. ^ "Senate confirms Muhammad as Chief Justice of Nigeria". 17 July 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Wike: Finality of Supreme Court decision is sacrosanct". The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Presidency Forwards Justice Walter Onnoghen's Name to Senate For Confirmation as CJN – PLAC Legist". Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Judges retirement age and effective justice system". The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  6. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20160220234027/http://www.fjsconline.gov.ng/list_of_chife.html Federal Judicial Service Commission, Nigeria
  7. ^ "ALOMA MUKHTAR: Making of Nigeria's Female CJN". P.M. News. Independent Communications Network Limited. 16 July 2012. Archived from the original on 2 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  8. ^ "Jonathan swears in Nigeria's first female chief justice". The Punch. Ajibola Ogunsola. 16 July 2012. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.