Mary Odili Reveals What People Do Not Know About The Chief Justice
OpenLife Nigeria reports what Nigerians and indeed, the world do not know about the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has been revealed by retired Justice Mary Ukaego Odili, who bowed out the bench recently.
Speaking in a ceremony on Friday, the retired Justice of the Supreme Court took the audience memory lane, exposing the other sides of the Chief Justice of Nigeria which have remained unknown to many.
Mrs Odili who spoke at the commissioning of the Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute, Port Harcourt, built and named in her honour by governor Nyesom Wike, recalled an unforgettable experience she had with Justice Kayode in 2011.
According to her, some names have been slelected for elevation to the Supreme Court by the then Goodluck Ebele KJonathan’s adminisnistartion. Among the selected names from the Court of Appeal were herself and Justice Kayode including others.
She narrated that at the Senate screening, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola was disqualified for reasons that were not clear to everyone at that time.
Rather than depressed and move out, Justice Ariwoola decided to stay behind to lend supports to her screening.
In the process, the revered Justice got friendly with her three daughters who accompanied her to the screening venue in the Senate.
“He started taking photographs. He practically took over the photography party of my screening session. He calls my children triplets. He supported me in great measures. He has strength of characters. He was not screened to be made Justice of Supreme Court in 2011. But he eventually made it to the Supreme Court and today, he is the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN.
When you are not chosen today, you don’t know what God has for you tomorrow. With Justice Kayode as CJN, the future is bright for judiciary in Nigeria,” Mary Odili disclosed.
Chief Justice Olukayode Ariwoola was appointed CJN on 27 June 2022.
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