[IN FULL] Address By Law School DG, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN At Call To The Bar Ceremony Of July 27, 2021

*Says Law School Trains Over 6000 Students Annually
*Nigeria Law School Has Contributed To The Training Of Legal Man- Power For African Countries
*NLS Under Our Watch Has Witnessed More Positive Transformations
*Bar Final Examinations Effective 2018 Have Greatly Improved.
*Projects Are Already Flagged-Off For Immediate Construction
*Total Of 880 Candidates, were Successful At The December 2020 Bar Exam
*Says New Buildings In Bayelsa And Porthacourt Campuses Have Begun
*Says NOUN Graduates Have Resumed Remedial Program At The Abuja Campus

The Director-General, Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, has charged the new wigs to make the best use of the legal profession.

He also admonished them to Uphold the rule of law by adhering strictly to the ethics of the profession and to avoid practices, that may run foul to the ethics of the Profession.

This was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday, by Prof. Chiroma, SAN, at the Call To The Bar Ceremony held at Eagle Square, Abuja.

Read the full statement below

ADDRESS TO THE BODY OF BENCHERS BY PROF. ISA HAYATU CHIROMA, SAN, FCIArb, FICMC DIRECTOR-GENERAL, NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL, AT THE PRESENTATION OF CANDIDATES FOR CALL TO THE NIGERIAN BAR AT THE EAGLE SQUARE, ABUJA ON TUESDAY, 27TH JULY, 2021

The Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Hon. Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, JSC, CFR, Life Bencher,

The Vice Chairman of the Body of Benchers,
The Immediate Past Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Mr. O.C.J. Okocha, MFR, SAN. Life Bencher,
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Dr. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, Life Bencher
The Honourable the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN,
Past Chairmen of the Body of Benchers,
The Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN
Distinguished and Honourable Members of the Body of Benchers,
Honourable Justices and Grand Khadis here present,
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Olumide Akpata, Esq.,

Members of the Inner and Utter Bar,
Distinguished Senators,
Honourable Members of the Federal House of Representatives,
Executive Governors here present,
Our Royal Fathers,
Proud Parents, Guardians and Relations,
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted  to welcome you all to this solemn and memorable ceremony, for the admission to the Nigerian Bar of successful candidates at the December 2020 Bar Final Examinations, conducted by the Nigerian Law School under the supervision of the Council of Legal Education.

I sincerely and heartily congratulate all the successful candidates for their hard work and dedication, the joyous reason of our presence here today.  To all the proud parents and relations, I convey warm felicitations on the remarkable success of these candidates, who in a short time will become the new wigs of the Nigerian Bar and proud members of our noble profession.

Kindly recall that at the last Call to the Bar ceremonies in September 2020 that I brought to your attention the effect and consequences of the COVID -19, pandemic on the activities of the Nigerian Law School.  I am happy to report that with the pro-active steps taken by the Council of Legal Education, Management of the Nigerian Law School and most importantly the invaluable support from the Federal Government of Nigeria under the able leadership of Mr. President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, we undoubtedly withered the storm, as no serious case of fatality on the account of the deadly virus was recorded in the entire Nigerian Law School community.

Another area of concern worthy of mention at this auspicious occasion is that of heightened security situation in our country, especially around the host cities of our headquarters and campuses.  Again as you all know, this is largely fuelled by persons who patronize the social media for selfish and destructive reasons.

To the glory of God, all the orchestrated fears and rumours of imminent attacks on the Nigerian Law School community never and will never see the light of the day.  However, adequate safeguards for all the campuses and headquarters Bwari here in the federal Capital Territory have been deployed.

I wish to acknowledge the continuous co-operation of the military authorities, in particular, the Chief of defence Staff for their support and advise at all times.  The same goes to the Inspector-General of Police, his officers and men for their support.

A way from the above distractions, let me on behalf of the council of Legal Education, Management, staff and current student’s of the Nigerian Law School invite you all to share in the success and joy of these candidates we are celebrating today.

No doubt, the renewed Lawyering skills, knowledge acquired and expressed by our soon to become new wigs brings great joy to the entire Nigerian Law School community.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COUNCIL OF LEGAL EDUCATION AND NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL

The Council of Legal Education was established by the Legal Education Act 1962 to provide Vocational Training for law graduates aspiring for Call to the Nigerian Bar.

The Nigerian Law school which is the training arm of the Council of Legal Education is a multi-Campus institution; with headquarters in Abuja and Campuses in Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Yenagoa and Yola. From these locations, we train over six thousand (6,000) students annually.

