Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, has affirmed that all the judgments he delivered during his time on the bench were made with integrity and fairness, guided solely by the fear of God and the merits of each case.
In an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH, the retired jurist — who served as CJN from 2022 to 2024 — reflected on his decades-long career in the judiciary, emphasizing that his conscience remains clear and free of guilt.
“I handled cases strictly on merit throughout my judicial career,” Ariwoola stated. “I also served as Chairman of the Armed Robbery Tribunal for about three years at the trial court, where I delivered judgments based on evidence and the law, without bias. Those deserving of conviction were sentenced, and those who should be freed were discharged. I did so with a clear conscience and without regret.”
Justice Ariwoola’s judicial journey spans several decades. Before ascending to the apex court, he served on Election Petition Tribunals in Zamfara and Enugu States in 1999, and later on Election Appeal Courts in Port Harcourt, Enugu, Benin, Yola, and Ilorin at different times. He was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2005 and to the Supreme Court in 2011.
When asked about allegations of a “Christian genocide” in parts of Nigeria, Ariwoola dismissed the notion that the country’s security challenges are rooted in religion, urging Nigerians to foster unity and peace instead.
“The Boko Haram issue is not religious. Kidnapping and terrorism have nothing to do with religion,” he said. “I attend church when I can. My eldest sister, from the same mother, was a Baptist, and I used to go to church with her. There is no Christian song I cannot sing with them. Neither Christians nor Muslims should be against each other because our God is a God of peace.”
Justice Ariwoola’s comments reflect his continued call for religious tolerance and national cohesion, values he says guided his service both on and off the bench.
