Olukayode Ariwoola, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, has advocated for reforms to tackle the Supreme Court’s case backlog.
News About Nigeria reports that he made this call during a farewell ceremony in his honor at the Supreme Court in Abuja.
Ariwoola highlighted the excessively long wait times for court cases as a significant obstacle to accessing justice, violating the right to a fair and timely hearing.
The former CJN said he has introduced the Supreme Court Rules 2024 to address contemporary challenges and stay up-to-date with technological advancements.
Ariwoola noted that the previous rules, unchanged since 1985, were outdated and inadequate for today’s challenges, given the significant technological progress since then.
He empaneled a Rules Committee to review and update the 39-year-old rules, ensuring they remain relevant and effective.
Ariwoola signed off on the new Supreme Court Rules 2024, emphasizing the importance of regularly updating court procedures to reflect changing needs.
The Supreme Court handled 1,124 cases in the 2023/2024 legal year, including civil, criminal, and political appeals.
Ariwoola said that the court’s workload and collaborative efforts to enhance the justice sector, expressing gratitude to his colleagues and contributors to the new rules.
Ariwoola was sworn in as CJN in October 2022, following his predecessor’s controversial resignation.
He retired from his position as the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) after attaining the age of 70.
Ariwoola, who earned his bachelor of law degree with honours from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in July 1980, was called to the bar a year later and enrolled as a solicitor at the supreme court of Nigeria.
His judicial career saw him serving as a judge of the Oyo state high court before his elevation to the court of appeal in 2005.
