, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, will officially swear in Joseph Oyewole as the newest justice of the Supreme Court of){kind=link}
On Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, will officially swear in Joseph Oyewole as the newest justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. The ceremony is set to take place at Courtroom Two of the Supreme Court Complex in Abuja, as confirmed by the court’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Festus Akande, in a statement released on Sunday.
Oyewole’s elevation comes after a distinguished tenure as the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal in Enugu. His appointment reflects the ongoing efforts to strengthen the apex court with experienced legal minds, capable of administering justice impartially and swiftly. Akande praised Oyewole’s expertise and integrity, noting that his addition to the Supreme Court will bolster its commitment to fairness and judicial independence.
The appointment follows a recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC) during its 110th meeting held in January, which was chaired by CJN Kekere-Ekun. Oyewole was the sole judicial officer recommended for promotion to the Supreme Court at that meeting, a decision supported by a thorough vetting process that included public input, background checks, and interviews.
The process continued with President Bola Tinubu’s formal request to the Senate for Oyewole’s confirmation. After review, the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters, led by Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, endorsed the nomination, leading to the Senate’s final confirmation on February 3.
This marks a significant moment for the judiciary, as Oyewole’s swearing-in restores the Supreme Court bench to its full capacity of 21 justices, including CJN Kekere-Ekun. The new justice hails from Ila Orangun in Osun State and began his judicial career as a High Court judge in Lagos, appointed by Tinubu during his tenure as governor in 2001.
Oyewole is well known for his firm stance on legal matters, having presided over numerous high-profile and sensitive cases during his career. Among his notable decisions is the 2005 conviction of Emmanuel Nwude, Nzeribe Okoli, and Amaka Anajemba for their involvement in one of the world’s largest financial frauds, which led to the collapse of Banco Noroeste. He also passed the death sentence on notorious religious figure Reverend King in 2007 for the murder of a church member.
In 2009, Oyewole sentenced former Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) chairman, Bode George, to prison for corruption-related offenses, a ruling that was initially upheld by the Court of Appeal before the Supreme Court overturned the conviction in 2013.
As he takes up his new role, Justice Oyewole’s reputation for judicial courage and high ethical standards promises to have a lasting impact on Nigeria’s legal landscape.