The first female Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, on Thursday officially bowed out of office amid accolades from prominent Nigerians and men of the legal profession who noted that her reformation policy has in no small way restored sanity and dignity to the nation’s judicial system.
Justice Mukhtar, the first woman to head the Nigerian judiciary, the first female to become a high court judge in the Northern part of the country and the first female to become a Justice of the Court of Appeal, retired from the profession after attaining the mandatory age of seventy years with 47 years of commendable services on the bench.
At a special valedictory session at the Supreme Court in her honour, Justice Mukhtar was applauded for setting the pace for the elevation of women in the public service, particularly in the judiciary.
The Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke, SAN, expressed joy as he noted that the first female CJN remained fearless, hardworking and incorruptible during her career in the judiciary.
Adoke said that the daring reforms implemented by Justice Mukhtar which have brought a new era to the nation would forever be cherished, adding that with focused leadership and perseverance as exhibited by the former CJN, the hope of better tomorrow awaits the country.
“I wish to recall the dissenting judgment of her lordship in the election petition against President Musa Yar’adua, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar stood out that the election was a wash out and a nullity in view of the fact that ballot papers which are live blood in any election were deliberately not numbered to pave way for malpractices”. Adoke said.
Also speaking, the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Folake Solanke urged Nigerian judges not to be subservient to anybody in authority.
Solanke said that Mukhtar would forever be remembered for moving the judiciary in the direction of fairness, justice and honesty, as she also noted that it is regrettable that some judges had brought shame to the nation through their corrupt tendencies.
She added that the retiring CJN left the judiciary in a better position than she met it.
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Justice Mahmud Mohammed as the new CJN to replace Justice Muktah.