Justice Adejumo Officially Assumes Role at National Judicial Institute

After Justice Salisu G. Abdullahi (rtd), the immediate past Administrator, left his position on July 31, 2025, Justice Babatunde Adejumo (rtd) became the ninth Administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI) Abuja.

At its meeting on July 3, 2025, the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute, chaired by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, authorized the appointment of Justice Adejumo as the Institute’s Administrator, effective August 1, 2025.

According to a statement released on Friday by Kolade Umoru, Head of Information and Public Relations at NJI, the new Administrator was cordially welcomed and embraced by the Institute’s management and a few key personnel.

At the Institute’s Friday welcome reception, Mr. Osmond Otobo, the Director of Administration, spoke on behalf of the management and principal officers, praising the new Administrator as a judge who demonstrated exceptional leadership skills while serving as the President of the National Industrial Court in Abuja.

Justice Adejumo, according to Otobo, was “a seasoned judicial administrator who made giant strides and transformation at the NICN, which include various law reforms, physical infrastructures, and other remarkable achievements during his tenure as President of the Court.”

He praised Justice Adejumo, whom he called “a great judicial technocrat,” and congratulated the Chief Justice of Nigeria for his appointment. The Institute expresses gratitude to the Nigerian judiciary.

In addition to wishing the new administrator a successful term in office, Mr. Otobo reassured him of the loyalty of the management and staff as well as their dedication to diligence and labor.

He explained to Justice Adejumo that the Institute is “one big family where there is a culture for good working relationships between the Administrator and the employee.”

Responding to this, Administrator Justice Adejumo thanked the management for hosting a reception for him and emphasized that he is not new to the Institute, having worked directly or indirectly with it through previous Chief Justices of Nigeria since 1993.

He encouraged the employees to embrace hard work and discipline, promising to repeat his performance in the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN).

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Furthermore, as a detribalized Nigerian, Justice Adejumo pledged to consider all cases on their merits. However, he did concede that NJI is a significant institution within the Nigerian judiciary, “thus it is the mirror to the public perception.”

As he settles in, he will update the training modules and curriculum to reflect international best practices. He also urged NJI workers to be open and upfront in their interactions.

Justice Adejumo also pledged to revamp the Institute’s information technology and library centers to increase accessibility and patronage worldwide, as well as to enhance staff welfare packages and expedite staff training and retraining across all cadres and ranks.

A highly esteemed jurist, seasoned administrator, and educator, Justice Adejumo served as President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) with distinction prior to joining NJI. He brings a wealth of experience and a profound understanding of judicial administration and continuing education to his role.

The announcement stated that these attributes are anticipated to greatly improve the Institute’s work in advancing judicial capacity, development, and institutional innovation in knowledge, performance, and ethical standards in the Nigerian judiciary.