Abuja, Nigeria – All things being equal, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun of the Supreme Court is poised to become the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). If she assumes office, Kekere-Ekun will be the second female justice in Nigeria to hold this esteemed position, following Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, who served as CJN from July 2012 to November 2014.
The current CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who took office on June 27, 2022, will officially retire on Thursday, August 22, 2024, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. As the most senior justice of the Supreme Court after Ariwoola, Justice Kekere-Ekun is the leading candidate for the position.
At 66 years old, Justice Kekere-Ekun may serve up to four years, a longer tenure compared to the average two years most of her predecessors held the position. With 11 years of experience at the Supreme Court, she will not only become the next CJN but also head the National Judicial Council (NJC), which oversees the appointment, promotion, and discipline of judges across Nigeria.
Born on May 7, 1958, Justice Kekere-Ekun obtained her LL.B in 1980 from the University of Lagos and her LL.M from the London School of Economics and Political Science in November 1983. She was called to the Nigerian Bar on July 10, 1981. From 1985 to 1989, she practiced privately before being appointed a Senior Magistrate Grade II in the Lagos State Judiciary in December 1989. She became a judge of the High Court of Lagos State on July 19, 1996, and served as chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos, from November 1996 to May 1999.
Justice Kekere-Ekun was elevated to the Court of Appeal on September 22, 2004, serving in various divisions and as the presiding justice of the Makurdi and Aku divisions in 2011 and 2012, respectively. She was appointed to the Supreme Court of Nigeria as the fifth female justice and was sworn in on July 8, 2013.
Throughout her career, Justice Kekere-Ekun has attended numerous courses and seminars both within and outside Nigeria and has received several merit awards. She is also a life Bencher and a member of the International Association of Women Judges, where she serves as president.
