…Justice Kekere-Ekun Set to Become Nigeria’s Second Female Chief Justice
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun is poised to become the second female Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) following the retirement of Justice Olukayode Ariwoola. The National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended Justice Kekere-Ekun to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the position during its 106th meeting on August 14 and 15, which was presided over by the outgoing CJN, Justice Ariwoola.
Should President Tinubu approve the recommendation, Justice Kekere-Ekun will follow in the footsteps of Justice Mouktar Aloma, Nigeria’s first female CJN.
Justice Kekere-Ekun, born on May 7, 1958, holds an LL.B from the University of Lagos and an LL.M from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Her legal career began in private practice before she joined the Lagos State Judiciary as a Senior Magistrate in 1989. She was later appointed a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State in 1996, and subsequently, elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2004.
In 2023, she ascended to the Supreme Court as its fifth female Justice. Throughout her career, Justice Kekere-Ekun has garnered numerous accolades and continues to play a significant role in the legal community as a Life Bencher and President of the International Association of Women Judges.
