Following the sudden resignation of Justice Ibrahim Tanko on health grounds, President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in Justice Olukayade Ariwoola as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

Justice Ariwoola hails from Iseyin, Oyo State. Born on August 22nd, 1958, His Lordship began his education in Iseyin at the Local Authority Demonstration School, Oluwole, Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State, where he finished his primary education in 1967. He went on to study law at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile Ife, and bagged his bachelor of laws degree with honors in July 1980. In July 1981, Justice Ariwoola was called to the Nigerian bar and got enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Solicitor and became an Advocate soon thereafter.

Justice Ariwoola served as Chairman, Board of Directors, Phonex Motors Ltd – one of Oodua Investment conglomerates between 1988 and 1992. He was also the 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. His Lordship served on the Election Tribunals in Zamfara and Enugu States in 1999. He also served on Election Appeal Courts in Port-Harcourt, Enugu, Benin, Yola and Ilorin at various times.

Justice Ariwoola was first appointed a Judge of the Superior Court of record in Oyo State in 1992 from private legal practice. Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, he served as Justice of the Court of Appeal in Kaduna, Enugu, and Lagos Divisions.

He was a Justice of the Court of Appeal between 2005 and 2011 after having been elevated from the State High Court of Oyo State. He was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court in 2011. This made him next in rank to the retiring Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Ibrahim Tanko.

The swearing-in ceremony happened at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday, June 27, 2022 where President Muhammadu Buhari administered the oath of office on his Lordship, thus making him the third person to occupy this position in the lifetime of this administration.

The acting CJN was accompanied to the ceremony by some Justices of the Supreme Court.