Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun has been appointed as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria, succeeding Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who has retired.
This historic appointment makes Justice Kekere-Ekun the second woman to hold the position in the country’s history, following in the footsteps of Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, who was Chief Justice from 2012 to 2014.
Born on May 7, 1958, Justice Kekere-Ekun, aged 66, pursued her legal education at the University of Lagos, where she earned her LL.B in 1980, and later at the London School of Economics and Political Science, where she obtained an LL.M in 1983.
She was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1981.
Justice Kekere-Ekun’s career began in private legal practice before she was appointed as a Senior Magistrate in Lagos State in 1989.
She advanced to the position of High Court Judge in 1996, during which she also chaired the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal in Lagos until 1999.
Her judicial career saw further elevation in 2004 when she was appointed to the Court of Appeal, where she presided over various divisions, including the Makurdi and Aku Divisions.
In July 2013, she achieved another milestone by being appointed to the Supreme Court, becoming its fifth female justice.
