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Names of Chief Justices of Nigeria and their years of service from the 1950s to date

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Sir Adetokunbo Ademola — served as Chief Justice from 1958 to 1972. During his time on the bench (1960–1972) the country’s heads of state / presidents included Queen Elizabeth II (as monarch until 1963, represented by the Governor-General), Governor-General/President Nnamdi Azikiwe (when Nigeria became a republic in 1963), Major-General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (1966), and General Yakubu Gowon (1966–1975).

Taslim Olawale Elias — served as Chief Justice from 1972 to 1975. Elias’s tenure fell primarily under the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon.

Sir Darnley Arthur Alexander — served as Chief Justice from 1975 to 1979. His period as CJ overlapped first with General Murtala Muhammed (July 1975 – February 1976) and then with General Olusegun Obasanjo (February 1976 – 1979, as Head of State).

Atanda Fatai-Williams — served as Chief Justice from 1979 to 1983. Williams served during the Second Republic under President Shehu Shagari (1979–1983).

George Sodeinde Sowemimo — served as Chief Justice from 1983 to 1985. Sowemimo’s term covered the tail end of the Second Republic (President Shehu Shagari) and the beginning of the military regime of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (from the December 1983 coup).

Ayo Gabriel Irikefe — served as Chief Justice from 1985 to 1987. Irikefe’s tenure overlapped the end of Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s rule (until August 1985) and the start of General Ibrahim Babangida’s regime (from August 1985).

Mohammed Bello — served as Chief Justice from 1987 to 1995. During Bello’s time as CJ Nigeria was led by General Ibrahim Babangida (until 1993), the interim government of Chief Ernest Shonekan (August–November 1993), and then General Sani Abacha (from November 1993).

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Muhammadu Lawal Uwais — served as Chief Justice from 1995 to 12 June 2006. Uwais’s tenure spanned the later years of General Sani Abacha (until 1998), General Abdulsalami Abubakar (1998–1999), and the start of the Fourth Republic under President Olusegun Obasanjo (1999–2007).

Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore — served as Chief Justice from 12 June 2006 to 17 January 2007. Belgore served under President Olusegun Obasanjo (whose term ended 29 May 2007).

Idris Legbo Kutigi — served as Chief Justice from 30 January 2007 to 30 December 2009. Kutigi’s tenure overlapped the start of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration (from 29 May 2007) and into Yar’Adua’s presidency.

Aloysius Iyorgyer Katsina-Alu — served as Chief Justice from 30 December 2009 to 28 August 2011. Katsina-Alu served during President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s presidency (until Yar’Adua’s death in May 2010) and then during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration (from 2010).

Dahiru Musdapher — served as Chief Justice from 2011 to 2012. Musdapher served under President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Aloma Mariam Mukhtar — served as Chief Justice from 2012 to 2014. Mukhtar served during President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Mahmud Mohammed — served as Chief Justice from November 2014 to 10 November 2016. Mohammed’s tenure spanned the end of President Goodluck Jonathan’s term (until 29 May 2015) and the start of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration (from 29 May 2015).

Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen — served as Chief Justice (sworn in) in 2017 and served until 2019. Onnoghen served under President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad — served as Chief Justice from 2019 to 2022. Tanko Muhammad served during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

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Olukayode Ariwoola — served as Chief Justice from 2022 to 2024. Ariwoola served under President Muhammadu Buhari (until 29 May 2023) and then under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (from 29 May 2023) for the portion of his term that overlapped Tinubu’s presidency.

Kudirat Kekere-Ekun — appointed Chief Justice on 22 August 2024 and currently serves in that role; her tenure is under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (President from 29 May 2023 to present).

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Tinubu, Kaduna gov, Saraki mourn Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi

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Tributes continue to pour in across Nigeria following the passing of the revered Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, with prominent political leaders describing his death as a monumental loss to the Muslim world.

