As part of the activities scheduled for the 2023/2024 legal year of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, will administer the oath of office to 58 newly appointed Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) on Monday, November 27, 2023.
The swearing-in ceremony will take place in the main Courtroom of the Supreme Court.
During the special court session, in adherence to the longstanding tradition, the CJN will deliver a state-of-the-judiciary address to highlight the Supreme Court’s performance and provide an overview of the Nigerian Judiciary’s performance in the 2022/2023 legal year. The Director of Press and Information of the Supreme Court, Dr Akande Festus, announced this in a press statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
Notable stakeholders in the justice sector, including the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), among others, will also deliver speeches during the occasion, focusing on the state of the justice sector in the country.
It is worth noting that the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) received a total of 114 applications for the conferment of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria rank in 2023. Among them, 101 applicants were advocates, while 13 were academics.
After undergoing various screening and filtration stages, including appearances in superior courts, recommendations by Supreme Court Justices and other judges, chamber inspections, and assessments of eligibility and integrity by the Nigerian Bar Association, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and the general public, among other factors, the LPPC selected 58 successful candidates. Among them, 57 are advocates, while one is an academic.
The Supreme Court had commenced its annual vacation on Monday, July 24, 2023. Although the Court has been in session since Monday, September 18, 2023, the formal ceremony to mark the commencement of the new legal year will adhere to the Court’s traditional protocols.
All the programs scheduled to mark the official commencement of the new legal year will commence at 10 am in the main Courtroom of the Supreme Court.
