A committee of senior female lawyers
It was a weekend of honours for Chief Justice of Nigeria, Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, as a committee of senior female lawyers, as well as a not-for-profit group, WISCAR held celebratory dinners in her honour in Lagos.
The Committee of Female Lawyers which hosted their dinner last Friday, at Jade Palace Chinese Restaurant, Lagos in honour of the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria comprised Mrs. Funke Adekoya, SAN, Mrs. Titi Akinlawon, SAN, Ambassador Modupe Akintola, Chief Marlies Allan and Chief Sena Anthony.
Others were Ms Augusta Chibututu, Chief Tess Ikimi, first female President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mrs. Priscilla Kuye, Mrs. Bisi Soyebo, SAN, Mrs. Dorothy Ufot, SAN and first Nigerian President of FIDA International, Mrs. Stella Ugboma.
The CJN who was accompanied by some of her brother Justices was presented some gifts by the Committee, and was described by retired Supreme Court Justice George Adesola Oguntade as ‘a lady of impeccable character’.
Responding to the toast in her honour, Justice Mukhtar touched on the vexed issue of corruption in the judiciary.
‘Corruption is endemic and I confess it will be a very difficult task’, she said.
She however said she would not shy from it but would address it during her tenure.
Also over the weekend, WISCAR (Women in Successful Careers) hosted Chief Justice Aloma Mukhtar at The Wheat Baker Hotel, Ikoyi.
Her impressive citation had guests applauding throughout.
A woman of many firsts, Chief Justice Mukhtar is the first female lawyer from Northern Nigeria, the first female Chief Registrar and first female Judge from the region, as well as the first female Justice appointed to the Court of Appeal.
She was also the first female Justice of the Supreme Court, before her appointment in July as the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria where she is in that capacity the first female chair of the National Judicial Council.
Upon her retirement in two years, she is expected to be the first female member of the National Council of State.
In her remarks, Chief Justice Mukhtar who lauded the objectives of WISCAR said, ‘In our time, we didn’t have the advantage of being mentored.
‘Women have come a long way in all the professions’.
She recalled that when the National Association of Women Judges Nigeria was inaugurated in 1992 there were less than 30 female Judges.
‘Now we are over 200’ she said.
Founded by Mrs. Amina Oyagbola, a senior Corporate Executive with MTN, WISCAR whose mission is to develop women to build a better nation, provides a high level career and mentoring network for entry to mid-level career women.
Chief Justice Mukhtar is a patron of WISCAR.
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