The Supreme Court currently has the fewest justices in its history, according to information disclosed on Friday by Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
In order to handle the overwhelming volume of pending cases, he claims that the Apex Court only has 10 Justices on its bench.
On the occasion of Justice Musa Dattijo Mohammed’s retirement, who today reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 years, Justice Ariwoola spoke.
Nonetheless, the CJN guaranteed that every effort is being made to add a significant number of Justices to the Court’s bench.
We currently have the lowest number of justices on the Supreme Court bench in the Court’s modern history, with Justices Musa Dattijo departing today following the retirement of Hon. Justice Adamu Amina Augie a few weeks ago.
“That being said, I can tell the litigant public with confidence that we are making every effort to add a significant number of Justices to our ranks in order to complement the enormous amount of work we have been putting into the Court’s operations.
The retired Justice received high praise from the CJN, who said, “I am deeply moved and simultaneously ecstatic to be present for this unique farewell ceremony.
This isn’t because this is the first time I’ve witnessed or led a valedictory session; rather, it’s because we are honoring a classic example of a judicial icon, one with brilliant attributes and a captivating presence who could easily be categorized as an exemplary figure that goes beyond the legal profession.
“My Lord Hon. Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad, in whose honor we are gathered here today, is the pinnacle of jurisprudential grace; an unstoppable lion in the temple of justice with an unquenchable voice.
“We are here to honor a distinguished jurisprudential iconoclast who has dedicated his best intellect to the advancement of the legal profession through years of impeccable and unchallenged rulings at various Nigerian court levels.”
By all measures, His Lordship has left his mark on the hallowed annals of the Nigerian judiciary as the valiant and distinguished Justice on the Supreme Court bench who unwaveringly maintained authority in the performance of his judicial duties.
“My Lord, Justice Dattijo, skillfully assisted and supported me virtually in every area of administration as second-in-command in the Supreme Court hierarchy. He is a shining example of diligence, industry, self-control, and moral rectitude.
He voluntarily provided all the assistance and motivation a leader could hope for from a deputy in order to successfully navigate the frequently rough waters of court administration.
“Therefore, as this event marks his 70th birthday anniversary, it is now appropriate to stop serving as a judicial officer. After this Court session, my Lord’s life will finally turn a new page that His Lordship and a completely different group of people—whom destiny had already brought together along the course of his second phase of life—will start writing on.
“He is undoubtedly a treasure of immeasurable value and a symbol deserving of praise and admiration.
“No matter whose ox is gored, His Lordship is one judge who can be blunt, even to the point of being irritating. He is also known for never holding back when expressing his opinions and for never backtracking when necessary.
“With his demeanor and behavior, His Lordship has been able to build a monument of hope and optimism in the eyes of his throngs of admirers; and even future generations who will have the honor to view and experience his monumental contributions to the legal field, which are already well-researched and prominently exhibited on the shelves of numerous libraries worldwide.
“My Lord, before I wrap up, I want to strongly encourage you to treasure and savor every moment of your life because, in most cases, this ceremony that we are all here to witness today won’t happen again in your lifetime. We truly wish you good fortune and God’s grace in everything you do, and from the bottom of our hearts, we say happy 70th birthday,” the CJN remarked.
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