Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will on November 27 swear in the 58 newly-appointed Senior Advocates at the Supreme Court Headquarters, Abuja.
According to a statement issued by Director of Press and Information of the apex court, Dr Festus Akande, the swearing in will be part of the programmes lined up to formally herald the 2023/2024 Legal Year of the Court.
The statement read in part: “In line with our age-long tradition, during the special court session, the Chief Justice of Nigeria will deliver a state-of-the Judiciary Address, with a view to highlighting the performance of the Supreme Court in particular and the Nigerian Judiciary in general, in the 2022/2023 legal year.
“In the same vein, other leading stakeholders in the justice sector will present speeches bordering on the state of the justice sector of the country. These include Attorney-General of the Federation/Minister of Justice, Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), among others.”
About 114 applications were received by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) for the award of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2023.
Out of the number, 101 are advocates and 13 are academics. The total number of qualified applicants shortlisted after the Advocates first and second filtration stages, academic pre-qualification; academic second filtration exercise, the independent appeals hearing and chambers inspection exercises was 69; comprising 57 advocates and 12 academics.
After conducting the specified screening and filtration exercises, which included a number of appearances in superior courts, recommendations by justices of the Supreme Court and judges of superior courts, chamber inspections; approval on eligibility and integrity of the candidates from the Nigerian Bar Association, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria and, of course, the general public, among others, the LPPC came up with 58 successful candidates.
Out of this number, 57 are advocates while one is an academic. Akande noted: “The Supreme Court commenced its annual vacation after a remarkably successful 2022/2023 legal year on Monday, July 24. Though the Court had started sitting since Monday, September 18, the new legal year ceremony is now being formally held in accordance with our tradition.”
