![A photo collage of the judges of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. [BBC]](https://i0.wp.com/truetellsnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/a771771467dd09ff78e09a839e9fe2d5.jpg?resize=790%2C430&ssl=1 "A photo collage of the judges of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. [BBC]")
The Nigerian constitution stipulates that the Supreme Court of Nigeria should comprise a maximum of 21 judges, but the number of the justices who currently administer judgements at the apex court is far from what the constitution prescribes.
The retirement of Justice Amina Adamu Augie on Friday, September 22, 2023, reduced the number of jurists in Nigeria’s highest court to 11.
Here are the profiles of the 11 justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria including the Chief Justice, who exercises general control over the administration of the court.
Justice Olukayode Ariwoola
Olukayode Ariwoola is the Chief Justice of Nigeria. He was appointed a justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2011.
Born on August 22, 1958, in Iseyin, Oyo State, Ariwoola studied law at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), where he bagged his bachelor of laws degree with honours in July 1980.
In July 1981, he was called to the Nigerian bar and enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Solicitor and Advocate soon after that.
Following the resignation of former Chief Justice Muhammad Tanko in June 2022, the appointment of Ariwoola by former President Muhammadu Buhari as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was confirmed by the Senate in September 2022.
Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad
Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad was born in October 1953 in the Chanchaga local government area in Minna, Niger State.
The judge obtained his LLB (Hons) at Ahmadu Bello University in 1976, and his BL at the Nigerian Law School in 1977. He proceeded to Warwick University Coventry UK for his LLM between 1982 and 1983 and also attended the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies where he obtained an Advanced Certificate in Practice and Procedure.
Justice Dattijo began his work career as a Higher Registrar at the High Court of Justice, Minna in 1976, after which he was appointed Magistrate Grade II in 1978 following his NYSC programme.
He rose to become the Chief Magistrate in 1984, and in 1986, he was appointed as the Chief Registrar and as Judge of the High Court, Niger State in 1989. He was elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria in July 2012.
Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun
Born on May 7, 1958, Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun obtained her LL.B in 1980 from the University of Lagos and her LL.M from the London School of Economic and Political Science in November 1983.
She was called to the Nigerian bar in July 1981 and was appointed a Senior Magistrate Grade II, Lagos State Judiciary in December 1989. In July 1996, she was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State. Eight years later, she was elevated to the Court of Appeal.
Between 2011 and 2013, Justice Kekere-Ekun served as a member of the Court of Appeal ICT Committee, after which she was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on June 8, 2013.
Justice John Inyang Okoro
Justice John Inyang Okoro was born in July 1959 in the Nung Ukim, Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
He attended the School of Arts and Science in Uyo from 1979 to 1981 and the University of Lagos from 1981 to 1984. He also attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and was called to the Nigerian bar in 1985.
Justice Okoro started his legal career as a Magistrate Grade 11 in 1986 and rose through the Magisterial Cadre to become the Chief Magistrate Grade 1 in 1996, after which he was appointed as a judge of the High Court of Akwa Ibom State in 1998.
He was then elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2006 and then to the Supreme Court in November 2013.
Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji
Born in November 1956 in Gashua in Gombe State, Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji obtained a Diploma in Law from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in 1976 and subsequently, an LL.B Hons from the same institution in 1980. She was called to the bar in 1981 and commenced her career as State Counsel in 1982.