The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has commended the Constitutional Court of South Africa for its unwavering fidelity to constitutional values.
Kekere-Ekun also lauded the court for its fearless adjudication and judicial independence.
The 30-year anniversary of the South African Constitutional Court, according to her, was a powerful affirmation that the constitutional court remains a beacon of constitutionalism and judicial excellence on the African continent.
The CJN made this known while speaking in Johannesburg, South Africa, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the South African Constitutional Court.
She said the South African court has been a source of inspiration across the continent.
While recognising the role played by the court in strengthening democracy in post apartheid South Africa, the CJN added: “Since that transformative moment, the constitutional court has stood not only as the guardian of South Africa’s Constitution but as a source of inspiration across the continent and beyond.
According to her, three decades ago, the Court emerged as a beacon
of justice and constitutional renewal in a country that had chosen, with courage and conviction, the path of democracy, equality, and the rule of law.
“In this Court’s jurisprudence, we have witnessed the power of law to heal a nation, to confront injustice, and to advance human dignity.
“Through fearless adjudication, judicial independence, and unwavering fidelity to constitutional values, you have demonstrated the capacity of courts to be agents of social transformation,” she noted further.
On landmark judgments recorded so far, Kekere-Ekun said it has continued to echo far beyond South Africa’s borders, affirming that the Constitution is not merely a legal document, but the living embodiment of the people’s collective will and aspirations.
For the Nigerian judiciary, she said it had drawn deep inspiration from the South African Constitutional Court’s, pioneering decisions and principled stance in defence of democratic ideals.
“Your work reminds us all that constitutional courts play a vital role not just in resolving disputes, but in shaping just societies,” she added.