Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has been sworn in as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
She will serve in an acting capacity until her Senate confirmation.
Justice Kekere-Ekun took her oath of office at around 11:38 a.m. and assumed her official seat in the Council Chambers at 11:45 a.m., positioned to the left of the President. Her appointment follows the retirement of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, and her nomination was presented to President Tinubu by the National Judicial Council (NJC) on August 15.
Justice Kekere-Ekun becomes the second female jurist in Nigeria to hold the position of Chief Justice, following in the footsteps of Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, who served from July 2012 to November 2014.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Justices of the Supreme Court, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, representatives of the House of Representatives led by Prof. Julius Ihonbvere, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
Other notable attendees included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
Born on May 7, 1958, in London, United Kingdom, Justice Kekere-Ekun embarked on her legal journey at the University of Lagos, earning her law degree in 1980. After completing the Nigerian Law School, she was called to the Bar on July 10, 1981. She later obtained a Master of Laws degree from the London School of Economics in November 1983.
Her judicial career began as a Senior Magistrate II in the Lagos State Judiciary, where she was eventually promoted to the rank of State High Court Judge.
She also served as the Chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, from November 1996 to May 1999. In recognition of her significant contributions to the judiciary, Kekere-Ekun was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2004.
