Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the 22nd Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), has officially retired from service upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
During a valedictory session in his honour at the Supreme Court in Abuja on Thursday, Justice Ariwoola called for measures to be put in place to reduce the burden on the Supreme Court.
He explained that there are too many cases before the apex court which ought to have terminated at the appellate court.
He added 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.
Justice Ariwoola explained that the right to a fair hearing can only be guaranteed when lawyers and litigants do not have to wait for so long to have their cases heard.
He also stressed the need for the bench to have more judicial officers to adjudicate on all matters timeously.
Born on August 22, 1954, Justice Ariwoola was appointed to the Supreme Court bench on November 22, 2011, and later became the substantive CJN on June 27, 2022, following the resignation of his predecessor, Justice Tanko Muhammad.