Tinubu: Ariwoola’s Leadership in Judiciary Impactful, Enriched Nation’s Jurisprudence

*Says he’s epitome of hard work, selfless service 

*Swears in Kekere-Ekun today, urges her to carry on baton passed by predecessor 

*Retired CJN seeks implementation of justice summit’s decisions 

*Advise governors to obey Supreme Court judgement on LG autonomy, Fagbemi tells state AGs 

Deji Elumoye and Alex Enumah in Abuja 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday, congratulated the retiring Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, saying his leadership of the judiciary has been impactful and inspiring for the country’s jurisprudence.

Tinubu described Ariwoola’s sojourn on the bench as a testament to the reward for hard work, dedication, and service to country and humanity.

Ariwoola, on his part, observed that implementation of the recommendations of a recent Justice Sector Reforms Summit would go a long way in addressing many of the challenges confronting the courts and the judiciary, as a whole.

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, called on Attorneys-General of states to advise their respective governors to obey the judgement of the Supreme Court, which granted financial autonomy to the local government councils.

Ariwoola, who had served as Justice of the Court of Appeal in Kaduna, Enugu, and Lagos divisions before his elevation to the Supreme Court in 2011, was sworn in as CJN in 2022. He had also served in diverse capacities as a judicial officer.

Tinubu, in a release by his media adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, commended the eminent jurist for his services to the nation, noting his impactful leadership of the judiciary and his efforts in enriching the Nigerian jurisprudence, as well as strengthening the fibre of the law.

The president thanked Ariwoola and wished him the very best for the future, and further commended him at a public presentation of a book, “Judging with Justice: The Autobiography of Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola,” at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Tinubu stated, “His Lordship’s long and inspiring career on the bench is a testament to the reward for hard work, dedication, and selfless service to the nation and humanity. 

“As Chief Justice of Nigeria, His Lordship, Justice Ariwoola, has used his vast experience and capacity to address the challenges facing the Supreme Court and the Nigerian judiciary.”

Represented at the book launch by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu recalled the reforms and advancements in the administration of justice during Ariwoola’s tenure, including an increase in the retirement age for judges and other judicial officers to 65-70 years.

According to the president, “The pensions of judicial officers have been fairly secured as retired judges will now enjoy their full pay as their pension for life. 

“Incisive judgements that provide extensive societal reforms, such as the one that recently liberated the local government councils from the shackles of financial lack, are critical to our society’s growth and development.”

The president described the ex-CJN’s career as a shining example of what could be achieved through hard work, dedication, and passion for public service.

He stated, “From humble beginnings at the Local Authority Demonstration School in Iseyin, Oyo State, to the launch of his career as a law officer at the Oyo State Ministry of Justice and now as a leading figure in the judiciary, his story inspires us all.

“The vastness of His Lordship’s academic and professional career is not in doubt. His Lordship’s commitment to the ideals of a just and fair society can also not be overemphasised. 

“We have seen this in his exemplary leadership of the Judiciary, and I am thankful for the support the judiciary has extended to the growth and development of our dear country.”

Tinubu expressed delight that, as President of Nigeria, he was able to witness the laudable achievements in the country’s judiciary. He implored the third arm of government to live up to its constitutional mandate and not be swayed by those prone to criticising it whenever they do not get favourable judgement.

The president said, “I hope his (Justice Ariwoola’s) successor in office will carry on the baton passed on by His Lordship. I urge the Nigerian judiciary to live up to its constitutional mandate and ignore those who never see anything good in the judiciary unless the pendulum of justice swings their way.

“I am hopeful that as His Lordship retires into other endeavours, his successors will continue to deliver on the ideals of justice and improve the standards set by Hon. Justice Ariwoola.”

Earlier, the incoming CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, shared her experience working closely with Ariwoola, invoking a quote from James Baikie’s “Peeps at Many Lands: Ancient Rome.”

Kekere-Ekun said, “When a nation becomes great, it is never by ferocity, or falseness, but always by something in the nation that is good and sterling.

“We have in the person of Justice Ariwoola a living embodiment of these qualities.”

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, highlighted Ariwoola’s significant contributions, particularly his role in the recent Judicial Office Holders Salaries and Allowances Act 2024.

“This landmark achievement reflects his deep commitment to ensuring that the judiciary is independent, well-resourced and motivated,” Wike said of the retiring CJN.

Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, equally, commended Ariwoola’s leadership, saying, “Your chairmanship has witnessed unprecedented stability in the justice sector, and because of your focused leadership, Nigeria has emerged more united.

“I am delighted that our country has continued to weather the political storms as a result of the collective will of all Nigerians to make a success of our democracy.”

