The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reached its full constitutional complement of 21 Justices following the swearing-in of Justice Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole as a Justice of the court.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun administered the Oath of Allegiance and the Judicial Oath on Justice Oyewole on Wednesday in Abuja.

In her address at the ceremony, Justice Kekere-Ekun described the elevation as both a personal milestone for the new Justice and an institutional landmark for the apex court.

“Your Lordship assumes not merely a new office, but a solemn and enduring trust at the highest level of our judicial hierarchy,” the CJN said, noting that the Supreme Court remains the final interpreter of the Constitution and the ultimate guardian of legal rights in the country.

She emphasized that with Justice Oyewole’s elevation, the court now stands at its full constitutional strength, a development she was no small milestone.

According to her, a full bench enhances the court’s capacity to constitute robust panels, manage its docket more efficiently, and deliver judgments with renewed vigour and dispatch.

“For a Court whose pronouncements shape the legal destiny of the Nation, numerical completeness is structurally significant to the effective discharge of our constitutional mandate,” she stated and added that appointment to the Supreme Court is not merely the culmination of professional distinction but the acceptance of a sacred national responsibility.

She said the authority of the court rests not on force but on the moral weight of its reasoning, the discipline of its processes, and the integrity of its Justices.

Justice Kekere-Ekun praised Justice Oyewole’s judicial record, citing his disciplined scholarship, intellectual depth, independence of thought, and clarity of expression as qualities essential for service at the apex court, where decisions often carry far-reaching consequences.

The CJN also highlighted the twin pillars of collegiality and independence, describing them as fundamental to the strength of the Supreme Court even as she stressed the importance of mutual respect and reasoned engagement among Justices.

She said, “Where your Lordship’s considered conviction differs from that of your brother Justices, your Lordship must have the courage to dissent with courtesy and precision,” she said, adding that principled dissent can often become the seed of future doctrinal growth.

The CJN further reminded the new Justice that the oaths he had taken constitute a binding covenant, requiring moral courage, restraint, and steadfastness, especially in the face of public scrutiny and external pressures.

She acknowledged the constitutional roles of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) in ensuring that appointments to the apex court are guided by merit, integrity, competence, and temperament.

Justice Kekere-Ekun expressed confidence that Justice Oyewole would contribute meaningfully to the coherence of Nigeria’s jurisprudence and the strengthening of public confidence in the administration of justice. (Nigerian Tribune)