The late scholar died in the early hours of Thursday.

President Bola Tinubu says he received the news of the death of Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi “with profound sadness and a deep sense of loss.”

The President noted that the revered cleric, who died at 101, was “a moral compass who dedicated his life to teaching and preaching.”

A Thursday statement signed by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed this.

Describing the loss as “monumental not only to his family and teeming followers but also to the nation,” Tinubu recalled “the blessings and moral support he received from the late Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi in the run-off to the 2023 election.”

He further said, “Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi was a teacher, a father and a voice of moderation and reason. As both a preacher and a notable exegete of the Holy Quran, he was an advocate of peace and piety. His death has created a huge void.”

The President condoled with the scholar’s followers nationwide and beyond, urging them to honour his memory by upholding his teachings of “peaceful coexistence, strengthening their relationship with God and being kind to humanity.”

Also, Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, said he received the news “with deep sorrow”, describing the Sheikh as “an extraordinary spiritual guide whose life reflected the highest values of Islam: knowledge, humility, peace, and unity.”

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He noted that the late scholar’s teachings “shaped generations, strengthened the Tijjaniyya community, and enriched Islamic scholarship across Nigeria and beyond.”

Praying for Allah’s mercy on the scholar, the governor asked that the Almighty grant him “Al-Jannatul Firdaus, forgive his shortcomings, and comfort his family, students, and all who drew guidance from his exemplary life.”

He added that “his legacy of devotion and service to humanity will continue to illuminate our path.”

Meanwhile, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, also expressed deep sadness, describing the deceased as “a colossus of Islamic scholarship and a spiritual father to millions.”

Saraki, taking to X, noted that Sheikh Dahiru lived “a long, blessed life, spanning a century, spent wholly in the service of his Creator and the propagation of the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Mohammed.”

He highlighted the scholar’s impact on Islamic education, stating that “through his Almajiri schools and famous Tafsir sessions, he ensured that the words of the Almighty were not just recited, but imprinted in the hearts of millions of young people across our nation.”

Saraki also offered condolences to his family, the Sultan of Sokoto, the people of Bauchi State, the Tijjaniyyah adherents, and the wider Muslim Ummah.

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Minister, deputy senate president mourn Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi

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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, have mourned the passing of renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi.

In a statement released on Thursday signed by his spokesman, Alkasim Abdulkadir, the minister expressed deep sadness over the death of the revered scholar, describing him as “a man of character and quiet service.”

Tuggar said he joined the late cleric’s family, students, and members of the Tijaniyya community in Nigeria and across the world in grieving the loss.

“The minister extends his heartfelt condolences to the immediate family, the people of Bauchi State, and all those touched by his passing,” Abdulkadir said.

Tuggar hailed Sheikh Bauchi as a figure whose life was defined by devotion to community, peace, scholarship, and faith.

“The minister described the late Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi as a man of character and quiet service, whose life was marked by devotion to community, peace, scholarship, and faith. During his lifetime, he significantly contributed to shaping Islamic knowledge, as well as the moral and ethical standards of modern Nigeria,” he added.

The minister noted that the cleric made significant contributions to Islamic knowledge, as well as to the moral and ethical development of modern Nigeria.

He prayed that Almighty Allah forgive the scholar’s shortcomings, grant him Aljannatul Firdaus, and give his family, students, and followers the strength to bear the great loss.

Similarly, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, expressed grief over the passing of the respected Islamic leader.

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In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Barau described the cleric’s death as “a huge vacuum that will be difficult to fill,” praising his decades of dedicated service to Islam, humanity, and the global Muslim community.

He said Sheikh Bauchi influenced millions across Nigeria and beyond through his teachings, scholarship, and exemplary leadership.

The statement read, “I mourn the passing of our renowned Islamic scholar and leader, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, a great icon of Islamic scholarship whose light shone on millions of Muslims across Nigeria and beyond.

“Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi’s lifetime of service, his dedication to the Qur’an, tireless preaching, spiritual leadership of the Tijaniyya movement, and his work in establishing Qur’anic schools and humanitarian outreach changed lives and strengthened the faith of generations.

“His scholarship and commitment to advancing Islamic education and moral values were a beacon for millions. He was more than a scholar; he was a father, teacher, and guide to many.”

Barau, who also serves as the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, extended his condolences to the cleric’s family, students, the Muslim Ummah, and all who benefited from his teachings.

He prayed to Allah to forgive the scholar’s shortcomings, grant him the highest ranks in Jannatul Firdaus, and comfort his family and followers.

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Dele Olojede: Nigeria’s Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist and Advocate for Press Freedom

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Dele Olojede, born in January 1961 in Modakeke, Nigeria, is a distinguished journalist, editor, and publisher whose career has spanned nearly four decades across more than 100 countries. He is widely celebrated as the first African recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, awarded in 2005 for his groundbreaking coverage of the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, and remains an influential voice in African and global journalism.

Early Life and Family

Olojede was born the twelfth of 28 children in Modakeke, a town in Osun State, Nigeria. He grew up in a large, vibrant family that valued education and civic engagement, laying the foundation for his future pursuits in journalism and activism.

Education and Early Career

Olojede attended the University of Lagos, where he studied journalism and became actively involved in the student union movement. During his university years, he was influenced by literary giants such as Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and Cyprian Ekwensi, as well as African writers like Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. He also explored poetry in both Yoruba and English and participated in Shakespearean theatre productions, which helped hone his storytelling skills.

In 1982, Olojede began his professional career at National Concord, a Lagos-based newspaper owned by Moshood Abiola. Concerned about the newspaper’s political influence, he left in 1984. That same year, he became one of the founding staff writers for Newswatch, working under the late Dele Giwa, Nigeria’s renowned investigative journalist. His work at Newswatch included exposing injustices, such as securing the release of musician Fela Kuti from prison through a 1986 investigative report.

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Advanced Studies and International Career

In 1987, Olojede earned a Ford Foundation scholarship to pursue a master’s degree at Columbia University in New York, where he won the Henry N. Taylor Award for outstanding foreign student. He later became a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States.

Olojede joined Newsday in 1988, initially as a summer intern, and progressed to cover local news, the United Nations, and eventually serve as Africa Correspondent based in Johannesburg after Nelson Mandela’s release. Between 1996 and 1999, he served as Asia Bureau Chief in Beijing before returning to New York as Newsday’s foreign editor.

Pulitzer Prize and Notable Work

In 2004, Olojede returned to Africa to cover the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. His series, which included the widely acclaimed story “Genocide’s Child,” examined the lives of survivors, particularly children born of war crimes. The series earned him the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting, marking a historic milestone for African journalists.

Return to Nigeria and Civil Journalism

After leaving Newsday, Olojede relocated to Johannesburg, South Africa, with his wife and two daughters. In 2008, he returned to Nigeria to launch 234Next, a pioneering newspaper dedicated to exposing government corruption. Under his leadership, the publication upheld journalistic integrity by paying reporters a living wage and resisting political pressures. Despite its eventual closure in 2011 due to financial challenges, 234Next left a lasting impact on investigative journalism in Nigeria.

Legacy and Current Work

Beyond reporting, Olojede has played a significant role in journalism education and advocacy. He serves on the boards of EARTH University in Costa Rica and The Markup, a New York-based investigative journalism organization. He also founded and hosts “Africa In the World,” an annual festival in Stellenbosch, South Africa, designed to foster dialogue and global engagement on African issues.

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Dele Olojede’s career reflects a lifelong commitment to truth, justice, and the power of the press. From exposing injustices in Nigeria to documenting the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda, his work continues to inspire a generation of journalists and advocates across Africa and the world.

Sources:

Pulitzer Prize Official Website

Newsday Archives

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