The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has sworn in 11 new Justices to the bench of the Supreme Court.
Some of the Justices are: Jummai Hannatu Sankey, Chidiebere Nwaoma Uwa, Chioma Egondu Nwosu-Iheme, Haruna Simon Tsammani and Moore Aseimo A. Adumein.
Others are Justices Obande Festus Ogbuinya, Stephen Jonah Adah, Habeeb Adewale O. Abiru, Jamilu Yammama Tukur, Abubakar Sadiq Umar, and Mohammed Baba Idris.
Justice Ariwoola, at the ceremony, urged the newly inducted Supreme Court justices to adhere strictly to the principles of the rule of law and maintain impartiality in their judgments.
He further counseled them to be prepared for criticisms or verbal assaults by litigants who have lost cases as Justices of the final Court of the land, where appellants’ expectations are often very high and infectious.
“There is no way you can please human beings, especially litigants. The easiest way to fail in life is by trying to please everyone. The only deity you can fear is the Almighty God. Once your judgement is in consonance with what God expects from you, and is also in accordance with the Constitution, you should consider yourself the happiest and freest person on earth,” he said.
The CJN told the new Justices that, their elevation to the Supreme Court Bench is in recognition of their astuteness and evident passion for hard work, which is the hallmark of judicial excellence
Justice Ariwoola added that administering oath of office to the 11 new Justices was unprecedented in the annals of the Nigerian Supreme Court and recalled his speech last year, where he lamented that the inability of the Court to meet the statutory full compliment of 21 Justices had lingered on for too long and promised to break the jinx.
He also called on the justices to approach their duties with unwavering commitment and diligence, maintaining the judiciary’s integrity as their paramount objective.