CONTINUING PROGRESS AT THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL

Leveraging from achievements of our past teachers and leaders, the Nigerian Law School has had to sustain its enviable growth and development for nearly six (6) decades to the admiration of many, the importance of the Nigerian Law School in manpower training and development for our country cannot be over emphasized, particularly in the aspect of the Administration of Justice and sustenance of the Rule of Law. It is crystal clear that from inception, the Nigerian Law School has been solely responsible for the vocational and practical training of University law graduates for admission to the Nigerian Bar. From its humble beginning in 1963 with 8 students at its one block Campus at 213A, Igbosere Road, Lagos, the Nigerian Law School has grown to a six-Campus Institution spread across the country with a yearly intake  of well over 6,000 (six thousand) students as stated above.

This is a testimony to the healthy astronomical growth, not just of the institution, but also in legal profession. In about 59 years of its existence, the School has had uninterrupted sessions as there has never been any incident of a closure of the Institution on account of student unrest, strike action by staff or for any other reason.

This is a rare quality in academic institutions in Nigeria today and therefore deserves commendation and emulation by other institutions of learning.

For these years, there has never been, at the Nigerian Law School, any incident or report of secret cultism, a menace which has ravaged our higher institutions of learning, and the secret is the insistence of the Council of Legal Education on the good character of the students as a condition for both admission into the Law School and recommendation for Call to the Bar.

The Nigerian Law School has contributed to training of an entire arm of government – the judiciary. It is a tribute to the School that all Judges of the various Courts in Nigeria (including the Chief Justice of Nigeria) are products of the Nigerian Law School.

Likewise, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, all States’ Attorneys-General and Commissioner for Justice and Law Officers serving in their Chambers are all products of the School.

It is also significant to note that a large number of members of other tiers of Government in the country are products of the School.

The School has also contributed to the training of the legal man-power for our sister African countries like the Republic of the Gambia, the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Republic of Cameroun. A number of countries from East and West Africa have visited the Law School to solicit information and assistance on the establishment and development of the Law School in their various countries.

The products of the School have commanding presence in other spheres of public and private sector such as the Military, Police, Customs, Immigration, the Oil and Gas sector, Banking and Finance, Insurance and the Corporate world in general, Professors/Lecturers in the Universities and other tertiary institutions.  Some of these products have achieved profound feat of getting to the top of their career nationally and cross borders.

BRIEF REPORT ON ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT AT THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL

Without the risk of sounding immodest the Nigerian Law school, under our watch has witnessed and expressed more positive transformations in the areas of Academics, better Administrative and Physical Infrastructural development, again and of course, building on past achievements and legacies.

By providing and creating better learning and conducive environment for students and staff, our performance at the Bar final Examinations effective 2018 have greatly improved.  With lots of candidates coming out with first classes, and with other impressive grades as well as winning outstanding prizes and awards to the admiration of the entire legal community.

The Nigerian Law School Headquarters and campuses have Equally witnessed in the period under review new constructions, renovations and remodeling of many structures and buildings that hitherto continued to suffer serious neglect on account of poor budgetary provisions.

It is no longer news, that we achieved and still making the difference largely due to prudent use of very lean resources at our disposal and through the gracious interventions of good spirited Nigerians, Organisations and other concerned stakeholders.

MAJOR INTERVENTIONS AND SUCCESS STORIES

Recently, the Government of Rivers State under the able leadership of the Executive Governor, His Excellency Nyesom Wike, CON graciously approved the construction of some critical projects for the Yenagoa Campus of the Nigerian law School.

The projects include:

1. A 1,500 seating capacity Auditorium (Multi-Purpose Hall).
2. Two 900 bed spaces male and female hostels.

I am happy to report to this very important assemblage that those projects were flagged-off for immediate construction by the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN on Friday June 4, 2021 at the Nigerian Law School, Yenagoa Campus, Bayelsa State. We cannot thank His Excellency, the Government and the good people of Rivers State enough for this proactive and progressive intervention. Again in a similar and welcome development, the Federal Government on receipt of the kind request from the Government of Rivers State to build a new campus of the Nigerian Law School in the state granted and conveyed Mr. President’s approval for the establishment of a campus of the Nigerian Law School in Port Harcourt.  This is indeed heart warming and calls for celebrations.  We thank most profoundly Mr. President, and  Mr. Governor of Rivers State respectively. Let me also use this medium to thank again and appreciate our numerous benefactresses for their kind interventions and firm believe in the Nigerian Law School renewal project.  May God reward all your kind interventions and assistance.

