Kayode Ariwoola Quits As CJN @70
Following his attainment of 70 years, the 22nd Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has formally retired from service.
He was elevated to the bench of the Supreme Court on 22nd November 2011, and was appointed substantive CJN on 27 June 2022.
Born on 22 August 1954, Ariwoola was appointed CJN by then President Muhammadu Buhari after the then serving Chief Justice, Justice Tanko Muhammad resigned from office citing personal reasons.
The Nigerian Senate formally confirmed Justice Ariwoola as the highest judicial officer in Nigeria on 21 September 2022.
He is leaving the CJN office after two years of managing affairs at the Supreme Court and spending 13 years on the bench of the nation’s apex court.
At a valedictory court session held in his honour at the Supreme Court, Ariwoola called for measures to be put in place to reduce the burden on the Supreme Court.
According to him, there are too many cases before the apex court which ought to have terminated at the appellate court.
He explained that access to justice has contributed largely to the delay in the hearing of cases as litigants and lawyers are forced to wait for several years to have their cases decided.
Based on the recent recommendations by the National Judicial Council (NJC), Ariwoola is to be succeeded by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun being the most senior justice at the apex court.
