Nigeria’s Chief Justice Olukayode Ariwoola is preparing to step down from the bench as he approaches the mandatory retirement age of 70 in August.
The Supreme Court announced plans for a valedictory court session to honor Justice Ariwoola on his 70th birthday, August 22, 2024.
Festus Akande, Head of Information and Communication at the Supreme Court, released a statement on Monday announcing the upcoming transition. The statement noted that the court’s 2023/2024 legal year concluded on July 19, with the annual court vacation beginning on July 23.
Akande stated, “The court is scheduled to reconvene for the first term of the 2024/2025 legal year on Monday, 23 September.”
He added that the ceremony marking the commencement of the new legal year will take place on September 30.
The Explainer learned, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, currently 66 years old and the most senior justice after Ariwoola, is expected to assume the role of Chief Justice when Ariwoola departs on August 22.
Ariwoola’s tenure as Chief Justice began in June 2022, when he took office in an acting capacity following the sudden resignation of his predecessor, Tanko Muhammad, due to health concerns. His two-year term has been marked by efforts to address ongoing challenges in the judiciary, including conflicting court orders, delays, and public perceptions of irrational decisions.
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Earlier this month, Ariwoola publicly condemned the issuance of conflicting court decisions by some judges. He described such actions as an “attempt to make a mockery of our judicial system and flagrantly desecrate the revered Temple of Justice,” vowing to sanction any judge found culpable.
Before his appointment as Chief Justice, Ariwoola was part of a group of Supreme Court justices who raised concerns about the court’s operations and judicial welfare under the previous administration.
Born on August 22, 1954, Ariwoola’s legal career spans over four decades. He began as a state counsel during his national youth service in Ondo State from 1981 to 1982, later serving in various legal capacities including as a High Court judge in Oyo State and on the Court of Appeal. He was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2011, making him the longest-serving justice on the current bench with 11 years of service.