The Council of Legal Education, Nigerian Law School is also grateful to the family, friends, classmates, and associates of our amiable Chairman, Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN who were with us at the grand ceremony of his 60^th Birthday held on Sunday July 11, 2021 at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos Campus and used the opportunity to proudly identify With us.  We appreciate greatly your invaluable contributions anddonations to the Nigerian Law School.  Thank you and congratulations again our amiable chairman for the good initiative and platform.

ADMISSION OF NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIAN (NOUN) LAW GRADUATES TO THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL FOR REMEDIAL COURSE

The Council of Legal Education, Nigerian Law School have been receiving commendations from stakeholders and the general public for offering Admissions to Law graduates of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) for special remedial course.  I am also to respectfully inform you all that the programme commenced on Monday June 28, 2021 at the Nigerian Law School Headquarters, Bwari, Abuja.  We thank the chairman and distinguished members of the Body of Benchers for your kind considerations and assistance in this regard.

PRESENTATION OF THE DECEMBER 2020 BAR FINAL EXAMINATIONS RESULT – GENERAL PERFORMANCE

Mr. Chairman, distinguished members of the Body of Benchers, I will be presenting at this Call to the Bar ceremonies a total of 880 candidates, who were successful at the December 2020 Bar Final examinations as well as 4 candidates from previous Bar Final Examinations.

I am happy to report on the good performance recorded by the candidates as seen in the Executive Summary below:

1. General Performance

(a)     Total number of students who participated at the

Examinations: 1561

(b)     Total number of successful candidates: 880             

I wish to assure all of you that we shall remain the gate keepers of our noble profession. As Teachers and Administrators, we will continue to uphold the standard and integrity of the Bar.

As seen above, the result and the general performance, is well above average, very good and justifies the huge investment and sacrifice made by all concerned. We promise to sustain and even surpass the attained record with a zeal to continuously progress in all we do as long as our students are willing to excel, we shall avail them of the opportunity to achieve their goals.

TO THE NEW WIGS

I sincerely congratulate our candidates for Call to the Bar today. I also felicitate with their parents, guardians and relations on being part of this memorable and auspicious occasion.

No doubt, today is a day of great joy for you all, having come this far in realizing your dreams of becoming members of the noble profession of law.

My prayer for you all is that the Almighty God will grant you all rewarding careers at the Bar. I enjoin you to make the best of the legal profession, since it is your free will to belong to it. You must also ensure strict adherence to its norms and ethics. We wish you the best for the future.

SINCERE APPRECIATION

May I at this time respectfully seek the leave of Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the Body of Benchers, to thank our supervisory Ministry – the Federal Ministry of Justice headed by the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN for the support always given to us as an institution.

I will also wish to thank the Chairman and Members of the Council of Legal Education, our parent body for their support and guidance at all times.

The same appreciation goes to the Chairman and members of the Body of Benchers for their constant support and encouragement. I must also mention the Secretariat of the distinguished body for its co-operation with us at all times.

We equally thank the President of the most progressive and largest Bar on the continent of Africa, Mr. Olumide Akpata, Esq for their contributions to the Nigerian Law School, Nigerian Bar Association and the Legal Profession in general.

Finally, with all sense of duty and responsibility, I wish to commend the excellent work ethics of the Academic and non-academic members of staff of the Nigerian Law School, who work tirelessly and most times beyond the call of duty to ensure that the task of producing the legal man-power needs of our country is sufficiently attained.

AFFIRMATION OF LEARNING AND CHARACTER

The Distinguished Chairman of the Body of Benchers Sir, distinguished members of the Body, may I now present to you, the aspirants here assembled this morning/afternoon for Call to the Nigerian Bar. They wish to and are eligible to become members of the learned and noble profession of Law. They have successfully completed the vocational training at the Nigerian Law School as prescribed by the Legal Education Act.

They have all taken the prescribed examinations as well as the dining terms and met all other required conditions set by the Council of Legal Education.

I am happy to affirm that they all exhibited good manners and decorum during their training. They have also been groomed in the best ethics and ethos of our noble profession.

Together with other academic and non-academic members of staff of the Nigerian Law School, I have closely monitored these aspirants during their training and I vouch for each and every one of them as men and women of learning and character as demanded by your august body.

The screening committee of your distinguished body has carefully perused the records of each of the aspirants and found them worthy to be presented for Call to the Nigerian Bar. I attest that they are fit and proper persons for Call and admission to the Nigerian Bar.

Mr. Chairman, may I respectfully and in my honour present to the Distinguished Body of Benchers, the following applicants 880 (from the total list of qualified applicants) and 4 from previous Call here present, for Call to the Bar at this ceremony.

Thank you for this privilege and God bless.