Some legal luminaries in Lagos have described the appointment of Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), as a huge leap for gender inclusiveness.
The National Judicial Council, during its recent 106th meeting, recommended Justice Kekere-Ekun to the Federal Government for appointment as the next CJN.
The Federal Government on Friday, Aug. 23, appointed Kekere-Ekun, as its 23rd Chief Justice.
The appointment marks a significant milestone, as the country welcomed its second female Chief Justice in history.
This historic appointment has since been seen as a progressive step forward in promoting gender equality within the nation’s highest judicial office.
Her elevation to the highest judicial position is expected to influence key legal reforms and further strengthen the independence and integrity of Nigeria’s judicial system.
Speaking in separate interviews with newsmen on Monday, the lawyers urged the new CJN to strive to wear the toga of a reformist and not of a status quo judicial officer.
Mr Ademola Owolabi, Principal Partner, Owolabi Chambers, in his own opinion, stated that the appointment of Kekere-Ekun came at a very crucial stage in the judicial sector.
According to him, the national judicial architecture is in dire need of both vertical and horizontal reform.
He then urged the new CJN to ensure she used her four years in office to drive the required reforms in the sector.
Owolabi outlined various areas in the sector that should be urgently reformed.
He said: “The reforms should include, speedy dispensation of justice by adopting tested technologies and electronic compilation of records.
“Other areas should include, scheduling of cases to enable lawyers and litigants not to spend the whole day in courts.
“Also, healthy criminal procedure reforms which ensures that criminals get adequate punishment for their crimes and ensures that innocent people are not unduly detained”.
Owolabi asked the new CJN to take a hard look at the kind of cases that the Supreme Court should adjudicate on.
He gave instances of interlocutory appeals and asked the new CJN to check if such appeals should reach the Supreme Court, or stop at the Court of Appeal.
The lawyer further urged the new CJN to check if regional Supreme Court should be established to handle cases like matrimonial, inheritance, and custom cases.
“I wish Justice Kekere-Ekun a positive eventful time as CJN. My greater prayer is that she wear the toga of a reformist and not a status quo Judicial Officer,” he said.
Mr Chris Ayiyi, Principal Partner of Ayiyi Chambers, in his opinion, urged the new CJN to ensure that she always used provisions of the constitution to back her decisions.
According to him, the newly sworn in CJN has always been someone of integrity.
“I hope she will radically change our judiciary.
“If she can control the power, she will excel as the CJN,” Ayiyi said.
