The National Judicial Council (NJC) on Wednesday evening announced the elevation of Justice Joseph Olubunmi Kayode(JOK) Oyewole from the Court of Appeal to the Apex Court, the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Oyewole is among 36 higher judicial officers NJC recommended for appointments at its 110th meeting held on January 13, 2026 presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun. The CJN and Justice Oyewole are products of the Lagos State Judiciary. Coincidentally, It was Oyewole who occupied the courtroom Kekere-Ekun used as High Court judge, at the Ikeja High Court headquarters of the Lagos State Judiciary. The courtroom today serves as Court Registry!

In the statement signed by Mrs Kemi Babalola Ogedengbe, 27 candidates were recommended as High Court Judges across seven states. Six Kadis and two Customary Court of Appeal judges were also recommended.

Born on 13th May, 1965 at Ila Orangun, Osun State, he had his elementary education at Ijebu-Ode and Ibadan while his secondary education was at St Charles Grammar School, Osogbo which he completed in 1981. The same year, he gained admission to the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) to read law and completed the program in 1985 upon which he proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, then in Victoria Island, Lagos where he completed his bar program in 1986 and was called to the Nigerian Bar.

He was posted to Benue State for participation in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps and did his primary assignment with the Public Complaints Commission, Makurdi as Legal Officer from 1986-1987.

He founded the Benue Corpers Public Aid Group, BENCOPAG and was the founding President. The group gave free legal aid services to the indigent and provided free extra mural classes for final year secondary school students in Makurdi, the State capital, which earned the commendation of the then Military Governor of the State, then Col. Ishaya Bakut.

He returned to Lagos after the service year and was employed by the law firm of Afolabi Adeniran & co, a firm whose principal on being invited to the higher bench became Hon. Justice Afolabi Adeniran of the Oyo State Judiciary and retired as the Acting Chief Judge of Oyo State.

In 1988 he left the firm of Afolabi Adeniran & co to start his own law firm of Olubunmi Oyewole & Co with him as the Principal Partner. The said firm flourished, distinguishing itself in various aspects of litigation and commercial practice. His skillful and ethical professional activities did not go unnoticed as it led to his being appointed to the High Court Bench of Lagos State on May 24, 2001.

On the Lagos State High Court Bench, he immediately established a reputation for courage, industry, efficiency and integrity. He handled various high profile trials without blemish and handled various administrative assignments with distinction which earned him various awards and commendations from numerous organizations including the United Nations and the National Judicial Council.

Some of the famous cases he handled included the corruption case of a political big wig and People’s Democratic Party chieftain, Chief Bode George who he sentenced to a term of prison for his corrupt deeds as Chairman, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Chief George was considered a ‘touch me not’ politician, whose party was then in power.

Another case is that of the Federal Government vs Emmanuel Nwude, Martina Ananjemba, Emmanuel Ofolue, and Nzeribe Okoli. Nwude and his gang of fraudsters swindled Banco Noroeste of Brazil of $242 million. Justice Oyewole sentenced all the fraudsters to prison to 25 years imprisonment. Nwude however did a plea bargain with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and was dispossessed from all the proceeds of fraud. It was the most sensational fraud case in Nigeria.

Justice Oyewole was also the trial judge in the attempted murder case of The Guardian Newspapers Publisher, The late Alex Ibru, against former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen Ishaya Bamaiyi, former Chief Security Officer(CSO) to the late maximum Head of State, late Gen Sanni Abacha, Major Al-Mustapha Hamza and others.

He handled several high profile cases and in 2007 all the anti corruption agencies in Nigeria jointly gave him the Anti Corruption Defender Award to mark the United Nations Anti Corruption Day.

A justice sector reformer, he played prominent roles in criminal justice legislations at State and Federal levels. He also played key roles in the reform of the Probate Administration in Lagos State.

He played prominent enabling roles in various anti-corruption legislations and was a pioneer in the Family Courts adjudication in Nigeria.

He has presented papers on various aspects of Jurisprudence at local and international fora and has been actively involved in the training of Judges, Prosecutors and Investigators locally and internationally at the instance of the United Nations, The Commonwealth Secretariat, GIABA The West African anti Money Laundering Organisation, the British Council, the American Embassy, EFCC and ICPC among others. He has also been exposed to various local and international training and conferences at the instance of these various bodies and the Nigerian Judiciary.

On March 3, 2014, he was appointed to the Court of Appeal by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council and was duly sworn in on  March 23, 2014.

He served in the Makurdi, Calabar, Enugu and Abuja Divisions of the said Court before returning to the Enugu Division where he presently serves as the Presiding Justice, and from where he’s been elevated to the Supreme Court.

A sports lover, he is an avid supporter of Arsenal Football Club of England. He is happily married with children who are all in the legal profession, and one of them, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

The NJC is expected to forward the recommendation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who ratifies the appointment and send to The Senate where Justice Oyewole will be screened for confirmation.

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