Following the inauguration of 11 justices recently nominated by President Bola Tinubu, the Supreme Court on Monday became fully composed of 21 justices for the first time in its history.
As per the 1999 Constitution, Section 230 (2) (b) states that the composition of the Supreme Court of Nigeria should be determined by an Act of the National Assembly, with a maximum of 21 justices.
Over time, the criterion proved to be challenging to fulfill, prompting some, including Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), to conclude that the supreme court was “jinxed” to fail to meet the criteria.
The number of justices on the supreme court bench was the lowest it has ever been, with just 10 serving before their swearing-in on Monday.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) declared during the swearing-in event, which took place at the highest court’s Abuja headquarters, that this was an unparalleled moment in the court’s history.
He referred back to his speech from the previous year, in which he bemoaned the length of time the Court had continued to fail to appoint the statutory full complement of 21 Justices and pledged to end the curse.
He claims that the new justices will be joining the Supreme Court Bench at a time when the number of justices on the court has plummeted to an all-time low of 10 due to a variety of factors, namely retirement and deaths.
As seasoned judges leaving the Court of Appeal, he therefore encouraged them to give it their all and had developed impressive relationships with the judicial oath and the responsibilities that govern judges’ behavior.
“Your moral uprightness, integrity and respect for the constitution and other extant laws in operation, must be unwavering and unassailable”, he said.
The CJN urged the new justices to see themselves as the representatives of God on earth, because “any judgement given at this level can only be upturned in heaven”.