On Tuesday, the Senate President announced President Muhammadu Buhari’s nomination of two new Supreme Court Justices – Justice Paul Jauro from the North East region and Justice Sidi Bage from the North Central.
Ventures Africa conducted a quick survey to determine how well Nigerians know their Supreme Court Justices. The result of our survey reveals that out of every ten Nigerians, seven do not know any Justice.
Section 230 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria provides that the Supreme Court of Nigeria shall consist of (a) The Chief Justice of Nigeria (b) Such number of Justices of the Supreme Court, not exceeding twenty-one as may be prescribed by act of National Assembly.
Currently, Nigeria has 14 Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria- the Chief Justice and thirteen other Justices. Honourable Justice Suleiman Galadima retired on Monday having reached the compulsory retirement age of 70. Honourable Justice Mahmud Mohammed is due to also retire on November 10.
Here are the profiles of the current Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria:
Honourable Justice Mahmud Mohammed GCON
Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed is currently the Chief Justice of Nigeria. He is the first Chief Justice that is reportedly trained in Nigeria up to the Nigeria Law School, in contrast with his predecessors who were first trained in the Inns of the English Bar. He is who hails from Jalingo in Taraba State was born the 10th of November 1946.
He studied for his Bachelor’s degree in Law (LL.B) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, graduating in 1970; after which he attended the Nigerian Law School, in Lagos and was subsequently called to the bar in 1971. He also studied at the Commonwealth Institute of Legislative Drafting (1976); National Institute of Public Management, Washington, United States (US) (1980); Institute of Judicial Administration, University of New York, US (1982) and Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London, United Kingdom (UK) (1983).
Justice Mohammed is known for his fearless attitude, unafraid to take unpopular positions on issues once he is convinced that his position is right. He led the panel that gave a judgment that the Court of Appeal ruling against Governor Wike’s election victory be reversed.
He began his career in public service with the Ministry of Justice of the defunct Northeastern Gongola state. In 1991, he was appointed the Acting Chief judge of Taraba State, and later confirmed the substantive Chief Judge of Taraba State in the same year. Prior to being appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court in 2005, he was Justice of the Court of Appeal, and then Presiding Justice.
Honourable Justice W.S. Nkanu Onnoghen CFR
Hon. Justice W.S. Nkanu Onnoghen was born on the 22nd December 1950 in Okurike Town, Biase L.G.A. of Cross Rivers State.
He was recently nominated by the Nigerian Judicial Council as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). If ratified by the National Assembly, he would be the first non-northern CJN since 1985.
His Lordship along Justice George Oguntade and Justice Mariam Mukhtar were the only Justices that gave an unpopular vote by dissenting from a majority verdict that upheld the validity of late former President Umaru Yar’Adua’s presidential election; an election adjudged by both local and international observers to be one of the most fraudulent in Nigeria’s history.
He obtained his Bachelor of Law Degree (LL.B (Hons) from the University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana between 1974 and 1977. He then attended the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos between 1977 and 1978 for his B.L certificate.
He is a Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the Body of Bencher and Life Bencher. Hon. Justice W.S. Nkanu Onnoghen was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (JSC) in 2005.
Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad
Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad was born on 31st December 1953 in Doguwa – Giade, Giade LGA of Bauchi State.
He was a member of the panel that ruled against the annulment of Governor Nyesom Wike’s victory in Rivers state election.
He completed his secondary education at Government Secondary School, Azare in 1973. Then he proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for his Bachelor of Law degree (1980). He later got his LL.M (1984) and PhD in Law (1998) from the same university.
He was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court (JSC) in 2006 and sworn in on 7th January 2007.
Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour
He was born into the family of Hon. Justice Chief Akinwunmi R.W Rhodes-Vivour (deceased) of Lagos Island, Lagos state on the 22nd March 1951.
In 1974, he got his LL.B (Hons) at the University of Lagos and B.L at the Nigeria Law School in 1975. In 1983, he took an advanced course in Legislative Drafting in Chicago, U.S.A. and also got Certificate in Legislative Drafting in School of Law, Nairobi.
In 2009, he was accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a petition for being biased in a case against Chief Olabode George. The EFCC requested that he should be removed in any Bode George’s case.
In 1994, he was appointed High Court Judge and then promoted to Court of Appeal in 2005. In 2008, he was seconded from the Nigeria Government to the Sierra Leone Judiciary as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone. He was sworn in as Justice of Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2010.
Honourable Justice Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta
He was born in 1951 in Amofia-Ukawu, Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. He had his basic education in the eastern part of Nigeria and got his LLB from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), lle-Ife and BL at the Nigerian law school in 1978.
On Saturday evening, he was arrested by the Department of Security Service (DSS) alongside other Judges on allegations of corruption.
He started his private legal practice in Abakaliki in 1978, from where he was appointed a Judge of the High Court Abia state in October 1995. He was then promoted to the Court of Appeal in 2003. In 2011, he was sworn-in as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Honourable Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili CFR
Hon. Justice Mary Ukaego Odili is the wife of Peter Odili, former Governor of Rivers State. She was born on the 12th May 1952 in Amudi Obizi, Ezinitte – Mbaise L.G.A. of Imo State.Obizi, Ezinitte – Mbaise L.G.A. of Imo State.
