Two former judges of Lagos State Judiciary, Justice Habeeb Adewale Olumuyiwa Abiru, and Justice Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole were among the list of 22 Justices of the Court of Appeal nominated by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) for elevation to the Supreme Court, in the list that was released on Thursday. It has been sent to the National Judicial Council (NJC).
The names of the nominees, who hail from various regions in the country. The North-Central region has six nominees, while the South-West and South-South regions have two nominees each. The South-East region also has six nominees, and the North-East has two nominees.
The two judges who made tremendous impact in the Lagos judiciary were both appointed as High Court judges on the same day, May 24, 2001. While Abiru hails from Lagos, Oyewole is from Ila-Orangun, Osun State.
Born on October 17, 1964, Justice Abiru’s father, the late Justice Mubashir Akanbi Olatunji Abiru also served on the bench of Lagos State Judiciary between 1983 and 1985. He died on May 12, 1996.
Junior Abiru attended Ereko Methodist School, Lagos, Federal Government College, Warri, and University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, and graduated in 1985. He bagged his Masters Degree in the same University in 1987.
He began his working life with J.K Talabi & Co(1986-1987), then joined G.O Oduwole&Co(1988-1990). He was a Senior Associate with Bentley, Edu & Co, 1991-1997, after which he joined his father’s firm from where he was appointed judge in 2001.
He served in Ikorodu, Lagos, and Ikeja judicial divisions before he was elevated to the Appeal Court Bench in 2012. He was one of the young Muslims to founded Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA) to attract young Muslims who were exiting the religion in droves.
Justice Oyewole was born on May 13, 1965 to Pa Johnson Bamidele and Madam Alice Tinuade Oyewole. He attended AUD Primary School, Ijebu-Ode(1971-1972), St. Richard’s Primary School, Eleyele, Ibadan (1973-1976), St. Charles Grammar School, Oshogbo (1976-1981), University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University 1981-1985), and Nigerian Law School 1985-1986.
He started his working career as a Legal Officer, Public Complaints Commission, Makurdi(1986-1987), Afolabi Adeniran(1987-1988), from where he established his own firm, Olubunmi Oyewole &Co. He was appointed a judge of the High Court of Lagos State on May 24, 2001.
Oyewole handled several high profile cases at the Lagos High Court. This includes FGN vs Ishaya Bamaiyi, Hamza Al-Mustapha &ors, The State vs Emmanuel Nwude, Martina Anajemba &ors, The State vs Bode George &ors, The State vs Chukwuemeka Ezeugo(alias Rev King), The State vs Fred Ajudua, and several other criminal cases before he was elevated to the Appeal Court bench in March 2014.
Below is the list of the nominated justices.
SOUTH EAST
1 Hon Justice Nwaoma Uwa (Abia State)-Priority 1A.Hon Justice Onyekachi Otisi (Abia State) -Reserve
- Hon Justice Obande Ogbuinya (Ebonyi State)-Priority
2A. Hon Justice Theresa Orji-Abadua (Imo State)- Reserve
- Hon Justice Anthony Ogakwu (Enugu State)-Priority
3A. Hon Justice Chioma Nwosu-lheme (Imo State)-Reserve
SOUTH SOUTH
- Hon Justice Moore Adumein (Bayelsa State)-Priority
1A. Hon Justice Biobele Georgewill (Rivers State)-Reserve
SOUTH WEST
- Hon Justice Adewale Abiru (Lagos State)-Priority
1A. Hon Justice Olubunmi Oyewole (Osun State)-Reserve
NORTH CENTRAL
- Hon Jummai Sankey (Plateau State)-Priority
1A. Hon Justice Muhammad Ibrahim Sirajo (Plateau)-Reserve
- Hon Justice Stephen Adah (Kogi State)-Priority
2A. Hon Justice Ridman Maiwada Abdullahi (Nasarawa State) -Reserve
- Hon Justice Baba Idris (Niger State)-Priority
3A. Hon Justice Joseph Ikyegh (Benue State)-Reserve
NORTH EAST
- Hon Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani (Bauchi State)-Priority
1A. Hon Justice Abubakar Talba (Adamawa State)
NORTH WEST
- Hon Justice Muhammad Lawal Shuaibu (Jigawa State)-Priority
1A. Hon Justice Bello Aliyu (Zamfara State) -Reserve
- Hon Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar (Kebbi State)-Priority
2A. Hon Justice Abdullahi Mahmud Bayero (Kano State)-Reserve
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