The National Judicial Council has recommended Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun to be the next Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN.
The recommendation was made in an impromptu closed-door meeting initially slated for Friday but brought forward to Thursday in Abuja.
The NJC also made recommendations for 27 others as judges of the state high court in the meeting, which is still ongoing.
The outgoing CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will bow out of the bench on August 22, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70.
If appointed, Justice Kekere-Ekun will be only the second female CJN in Nigeria’s history, succeeding Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, who served from 2012 to 2014.
At 66 years old, Justice Kekere-Ekun is expected to serve a term of up to four years, compared to the average two-year tenure of her predecessors.
Her appointment will also place her at the helm of the National Judicial Council (NJC), which oversees the appointment, promotion, and discipline of judges across Nigeria.
Born on May 7, 1958, Justice Kekere-Ekun obtained her LL.B from the University of Lagos in 1980 and an LL.M from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1983.
She was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1981. After several years in private practice, she was appointed as a Senior Magistrate in Lagos State in 1989, and later as a High Court Judge in 1996. She served as the chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal in Lagos from 1996 to 1999.
Elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2004, Justice Kekere-Ekun served in various divisions and was the presiding justice of the Makurdi and Aku Divisions. She was appointed to the Supreme Court in July 2013 as its fifth female justice.
Her appointment will be subject to confirmation by the Nigerian Senate, following a nomination by the President based on the recommendation of the NJC.
Culled/ Oluwayemisi Owonikoko
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