Iseyin-born Olukayode Ariwoola named as new chief justice of Nigeria as Ibrahim Tanko resigns

OYO State-born Justice Olukayode Ariwoola is to be sworn-in as the  new chief justice of Nigeria later today following the sudden resignation of the incumbent Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad who said he could no longer continue due to health challenges.

Barring any last-minute change of plans, President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to conduct the swearing-in ceremony later this afternoon. Justice Ariwoola is currently the most senior justice of the Supreme Court and in line with the provisions of the constitution, he automatically assumes the top position if it becomes vacant..

Born on 22 August 1958, Justice Ariwoola was formerly a justice of the Court of Appeal and was elevated to the Supreme Court bench. Justice Ariwoola who was born on August 22, 1958 in Iseyin, in Oyo State and appointed a justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2011.

He was a Justice of the Court of Appeal between 2005 and 2011 after having been elevated from the State High Court of Oyo State. Justice Ariwoola was first appointed a judge of Superior Court of Record in Oyo State in 1992, being brought in from private legal practice.

Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, he had served as a justice of the Court of Appeal in the Kaduna, Enugu and Lagos divisions. Being 64 years old, Justice Ariwoola will retire by 2028 when he clicks 70.

Justice Ariwoola started his educational career in his home town Iseyin, at the Local Authority Demonstration School, Oluwole, in the Iseyin Local government of Oyo State between 1959 and 1967. He has attended many international and national conferences and workshops in France, Atlanta Georgia, UK and Dubai, UAE and he is married with children.