The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, yesterday swore-in Justice Uwani Musa Abba-Aji, as a Justice of the Supreme Court.
With Justice Abba-Aji now on board, the number of female Justices at the apex court has increased to four.
Abba-Aji was sworn-in as a justice of the Supreme Court after 14 years of service at the Court of Appeal where she rose to become the presiding Justice of the Kaduna division of the appellate court.
Onnoghen, during the swearing-in ceremony, who reiterated that there is a huge workload before the apex court, urged lawyers and judges to be diligent in handling cases before the court.
He said, “Sometime in September 2018, I issued a statement to the effect that the Supreme Court diary is full with appeals set down for hearing up to the year 2021. Accordingly, I explained the import of the warning to mean that any matter that is assigned a date must be heard and determined one way or the other on that date.
“For appeals that may be discovered to have defects, I advised Counsel to take necessary steps to amend such defects before the due hearing date. This means that everyone must come to the court fully prepared for the business of the day, including the Justices more than anyone else”.
The CJN observed that with pre-election and post-election matters that will arise from the 2019 general elections, the Apex Court definitely has a lot of job to do this year.
He therefore urged the new Justice to see her elevation to the Apex Court as timely and positive. “Your work ethic and integrity are what got you here and I urge you to do even more to leave your footprints on the sands of time in this Court”, he said.
While extolling the virtues of the new Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Onnoghen said, “You have worked very hard to earn elevation to the Supreme Court, but as you must know already, the reward for hard work is even more hard work.
“Therefore, your elevation to the Bench of Nigeria’s apex court is timely and positive. Your work ethic and integrity are what got you here and I urge you to do even more to leave your footprints on the sands of time in this Court. On behalf of my Brother Justices, I whole-heartedly welcome you to the Supreme Court of Nigeria and wish you a successful time on the Bench of Nigeria’s apex court.”
