Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen has
been sworn in as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) by President Muhammadu
Buhari.
Onnoghen took over from Justice
Mahmud Mohammed who bowed out yesterday after attaining the mandatory
retirement age of 70 years. He will act until confirmed by the Senate, upon
submission of his name by the president.
Speaking after his inauguration
inside the Council Chambers of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja,
Onnoghen assured President Buhari of “the fullest cooperation of the third arm
of government in the continuation of the war against corruption and misconduct
in the judiciary.”
He said while he intended to carry
on from where his predecessors stopped, he would “modify certain areas” with
the ultimate aim of having a better judiciary befitting the nation.
Onnoghen, who described his
inauguration as overwhelming, thanked God for making it possible and the
president for the confidence reposed in him, saying “by the grace of God, we
shall succeed.”
Earlier, President Buhari told
Justice Onnoghen that he was taking over at a trying time for the country,
charging him to play in constitutional role as expected.
The president said he was honoured
to bid the Justice Mohammed goodbye and to congratulate him for the time he
spent “in the highly respected position.”
“I congratulate the new acting CJN
to come at a time that the institution that he is going to head, to play his
role of the constitutional body after the executive and the legislature at this
trying time for our nation. Trying time in the sense of the three identifiable
problems this country is facing: physical security, the problem of economy and
corruption.
“In this room contains the
constitutional bodies that are responsible for the bringing Nigeria back to
life in terms of security and managing it efficiently while making sure that
the economy is resuscitated and that security of doing business at all stages
in the country is free and fair,” he stated.
The president wished the former CJN
the best of luck in his retirement; and the acting CJN, “a successful tour of
this vital constitutional body of our country.”
Onnoghen’s profile
Hon. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu
Onnoghen, CFR (Commander of the Federal Republic) was born on December 22, 1950
at Okurike, Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State.
He attended the Presbyterian Primary
School, Okurike, between 1959 and 1966.
He later proceeded to Accra, Ghana,
where he attended Odorgorno Secondary School, Adabraka, between 1967 and 1972
for his West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Exams.
He was at Accra Academy, Ghana
between 1972 and 1974 for his WAEC (A-Levels) before proceeding to the University
of Ghana, Legon, between 1974 and 1977 to obtain his Bachelor of Law Degree
(LL.B (Hons)) and graduated with 2nd Class Upper Division and was among the
best graduating students.
Onnoghen attended the Nigerian Law
School, Victoria Island, Lagos between 1977 and 1978 for his B.L certificate.
He completed his compulsory National
Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) in July 1979.
His previous professional
appointments/positions held include:
Pupil State Counsel, Lagos State,
(1978 - 1979); Partner in the Law Firm of Effiom Ekong & Company, Calabar
(1979 – 1988); Principal Partner/Head of Chambers of Walter Onnoghen &
Associates, Calabar (1988 -1989); Chairman, Cross River State Armed Robbery and
Fire Arms Tribunal (1990 - 1993); Chairman, Judicial Enquiry into the Crisis
between Students of the University of Calabar and Obufa Esuk Orok Community,
Calabar (1996); Chairman, Failed Banks Tribunal, Ibadan Zone (1998).
He was also High Court Judge, Cross
River State Judiciary (1989 - 1998); Justice of the Court of Appeal (Nov
1998-June 2005) and was appointed a justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
(JSC) since 2005. He is also a justice of the Supreme Court of The Gambia.
A Fellow, Chartered Institute of
Arbitrators, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and
Fellow of the National Judicial Institute, Hon. Justice Onnoghen has attended
several conferences and seminars within and outside Nigeria and presented
scholarly papers.
He is a member of the Body of
Benchers and Life Bencher; Chairman, Governing Council of the Nigerian
Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and Vice-Chairman, Legal Practitioners’
Privileges Committee among others.
Justice Onnoghen, who is currently
the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, is married with children.
Source:Daily Trust
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