Justice Mary Odili was reported to have allegedly given N5billion bribe to the panel that sat over Governor Nyesom Wike’s election case.
She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LL.B (Hons)) in 1976 at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Enugu Campus). She then attended the Nigerian Law School in 1977 for her B.L certificate.
Hon. Justice Mary Ukaego Odili was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (JSC) on 23rd June 2011.
Honourable Justice Olukayode Ariwoola
Lord Ariwoola started his educational career in his hometown Iseyin at the Local Authority Demonstration School, Oluwole in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State between 1959 and 1967. He was in the Muslim Modern School in the same town between 1968 and 1969 before proceeding to Ansar-Ud-Deen High School, Saki in Oyo North of Oyo State.
His Lordship was first appointed a Judge of Superior Court of record in Oyo State in 1992 from private legal practice. His Lordship was a Justice of the Court of Appeal between 2005 and 2011 after having been elevated from the State High Court of Oyo State. Lord Ariwoola was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2011.
Honourable Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad
Hon. Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad was born on 27th October 1953 in Chanchaga Local Government Area in Minna, Niger State.
He attended Abdullahi Bayero College (now Bayero University) Kano between 1972 and 1973 for a pre-degree certificate. He obtained an LLB (Hons) at Ahmadu Bello University (Faculty of Law) Zaria between 1973 and 1976, and his BL at the Nigerian Law School in 1977. He then proceeded to Warwick University Coventry UK for his LLM 1982-1983.
In 2012, he was appointed to the bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Justice.
Honourable Justice C.B. Ogunbiyi (JSC)
Hon. Justice (MRS). Clara Bata Ogunbiyi was the first female Judge from the North Eastern Region of Nigeria. She was born on 27th February 1948, at Lassa, Borno State.
She started her Legal Career with Diploma in Law in Ahamadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in October 1969 – June 1971. She returned for her L.L.B Hons in the same institution between 1972 and 1975. She was called to the bar in 1976. She obtained a Master’s degree in Criminology at University of Hull (United Kingdom) in 1982 and Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) the University of Maiduguri in 2002.
In 1987, she was appointed as a High Court Judge of Borno State Judiciary making her the first female Judge in Borno State and the entire Northeast region of Nigeria. She was then appointed Justice of the Court of Appeal in 2002. She also served as presiding Justice, Court of Appeal Ibadan, Lagos and Jos Divisions.
She was appointed Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in July 2012.
Honourable Justice Kumai Bayang Akaahs
Hon. Justice Kumai Bayang Akaahs was born on 12th December 1949 in Kpak-Kagoro in Kaura Local Government Area Kaduna State.
In 1970, he gained admission into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he got his LLB in June 1973. He got his BL in 1975 at the Nigeria Law School, Lagos.
In 1986, he was appointed as Judge of Kaduna State Judiciary. He was then appointed Justice Court of Appeal in 1998. He became Justice of Supreme Court of Nigeria in September 2012.
Honourable Justice Kudirat M.O Kekere-Ekun
She is the youngest female jurist at the Supreme Court. She is speculated to become the second female Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice after Hon. Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar. Justice Kudirat M.O Kekere-Ekun was born on the 7th of May, 1958. She obtained her LL.B in 1980 from the University of Lagos and was called to the bar in 1981. She obtained her Master’s Degree in Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science in November 1983.
She rose from the post of Senior Magistrate Grade II with Lagos State Judiciary to this present position as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. As a High Court Judge, she served as Chairman Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja from 1996 to 1999.
She was appointed to the bench of the Nigerian Courts of Appeal in 2004 where she served as a member of the Court of Appeal ICT Committee between 2011 and 2013.
She was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in July 2013
Honourable Justice John Inyang Okoro
Hon. Justice John Inyang Okoro was born on July 7, 1959. He is an indigene of Akwa-Ibom State in Nigeria.
In 1998, he became a Judge of the High Court of Akwa-Ibom. He thereafter got elevated to the position of Justice of the Court of Appeal in 2006. He was made a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and his appointment was confirmed by the Senate on October 2013.
Honourable Justice Chima Centus Nweze
Hon. Justice Chima Centus Nweze was born on September 25, 1958. He is an indigene of Enugu State, Nigeria. In 1977, he began his studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he bagged a Bachelor’s Degree. He was thereafter called to the Nigerian Bar. He also obtained his Master’s Degree and a Doctor of Philosophy in Law from the University of Nigeria. Justice Nweze served as a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Enugu state from 1995 to 2007. He also served as the Administrative Judge, Nsukka Judicial Division, from 2001 to 2003.
While serving as a Judge, Justice Nweze was a distinguished scholar at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology. He was also a visiting Associate Professor of Law, Ebonyi State University, a visiting Human Rights Scholar, Faculty of Law and Convener/Coordinator, International Human Rights Law Program, University of Nigeria.
Justice Nweze was promoted to the Court of Appeal in 2007 and was sworn in 2008. In 2014, he was elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Honourable Justice Amiru Sanusi
Hon. Justice Amiru Sanusi was born in February 1950. He is an indigene of Katsina State. He bagged a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978.
Prior to becoming a Justice of the Supreme Court, he served as a Judge in his home state, Katsina from 1990 to 1998, before he was promoted to the Court of Appeal in December 1998.
Hon. Justice Aminu Sanusi, OFR was sworn-in by the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, GCON, in May 2015.
