Kudirat Motonmori OlatokunboGCONCFR (born 7 May 1958), popularly known as Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, is a Nigerian jurist and Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria who has served as the Chief Justice of Nigeria since 22 August 2024.[1][2] She was appointed Chief Justice following the retirement of Chief Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.[3]
Kudirat joined the Lagos State Judiciary as Senior Magistrate II and rose to the position of the State High Court Judge. She served as Chairman of Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja between November 1996 to May 1999.[8] She was appointed to the bench of the Nigerian courts of appeal in 2004 before her appointment as Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in July 2013.[9]
In 2020, Kekere-Ekun was on the seven-member panel that sacked Imo State governor Emeka Ihedioha and declared that the winning candidate was Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who originally came fourth in the election results. Ihedioha described the verdict as "unfair, unjust and does not reflect the voting that took place during the elections", but said he would respect the judgement.[10]
Appointment
On 23 August 2024, Kekere-Ekun was sworn-in by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chamber of the State House in Abuja. Her appointment makes her the second woman to become Nigeria's Chief Justice after Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar. Kekere-Ekun also becomes the first woman from Southwest geopolitical zone of Nigeria to become Chief Justice of Nigeria.[11]
