Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has sworn in his son Olukayode Jnr, and 22 others as new Judges of the Federal High Court.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), during the exercise said public opinion “no matter how serious or weighty it may be”, cannot override the superiority of the country’s constitution.
Addressing 22 newly sworn-in judges of the federal high court on Wednesday, the CJN said the constitution must be considered in deciding each case brought before them.
“Several vitriolic attacks are regularly heaped on the judiciary; it is, however, crystal clear that public opinion, no matter how serious or weighty it might be, cannot override or supersede the Constitution of the country which we apply in deciding each case,” the CJN said.
“Nevertheless, your Lordships still owe your conscience and the generality of the Nigerian masses, particularly those who are looking up to you, the great responsibility of good moral rectitude and acceptable conduct to uphold and consolidate the trust reposed in you.
“Like it is often said, a clear conscience fears no accusation. He who comes to equity, as we all say, must come with clean hands.
“So, your Lordships must severe ties with anything that will smear your hands and bring you into disrepute in the course of your new assignment.
“Like I always say, even though judicial officers are not spirits or superhuman beings, so much impossible things are yet expected from them by society.
Ariwoola added that the “bench is neither for the indolent, the greedy nor those with dubious character, who can easily fall for a plate of porridge offered by desperate litigants”.
“You must, at all times, rise above temptations and trials that might obstruct or even halt your rise to the pinnacle of your career,” he said.
“We are all humans, no doubt, but you display the humanism in you by doing those extraordinary things that people would ordinarily conclude that you cannot do.
“That is what separates those with integrity and passion for success from those with low pedigree and dysfunctional moral compass.”
The CJN noted that the National Judicial Council (NJC) is fully active in disciplining errant judicial officers.
“The searchlight of the National Judicial Council beams brightly on all judicial officers across the country,” he said.
“The NJC should never, either by omission or commission, be mistaken for a toothless bulldog. It can bark fiercely and as well bite deeply and aggressively too.
“Our radar is sophisticated enough to detect every form of corruption and wrongdoing by Judicial officers, and we will not waste a moment in taking the necessary action to fish out the bad eggs.
“The remoteness of your location of adjudication can never blur our sight on you. We have put in place the right machinery to capture and document your conduct.
“So, be careful and take heed, or else, you may end up regretting ever being appointed a judicial officer. Though, we don’t wish you such, anyway!”
The other Judges sworn in on Wednesday at the Supreme Court Abuja are: Dipeolu Deinde Isaac from Ogun State; Ogundare Kehinde Olayiwola from Ekiti State; Agbaje Olufunmilola Adetutu from Lagos State; Musa Kakaki from Kaduna State; Abdullahi Muhammad Dan-Ige from Sokoto State; and Sharon Tanko Ishaya from Kebbi State.
Others are Salim Olasupo Ibrahim from Ogun State; Yilwa Hauwa Joseph from Gombe State; Wigwe-Oreh Chituru Joy from Rivers State; Owoeye Alexander Oluseyi from Kogi State; Anyalewa Onoja-Alapa from Benue State; Amina Aliyu Mohammad from Katsina State; Abiodun Jordan Adeyemi from Kwara State; Hauwa Buhari from Federal Capital Territory; and Aishatu Auta Ibrahim from Borno State.
The rest are Hussaini Dadan-Garba from Bauchi State; Ibrahim Ahmad Kala from Gombe State; Mashkur Salisu from Zamfara State; Onah Chigozie Sergius from Enugu State; Egbe Raphael Joshua from Bayelsa State; Ekerete Udofot Akpan from Akwa Ibom State; and Ogazi Friday Nkemakonam from Ebonyi State.
