Buhari administered the oath of office to Justice Ariwoola during a swearing-in ceremony held at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
Ariwoola, 62, takes over from the outgone CJN, justice Tanko Muhammad, and is expected to serve in an acting capacity till further confirmation by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
While taking the judicial oath, he swore to be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Government of Nigeria, as well as defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Academic background
Lord Ariwoola started his educational career in his home town Iseyin at the Local Authority Demonstration School, Oluwole in Iseyin Local government of Oyo State between 1959 and 1967
He was in the Muslim Modern School in the same town between 1968 and 1969 before proceeding to Ansar-Ud-Deen High School, Saki in Oyo North of Oyo State.
His Lordship studied law at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile Ife and bagged his bachelor of laws degree with honours in July 1980.
In July 1981, Olu Ariwoola was called to the Nigeria bar and got enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Solicitor and Advocate soon thereafter.
Judicial breakthrough
Justice Ariwoola was a State Counsel on National Youth Service (NYSC) at the Ministry of Justice, Akure, Ondo State and later as Legal Officer in the Ministry of Justice of his home state Oyo State until 1988 when he voluntarily left the official bar of the State Civil Service for private practice.
team-member
He worked as Counsel in-Chambers of Chief Ladosu Ladapo, SAN between October, 1988 and July 1989 when he established Olukayode Ariwoola & Co – a firm of legal Practitioners and Consultants in Oyo town in August, 1989 from where he was appointed in November, 1992 as a Judge of Oyo State Judiciary.
Hon. Justice Ariwoola was born to the Ariwoola family of Iseyin over 60 years ago. His Lordship must have something to do, in a way, with figure 2. While His Lordship was born on the 22nd August, he was sworn in as a Judge of the High Court on 2nd November 1992, as a Justice of the Court of Appeal (JCA) on 22nd November 2005 and again was sworn in as Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (JSC) on 22nd November, 2011.
Previous jobs
Justice Ariwoola served as Chairman, Board of Directors, Phonex Motors Ltd – one of Oodua Investment conglomerate between 1988 and 1992.
Chairman, Armed Robbery Tribunal, Oyo State between May 1993 and September 1996 when he was posted out of the headquarters, Ibadan to Saki High Court.
He served on the Election Tribunals in Zamfara and Enugu States in 1999. On Election Appeal Courts in Port-Harcourt, Enugu, Benin, Yola and Ilorin at various times.
Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, his lordship served as Justice of Court of Appeal in Kaduna, Enugu and Lagos Divisions.
He is also a fellow of International Dispute Resolution Institute (FIDRI) having been inducted in Dubai, U.A.E in 2014.
His Lordship has attended many International and National conferences and workshops in France, Atlanta Georgia, UK and Dubai, UAE.
Lord Ariwoola is happily married with children.
Hon justice Ariwoola has risen to the peak of his career as the acting CJN following the resignation of Honourable Justice Mohammed Tanko in june 2022
