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Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour has retired from the Supreme Court after clocking 70 years old.
A valedictory court session was held in his honour on Monday.
The number of justices of the apex court rose from 12 to 20 in November 2020 after President Muhammadu Buhari approved the appointment of eight justices.
However, with the death of Sylvester Ngwuta on March 7, and Rhodes-Vivour’s retirement the number of justices in the apex court has further reduced to 18 as against the constitutionally required number of 21while Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili becomes the second most senior justice of the apex court.
At the valedictory session, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, said the retired justice is “physically energetic and never gets frightened by any form of challenges.
“His amiable disposition and reticent outlook have literally made him a gentle tiger in the temple of justice.”
Speaking, Rhodes-Vivour said: “I have a testimony, not once was I ever absent from work as a judge due to illness. I did have health challenges, but they were resolved during vacation. All medical procedures were uneventful.
“It is with humility that I have and will continue to give thanks, praise and glory to the almighty God. The Lord has been good to me, and I will forever be thankful.”
According to information available on the Supreme Court’s website, between 1963 and 1968, Rhodes-Vivour attended St. Gregory’s College, Lagos. In 1970, he wrote and passed his Advanced Level Certificate Examinations and proceeded to the University of Lagos for his undergraduate studies.
He graduated from the University of Lagos in 1974 with honours, and subsequently admitted into the Nigerian Law School. He was called to the Bar in 1975.
On February 18, 1994, Rhodes-Vivour was appointed to the Bench as a High Court Judge. After many years of experience on the Bench at the High Court, he was elevated to the Bench of the Court of Appeal on the April 25, 2005.
In 2008, on secondment by the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he was posted to Sierra Leone as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone.
After his return to Nigeria, he was appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on September 16, 2010.