Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has charged a newly sworn-in Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to uphold the constitution with courage, independence of mind, and unwavering fidelity to the rule of law, warning that decisions of the apex court carry consequences far beyond the parties before it.

The CJN, yesterday, swore in Justice Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole, as a justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Administering the oath of allegiance and the judicial oath, the CJN said the elevation was not merely an assumption of office but the acceptance of a solemn, enduring trust at the highest level of Nigeria’s judicial hierarchy.

The CJN reminded the justice that the Supreme Court is the final interpreter of the constitution and the ultimate guardian of legal rights, whose pronouncements shape constitutional governance and speak to generations yet unborn.

Kekere-Ekun stressed that with the new appointment, the Supreme Court has attained its full constitutional complement, an institutional milestone that strengthens its capacity to sit in robust panels, manage its docket efficiently, and deliver justice with renewed vigour.

Numerical completeness, she noted, is structurally significant to the effective discharge of the Court’s constitutional mandate and the stability of national jurisprudence.

Charging the Justice on the demands of the office, the CJN said judging at the apex level transcends dispute resolution and requires stewardship of precedent, principled development of the law, and steadfast allegiance to constitutional supremacy.