After years of meritorious service to the nation, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammed has bowed out of the bench amid commendations.
Having attained the mandatory retirement age of seventy years, Justice Mahmud Muhammed is exiting a profession to which he has devoted the better part of his life.
His two years in the saddle as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, no doubt witnessed some challenges and achievements.
Upon his assumption of office on November the tenth, 2014, Justice Mahmud himself acknowledged the many problems facing the judiciary.
Apart from inadequate funding, the CJN admitted the existence of corrupt elements in the system and promised to do all within his means to restore confidence in the judiciary.
But how well did he fair in repositioning the third arm of the Nigerian government?
Inspite of his efforts to sanitise the judicial arm, the twilight of his administration witnessed attacks on the judiciary with the invasion of the homes of some Judges by the DSS over alleged corruption.
Justice Muhammed who chairs the National Judicial Council blew hot.
In the final analysis, the Council succumbed to pressure and directed that the affected judges step down while they are being investigated.
It’s on record that Justice Muhammed’s tenure brought a lot of innovation to the judiciary especially the Supreme court.
For the first time in a long while and under the leadership of Justice Muhammed, the apex court is ably positioned to stand shoulder high among its contemporaries the world over.
Justice Mahmud Mohammed, was born November the tenth, 1946 and hails from Jalingo in Taraba state.
He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1971, after bagging his bachelor degree from the Ahmadu Bello University.
Muhammed was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2005 and was a one tine President of the Court of Appeal and Presiding Justice.
Forty-five years at the bench, the fifteenth Chief Justice of Nigeria takes a bow to a glorious Septuagenarian life and beyond.
Not a few keen watchers believe Justice Muhammed has left an indelible mark on the sands of time with his contributions to the wig profession.
