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Justice Walter Onnoghen Confirmed as Chief Justice of Nigeria
Pic 24. Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Walter Onnoghen speaking during his inauguration at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday (10/11/16)
8363/10/11/2016/Callistus Ewelike/NAN
The Nigerian Senate has confirmed Justice Walter Onnogen as the substantial Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
Onnogen was confirmed after his screening today in the Upper Chamber.
His confirmation was disclosed in a Tweet by the Nigerian Senate (@NGRSenate) on Wednesday.
Onnoghen has been in acting capacity since November 10 2016 when he was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, being the most senior member of the Supreme Court after the retirement of Justice Mahmud Mohammed.
Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo had sent Onnoghen’s name to the Senate in February for confirmation, and the National Judicial Council (NJC) had extended his tenure as acting CJN by another three months two days to the expiration of his three-month acting tenure.
Onnoghen, who hails from Cross River, was born on December 22, 1950, and attended the Presbyterian Primary School, Okurike Town between 1959 and 1966.
He later attended Odorgorno Secondary School, Adabraka, Ghana, between 1967 and 1972, where he earned his West African School Certificate before proceeding to the University of Ghana, Legon, between 1974 and 1977 for his Bachelor of Law Degree. He graduated with 2nd Class Upper Division and was among the best graduating students.
He attended the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos, between 1977 and 1978 for his B.L Certificate and completed his compulsory National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) in July 1979.
Some of his previous professional appointments and positions included Pupil State Counsel, Lagos State, (1978 – 1979); Partner in the Law Firm of Effiom Ekong & Company, Calabar (1979 – 1988) and Principal Partner/Head of Chambers of Walter Onnoghen & Associates, Calabar (1988 -1989).
He was also onetime High Court Judge, Cross River State Judiciary (1989 – 1998) and Justice of the Court of Appeal (November 1998-June 2005).
Onnoghen was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 2005 as well as a Justice of the Supreme Court of The Gambia.
A Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and Fellow of the National Judicial Institute, Onnoghen has attended several conferences and seminars within and outside Nigeria and presented scholarly papers.
He is a member of the Body of Benchers and Life Bencher; Chairman, Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and Vice-Chairman, Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, among others.
