Born on March 23, 1957, in Ondo City, Ondo State, Nigeria, to Mr. H. M. Adegbie and Mrs. M. A. Adegbie. She attended Adekile Goodwill Grammar School, Ibadan, where she obtained her School Certificate in 1972, and Ibadan Grammar School, where she earned her Higher School Certificate in 1974.
She pursued her legal education at the University of Lagos, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) in 1977, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978. Hon. Justice Ogunwumiju completed her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the Old Gongola State between 1978 and 1979, marking the beginning of a distinguished career in law and public service. Hon. Justice Ogunwumiju briefly worked with the Ondo State Government from 1979 to 1981. She married Otunba Festus Kokumo Ogunwumiju in 1980, and they are blessed with children.
From 1981 to 1990, she served with the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, rising to the rank of Assistant Director. During her tenure, she made significant contributions to establishing Legal Aid Offices and programs in several states, including Oyo, Osun, Lagos, Sokoto, and others, thereby improving access to justice for the underprivileged.
In 1991, she was appointed Chief Magistrate Grade 1 in Oyo State, where she served in various magisterial districts, including Ibadan, Ile-Ife, Eruwa, Igboora, and Oyo. She became the Secretary of the Judicial Service Committee of Oyo State in 1996, and subsequently the Probate Registrar, State Sheriff, and ultimately the Chief Registrar of Oyo State Judiciary in 1997. As Chief Registrar, she established the Records Unit of the High Court to archive court records, enhancing judicial record-keeping and administrative efficiency.
In November 1998, she was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Ondo State, where she presided over civil and criminal cases. During her tenure, she chaired the Investigative Board of Enquiry into the Produce Department in 2000 and was a member of the Election Petition Tribunal, Taraba State in 2003. She also served on the Presidential Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice in 2003, contributing to the drafting of what would later become the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Hon. Justice Ogunwumiju was elevated to the Court of Appeal in November 2005, where she served with distinction in divisions across the country, including Ilorin, Benin, Owerri, Lagos, and Enugu. She also took on ad hoc judicial assignments in other divisions. As Presiding Justice of the Benin Division in 2013, she pioneered the introduction of the Communications (Front) Desk to improve public engagement with the Court of Appeal. She later served as Presiding Justice of the Enugu Division and chaired several key committees, including the Information Technology Committee of the Court of Appeal and the Media Committee. Hon. Justice Ogunwumiju also served as Vice-Chair of the Information Technology Committee of the National Judicial Council (NJC), where she played a vital role in promoting the digitization of court processes.
In recognition of her judicial excellence, Hon. Justice Ogunwumiju was elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria on November 6, 2020. As a Justice of the Supreme Court, she has continued to demonstrate unwavering commitment to justice and the rule of law.
Beyond her judicial duties, Hon. Justice Ogunwumiju is the Chair of the Governing Council of the West African Regional Centre for Law and Religion Studies, facilitating roundtable conferences across the sub-region. She is also a Fellow of the Salzburg Seminar (Session 390); Member of the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association and Member of the National Association of Women Judges, Nigeria (NAWJN). As President of NAWJN between 2014 and 2016, she spearheaded the Global Leadership of Women (GLOW) program, focusing on public enlightenment and capacity building for law enforcement and judicial officers in handling cases of sexual and gender-based violence.
In 2014, she worked with the Nigeria Police to establish the Special Victims Desk (now Gender Desk) at all divisional police stations nationwide. This initiative ensured that cases of domestic and sexual violence were handled with professionalism and sensitivity by specially trained officers. She has also served as Board Member for West and Central Africa at the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) from 2016 to 2018.
Since 2005, Hon. Justice Ogunwumiju has served as Lord Chancellor of the Ibadan Diocese, Anglican Communion, a role she continues to hold with distinction. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to law and public service, Hon. Justice Ogunwumiju was conferred with the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), one of Nigeria’s highest national honours.