President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria, following her Senate confirmation on September 25, 2024.
According to The PUNCH, the swearing-in ceremony took place on Monday at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja.
Justice Kekere-Ekun took the oath of office and signed the oath register, marking her formal assumption of the nation’s highest judicial position.
Speaking at the event, President Tinubu congratulated Kekere-Ekun and expressed confidence in her leadership. “Justice Kekere-Ekun’s vast experience and commitment to justice will further strengthen Nigeria’s judiciary,” the president stated.
Justice Kekere-Ekun succeeds Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who served as CJN from June 27, 2022, until his retirement on August 22, 2024, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Present at the ceremony were three of Kekere-Ekun’s predecessors, including Justice Aloma Mukhtar, Nigeria’s first female CJN, as well as Justices Mahmud Mohammed and Walter Onnoghen. Her immediate predecessor, Justice Ariwoola, also attended the historic event, alongside family members and fellow justices of the Supreme Court.
This marks the second time in recent weeks that Kekere-Ekun has taken the oath of office. On August 23, 2024, President Tinubu swore her in as Acting Chief Justice, pending Senate confirmation. Reflecting on her reappointment, Justice Kekere-Ekun remarked, “I am honored to continue serving the nation, and I pledge to uphold the rule of law with integrity and fairness.”