Emphasising the book’s title as a potential creed for judges, Abubakar asked every judge to ask themselves, “Have I judged with justice?” 

He said the book should be a guiding principle for everyone, no matter their profession.

Book reviewer and President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Justice Benedict Bawaph Kanyip, stated that the autobiography primarily focused on Ariwoola’s background and guiding principles, adding that a key theme of the book is that “the only client a judge has is justice”.

Tinubu will swear in Kekere-Ekun at State House Council Chambers today. 

Ariwoola, speaking at a valedictory court session held in his honour at the ceremonial courtroom of the Supreme Court in Abuja, sought quick implementation of the recent justice summit’s decisions. 

Constitutionally, judicial officers are not to remain in office beyond the age of 70 years.

The retired CJN was born on August 22, 1954, in Iseyin, Oyo State, and he started his legal career in 1981 as an advocate, before joining the bench as a high court judge in 1992.

Speaking on his experiences as a Justice of the Supreme Court and CJN, Ariwoola said, “It is crystal clear from the foregoing that something needs to be done to ensure that the Supreme Court is not unduly overburdened.”

He stated that as part of efforts to address the judicial porosity, the National Judicial Institute, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), organised the national summit.

Ariwoola said, “The summit made far-reaching decisions, which will greatly assist the justice sector delivery in our country.”

Stating that access to justice should not be regarded as an uncontrolled and unfiltered liberty to bring all forms of cases to the apex court, he warned against trivialisation of the Supreme Court as a court of policy by burdening it with all manner of cases.

The retired CJN disclosed that the apex court in the last legal year received 1,124 appeals, with 89 political appeals. He said despite the huge cases on their dockets, the justices were able to deliver “a total of 247 judgements and rulings in civil and originating summons cases having 92 judgements, criminal appeals having 81 judgements, and 74 judgements delivered in respect to political appeals”,

Ariwoola lamented that some of the cases ought not to come before the court in the first place, citing a case of 12 goats.

He stated, “Yes, 12 goats were the subject of a matter that came to the apex court. What these type of cases do is to clog the system, thereby depriving other important cases from being heard.”

He highlighted the appointment of more judges, during his tenure, for all courts, including the apex court, which, this year, achieved its full complement of justices for the first time, with the elevation of 11 justices to the bench of the Supreme Court.

Ariwoola said, “It is my conviction that the right to fair hearing enshrined in the constitution could only be meaningful when litigants have enough judges and justices to hear their cases. 

“Justice is not a scarce commodity to be queued for. Justice without delay is inherent, natural, and constitutional. In my view, it is antithetical to the concept of justice when litigants are made to wait for years in order to have their cases determined.

“As a Justice of the Supreme Court, it was always a sobering moment for me whenever an appeal was called to be heard, and a learned counsel stood up to inform us that the appellant or the respondent was late. In effect, the litigant had died without is appeal being determined one way or the other. 

“It was for this reason that I made it a priority that no stone must be left unturned to ensure that we brought more judicial officers into the system.”

Ariwoola commended the executive and legislative arms of government for swiftly granting appointments recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC), as well as making budgetary approvals required to fund the new appointments.

Other achievements he listed included democratisation of court administration and the signing last month of new rules of the Supreme Court. 

He said the rules regulating procedures in the apex court were those made 39 years ago, adding that they are not just obsolete but inadequate for today’s challenges.

In his remarks, Fagbemi thanked the Supreme Court for rescuing local governments from the claws of governors.

The AGF said, “Our government commends and remains grateful to our apex court in the land, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, for living up to its status as both a court of justice and as a policy court in their landmark judgement that emancipated, liberated and set free our local government system in Nigeria from the claws, tyranny and oppression of those who had held them by the jugulars over the years, which has led to almost total stagnation and absence of development and governance in our 774 local governments all over the country. 

“We are not unaware of the threats and noises of reprisal by some (not all) of the principalities affected by that epic and locus classicus judgement of the Supreme Court, who are threatening fire and brimstone in a matter that has been settled and laid to rest finally by our apex court. The point must be made that their action in this regard amounts to hoovering round the precinct of contempt of court.

“I urge the Attorneys-General of the affected states to educate and offer sound legal advice, even though very trite and too elementary, to their principals that there can be no appeal against the decision of the Supreme Court. They should, therefore, abide by the principles and the doctrines of the rule of law, which is the bedrock of constitutional democracy.”

Fagbemi expressed confidence that the country would now witness a new dawn and era of purposeful governance across all 774 local governments. He appealed to the citizens, professional bodies, and associations to be alert and watchful of how the local governments were utilising their allocations for growth and development.