The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has sworn in 11 new Justices to the bench of the Supreme Court, charging them, not to allow their ambition to becloud their sense of judgement.
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 told the new Justices 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”, he said and added, “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 said, 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 told the new Justices that they were coming to join the Supreme Court Bench at a time when the rank had been grossly depleted to an all-time low of ten Justices for several reasons, mainly retirement and deaths.
