On Saturday, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State, hosted a special dinner at the Lagos House, Marina, to honour Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the newly appointed Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

The event had several dignitaries like Olukayode Ariwoola, Kekere-Ekun’s predecessor, in attendance. The governor said he celebrated her achievement as the second woman to hold the position of CJN since Nigeria’s independence.

The move has, however, attracted criticism from some Nigerians, who have described it as Kekere-Ekun’s way of “fraternising with litigants”.

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Chidi Odinkalu, a professor of practice in international human rights law at The Fletcher School, Tufts University, made the following post on the incident on his official X handle, @ChidiOdinkalu, on Sunday:

“I suspect someone will tell me Madam CJN’s memory is wonky. If not, then how did she forget that the governor of Lagos State is a litigant before her @SupremeCourtNg? How can she call younger judges to order when they fraternise in this manner or she just plainly can’t see it?!”

In the same vein, Sam Amadi, a news and current affairs analyst who serves as the director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, also expressed his disapproval of Kekere-Ekun’s involvement in the dinner:

“The CJN and a litigant. Justice is no longer blind,” Amadi noted.

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A third X user with the name @ayemojubar also made a post about the event organised by Sanwo-Olu in Kekere-Ekun’s honour.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State hosted a special dinner at the Lagos State House in Marina to honour the newly appointed Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun,” Ayemojubar posted on Sunday.

“What is a god doing among mortals? How do you think the presence of the CJN at events with politicians impacts the perceived independence of the judiciary?

“Do you think events like this dinner could lead to perceptions of undue political influence over judicial decisions? How can the judiciary maintain its credibility in the eyes of the public while participating in social events alongside political leaders?

“How do you think the public perceives the relationship between the judiciary and politicians when high-ranking judges like the CJN attend such events?

“While it is important for the judiciary to engage with political leaders, where should the line be drawn to avoid compromising judicial integrity?

“How can the judiciary foster cooperation with the political leadership without appearing too close or aligned with any political party?

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“What impact, if any, do you think the CJN’s public engagements with politicians will have on future legal reforms or judicial rulings in Nigeria?

“Can we balance judicial transparency and engagement with political leaders while protecting the judiciary from accusations of bias or favouritism?”

Ironically, Afam Osigwe, the current president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), had, on October 8, called for an end to the fraternisation between judicial officers and politically exposed persons in the country.

Osigwe had made the call at the opening ceremony of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria’s 2024/2025 legal year.