The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, on Monday, conducted a swearing-in exercise for 11 new Justices to the bench of the Supreme Court, with the apex court now having a full complement of 21 justices as specified by the constitution.
Ariwoola charged them on moral uprightness and integrity as he advised them not to allow their personal ambitions to affect their sense of judgement.
Theliberationnews reports that the newly sworn-in Supreme Court Justices are Justice Haruna Tsammani (Northeast), who chaired the Presidential Election Petition Court, Justice Moore Adumein (South-South), Justice Jummai Sankey (North-central), Justice Chidiebere Uwa (South-east); and Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme (South-east).
Others are Justice Obande Ogbuinya (South-East), Justice Stephen Adah (North-Central), Justice Habeeb Abiru (South-West), Justice Jamilu Tukur (Northwest), Justice Abubakar Umar (Northwest) and Justice Mohammed Idris (North-Central).
He said the interaction of the new Justices with people of unviable inclinations and pedigrees, if any, must be halted forthwith and they should allow their consciences to guide and filter every of the thoughts that tranvase their mind.
Speaking further at the swearing-in ceremony held at the main Courtroom of the Supreme Court, the CJN 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, adding that, “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.”
The CJN told the new Justices that their elevation to the Supreme Court Bench was in recognition of their astuteness and evident passion for hard work, which was the hallmark of judicial excellence
Justice Ariwoola said 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 up the statutory full complement of 21 Justices had lingered 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 a number of reasons, mainly retirement and deaths.
He urged them to put in their best as seasoned judicial officers transiting from the Court of Appeal and had established remarkable acquitances with judicial oath and roles guiding the conduct of judicial officers.
“Your moral uprightness, integrity and respect for the constitution and other extant laws in operation, must be unwavering and unassailable”, he said and urged the new Justices to see themselves as the representatives of God on earth, because “any judgement given at this level can only be upturned in heaven.”
