Nigeria has appointed Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as its twenty third Chief Justice of the Federation, marking a big milestone because the nation welcomes its second feminine Chief Justice in historical past.
This historic appointment, introduced by President Bola Tinubu on Friday, is seen as a progressive step ahead in selling gender equality throughout the nation’s highest judicial workplace.
Justice Kekere-Ekun brings a wealth of expertise and a distinguished profession within the judiciary to the function. Her elevation to the very best judicial place is predicted to affect key authorized reforms and additional strengthen the independence and integrity of Nigeria’s judicial system.
On this report, PUNCH On-line profiles the second lady to be sworn in because the nation’s CJN.
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun was born in London, United Kingdom, on 7 Could 1958. Her dad and mom, each from Lagos State, Nigeria, have deeply influenced her life. She is the eldest of 11 siblings. Her father, Senator Hassan Adisa Babatunde Fasinro, OFR, LL.D, was a senator in Nigeria and a fervent Muslim. He was additionally a authorized practitioner, writer, devoted household man, and one of many founding fathers of Lagos. He handed away on the age of 99 in March 2019.
Her mom, Mrs Winifred Layiwola Ogundimu (née Savage), a religious Christian, studied nursing within the UK, the place she certified as a Public Well being Nurse earlier than returning to Nigeria in December 1965. Upon her return, she constructed a profession within the Lagos State civil service and retired on the age of 60.
Justice Kekere-Ekun attended non-public major faculties earlier than enrolling at Queen’s Faculty, Lagos, in 1970, the premier Federal Authorities Faculty for women on the time. She studied Regulation on the College of Lagos from 1977 to 1980, acquiring her LL.B in 1980. She then attended the Nigerian Regulation College from 1980 to 1981 and was known as to the Nigerian Bar on 10 July 1981.
From 1981 to 1982, she accomplished her necessary Nationwide Youth Service Corps on the Ministry of Justice in Benin Metropolis, Bendel State (now Edo State). She later pursued a grasp’s diploma in Regulation on the London College of Economics and Political Science (LSE), graduating in 1983.
After qualifying as a lawyer and incomes her grasp’s diploma, she labored in non-public follow for just a few years. Nonetheless, as a result of calls for of personal follow on her household life, she determined to affix the bench, in search of a extra predictable work schedule. She was appointed a Senior Justice of the Peace Grade II by the Lagos State Judiciary in December 1989, marking the start of her profession on the bench. On 19 July 1996, she was appointed a Choose of the Excessive Court docket of Lagos State.
On 22 September 2004, she was elevated to the Court docket of Attraction, the place she served in 5 completely different divisions throughout the nation. She was the pioneer Presiding Justice of the Makurdi Division and served because the Presiding Justice of the Akure Division earlier than her elevation to the Supreme Court docket on 8 July 2013. She is the fifth lady to be promoted to the Apex Court docket, following within the footsteps of Justices Aloma Mukhtar, Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, Olufunlola Adekeye, and Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili.
Justice Kekere-Ekun’s profession is marked by a number of key roles and contributions:
Theft and Firearms Tribunal: She served as Chairman of the Theft and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos, from November 1996 till the tribunals had been abolished in Could 1999.
Monetary Crimes and Cash Laundering Circumstances: She was one among three judges first chosen to attempt circumstances below the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee Institution Act, 2004, and the Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Act, 2000.
Ethics Curriculum Planning Committee: In 2003, she was a member of the committee that produced the Code of Conduct for Judicial Staff below the Nationwide Heart for State Courts and the UNODC.
UNODC Pilot Venture: From February 2003 to July 2004, she chaired the Public Complaints and Coaching Committee, a part of a pilot undertaking to strengthen judicial integrity in Lagos State.
Lagos State Judiciary Contributions: She supervised the Apapa Magisterial District from October 2002 to July 2004, served on the committee that drafted the Excessive Court docket of Lagos State (Civil Process) Guidelines 2004, and was a member of the Steering Committee of the Lagos State Multi-Door Court docket Home, Africa’s first court-connected Various Dispute Decision centre.
Justice Kekere-Ekun can be a recipient of quite a few awards and a member of a number of skilled associations, together with the Nationwide Affiliation of Ladies Judges and the Worldwide Affiliation of Ladies Judges. She is a Life Bencher and Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Superior Authorized Research and the Worldwide Dispute Decision Institute. She can be a member of the Ikoyi Membership 1938.
She has been married to Mr Akin Kekere-Ekun, OFR, a former Managing Director of the now-defunct Habib Financial institution Nigeria Plc, since December 1983. Their union is blessed with three kids.
Justice Kekere-Ekun’s Landmark Selections:
Imo State Governorship: Justice Kekere-Ekun overturned decrease courtroom selections, delivering the judgment that sacked Emeka Ihedioha and affirmed Hope Uzodinma as Governor of Imo State.
Kogi State Governorship: She delivered the judgment affirming Yahaya Bello as Governor of Kogi State in a dispute between APC and James Faleke following the loss of life of Abubakar Audu.
Osun State Governorship: In 2020, she delivered the judgment affirming former Osun Governor Gboyega Oyetola in opposition to Ademola Adeleke, citing the absence of the Tribunal chair in one of many sittings.
Rivers State Governorship: In 2016, she delivered the judgment affirming PDP’s Nyesom Wike as Governor of Rivers State, after the Tribunal and Attraction Court docket had nullified Wike’s victory and known as for a contemporary election.