By Deborah Onyofufeke, Abuja
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola yesterday swore-in 11 new Justices to the Supreme court bench.
Speaking at the ceremony, the CJN charged the new judges not to allow their personal ambition to becloud their sense of judgement but ensure they always imbibe uprightness and integrity in the cause of the discharge of their duty.
Ariwoola stated this at the swearing -in ceremony held at the Supreme Court main room in Abuja.
He cautioned them further, stressing that their interaction with people of unviable inclinations and pedigree, if any, must be halted forthwith, adding that they should allow their conscience to guide and filter every of the thought that transverses their mind.
Speaking further, the CJN told the new Justices to get prepared for criticisms or verbal assaults by litigants who have lost cases as Justices of the final Court of the land, where appellants’ expectations are often very high and infectious.
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“There is no way you can please human beings, especially litigants. The easiest way to fail in life is by trying to please everyone. The only deity you can fear, is the Almighty God”, he said and added that, “Once your judgement is in consonance with what God expects from you, and is also in accordance with the constitution, you should consider yourself the happiest and freest person on earth”.
The CJN told the new Justices that, their elevation to the Supreme Court Bench is in recognition of their astuteness and evident passion for hard work, which is the hallmark of judicial excellence.
Justice Ariwoola said, administering oath of office to the 11 new Justices was unprecedented in the annals of the Nigerian Supreme Court and recalled his speech last year, where-in he lamented that the inability of the Court to meet up the statutory full compliment of 21 Justices had lingered on for too long and promised to break the jinx.
He told the new Justices that they are coming to join the Supreme Court Bench at a time when the rank had been grossly depleted to an all-time low of ten Justices for a number of reasons, mainly retirement and deaths.
He urged them to put in their best as seasoned judicial officers transiting from the Court of Appeal and had established remarkable acquittances with judicial oath and roles guiding the conduct of judicial officers.
“Your moral uprightness, integrity and respect for the constitution and other extant laws in operation, must be unwavering and unassailable”, he said and 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”.b
