Justice Olukayode Ariwoola was sworn in as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) on Monday, 27June, 2022 by President Muhammadu Buhari, after the sudden resignation of Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad as the head of the nation’s judiciary.
Earlier today, CJN’s spokesperson, Ahuraka Isah, confirmed the resignation of his principal over failing health condition.
The swearing-in of the new CJN took place at the Presidential Chamber in Aso Rock.
Justice Ariwoola hailed from Iseyin, Oyo state and was born 22 August 1958. He studied law at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile Ife and bagged his bachelor of laws degree with honours in July 1980.
In July 1981, Olu Ariwoola was called to the Nigeria bar and got enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Solicitor and Advocate soon thereafter.
Justice Ariwoola was a State Counsel on National Youth Service (NYSC) at the Ministry of Justice, Akure, Ondo State and later as Legal Officer in the Ministry of Justice of his home state Oyo State until 1988 when he voluntarily left the official bar of the State Civil Service for private practice.
He worked as Counsel in-Chambers of Chief Ladosu Ladapo, SAN between October, 1988 and July 1989 when he established Olukayode Ariwoola & Co – a firm of legal Practitioners and Consultants in Oyo town in August, 1989 from where he was appointed in November, 1992 as a Judge of Oyo State Judiciary.
He was sworn in as a Judge of the High Court on November 2, 1992, as a Justice of the Court of Appeal (JCA) on November 22, 2005 and again was sworn in as Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (JSC) on November, 22, 2011.