Justice Walter is the first southerner to become a Chief Justice in 29 years; see the other ex-Chief Justices here (list)
Justice Walter Onnoghen was inaugurated as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria on Thursday, November 10, 2016. The attainment of the mandatory 70 years’ retirement age of Chief Justice Mahmud Mohammed made him step down.
File photo of Walter Onnoghen, the Chief Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Justice Walter took the rein of leadership and is the first southerner to become a chief justice in 29 years. The 67-year-old justice hails from Okurike Town in Biase local government area of Cross Rivers state.
The position of the Chief Justice of Nigeria is highly prized; the Chief Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is always nominated by the president upon recommendation by the National Judicial council. Afterwards, the CJN is confirmed by the senate of the country.
The intriguing thing about this position of authority is that the Chief Justice of the nation can only be removed from office by death or on clocking the retirement age of 70. The constitution also made provision for the CJN to be removed by impeachment by the senate.
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Check out the names of the other justices in Nigeria that have served as the Chief Justices of this great nation:
1. Sir Edwin Speed, 1914-1918
2. Sir Ralph Combe, 1918-1929
3. Donald kingdon, 1929-1946
4. Sir John Verity, 1946-1954
5. Sir Stafford Sutton, 1955-1958
6. Adetokunbo Ademola, 1958-1972
7. Taslim Olawale Elias, 1972-1975
8. Darnley Arthur Alexander, 1975-1979
9. Attanda Fatai Williams, 1979-1983
10. George Sodeinde Sowewimo, 1983-1985
11. Ayo Gabriel Irikefe, 1985-1987
12. Mohammed Bello, 1987-1995
13. Muhammad Lawal Uwais, 1995-2006
14. Salihu Moddibo Alfa Belgore, 2006-2007
15. Idris Legbo Kutigi, 2007-2009
16. Aloysius Iyorgyer Katsina-Alu, 2009-2011
17. Dahiru Musdapher, 2011-2012
18. Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, 2012-2014
19. Mahmad Mohammed, 2014-2016
20. Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, 2016 till date.
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Of these 20 Chief Justices that have served in Nigeria, Donald Kingdon served the longest with the 17 years he spent holding the position. Justice Walter holds the forte now and is the recognized Chief Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.