August 23, (THEWILL) – President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, August 23, swore in Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun (Nee Fasinro) as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) in an acting capacity, pending confirmation by the Senate.
THEWILL reports that Justice Kekere-Ekun was sworn in at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, following the statutory retirement of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola on Thursday, after a successful public service career.
The 66-year-old was recommended as CJN by the National Judicial Council (NJC) for the approval of President Tinubu on August 15, 2024, as the 23rd and second female CJN.
Born on May 7, 1958, Justice Kekere-Ekun obtained her LL.B in 1980 from the University of Lagos and LL.M from the London School of Economic and Political Science in November 1983. She was called to the Nigerian Bar on July 10, 1981.
From 1985 to 1989, Justice Kekere-Ekun was in private practice and was later appointed a Senior Magistrate Grade II, Lagos State Judiciary, in December 1989.
Justice Kekere-Ekun was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State on July 19, 1996, and served as Chairman, Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos from November 1996 to May 1999.
She was elevated to the Court of Appeal on September 22, 2004, where she served in various Divisions of the Court and as presiding Justice of two Divisions of the Court (Makurdi & Akure).
Justice Kekere-Ekun was elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria as the 5th female Justice of the Court and was sworn in on Monday, July 8, 2013.
A life Bencher, Member of the International Association of Women Judges, Justice Kekere-Ekun has attended numerous courses and seminars within and outside Nigeria and also received several merit awards.
Over the years, she has participated in various professional development courses and seminars both within and outside Nigeria. Notable among these are the Case Management and Court Administration Training Workshop organised by the National Centre for State Courts in June 2001, an ICT Training Course on Information Technology Infrastructure Library held in Dubai, UAE in July 2012, and the 34th Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime at Cambridge University, UK, in September 2016.
Kekere-Ekun played a pivotal role as the lead judge in one of the most controversial judgments in Nigeria’s post-independence history. In January 2020, she delivered the judgment in the case that declared Hope Uzodinma as the lawful governor of Imo State. The decision was based on the claim that results from 388 polling units, where Uzodinma was leading, had not been included in the original count.
She is happily married with children.
