The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, in agreement with recent calls from judicial stakeholders, said that the Nigerian judiciary needs a 21st-century transformation.
Ariwoola stated this at the 3rd conferment of the National Judicial Institute Fellowship Awards held at the National Judicial Institute, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Delivering his opening address at the event, the CJN explained that he considered the keynote lecture titled “On the Cusp of History: Nigerian Judiciary and the Challenge of Transformation in the 21st Century,” delivered by Professor Ademola Popoola, most appropriate, given the nation’s state of its judiciary system.
According to him, “It is an appropriate topic that will offer a panoramic view of the Judiciary’s past developments in the present dispensation and possibly a preview of the desired state of affairs.”
Speaking further he said, “As I have said before now, the importance of this cannot be overemphasised since forging new paths often requires us to look back at where we are coming from to determine how much of the field we have covered and what is left undone.”
On his part, the NJI administrator, Justice Salisu Abdullahi, stated that those chosen for the award conferment are outstanding luminaries whose influence and achievements have extended beyond the Nigerian Judiciary.
He explained that the ceremony is the third of its kind since the inception of the institute in 1991, and the first in nine years.
He said the latest addition of fellows “will ultimately bring the number of the institute fellows to thirty-five.”
The award was conferred on both members of the bar and bench.
Those who received the awards are; Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Justice Mary Peter-Odili, Justice Musa Dattijo-Mohammed, Appeal Court President, Monica Dongban-Mensem, late Justice Mamman Nasir and Muhammad Akanbi.
Others are; Justice Umar Abdullahi, Justice Isa Salami, Justice Kulu Aliyu, Justice Rosaline Bozimo, late Justice Kate Abiri, AGF Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) and Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).
