Okanga Ogbu Okanga, Esq., has written the three frontline candidates, Dr. Ajibade, SAN, Mr. Dele Adesina, SAN and Mr. Olumide Akpata, for the office of the African largest Bar President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), urging them to intervene in the problem Lawyers do encounter in the process of getting the academic transcript of the Nigerian Law School.

This is contained in a letter dated 7th day of July, 2020 which was made available to TheNigeriaLawyer.

According to him, there’s an urgent need to intervene as a result of the prolonged application process which is manual in nature. “The NLS often takes too long – sometimes several months – to issue a transcript, when requested. This endemic situation has taken a toll on many of our colleagues, especially striving young lawyers, costing some beneficial opportunities.”

In this light, he said the purpose of the letter is to appeal to the aspirants to assist upon emergence as the President in the forthcoming elections.

Besides, he noted that although, NBA has no supervisory power over the Nigerian Law School but however, being a member of the Governing Council of Council of Legal Education gives it an edge in the circumstances.

The letter reads:

7 July 2020

Dr Babatunde Ajibade, SAN
Deacon Dele Adesina, SAN
Mr. Olumide Akpata

Dear Sir,

Nigerian Law School Transcripts: An Open Appeal for Intervention

I am currently a diaspora Nigerian lawyer. I continue to be a financial member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and will vote at the imminent elections. I am delighted to have the choice of electing one of three distinguished gentlemen for the office of President. I have followed your respective campaigns with measured enthusiasm, and I feel confident to seek your intervention regarding an issue that greatly concerns me. This issue may have, understandably, eluded your attention, but it is, nevertheless, very important to many Nigerian lawyers. I will endeavour to err on the side of brevity, as I believe time to be a valuable resource to you.

The small matter that necessitates this letter is the issuance of academic transcripts by the Nigerian Law School (NLS). To the frustration of many, including myself, the application process remains manual (someone must hand deliver) and inefficient. The NLS often takes too long – sometimes several months – to issue a transcript, when requested. This endemic situation has taken a toll on many of our colleagues, especially striving young lawyers, costing some beneficial opportunities. I have several acquaintances that have endured this plight. I have recurrently and regrettably seen many young lawyers – home and abroad – bemoan helplessly about the situation, usually so on social media.

The purpose of this letter is to appeal to you, especially if elected, to use your good offices to broker a solution to this problem. I am not oblivious of the fact that the NBA does not exercise direct supervision over the NLS. However, I also understand that the NBA has representation on the Council of Legal Education, the governing body of the NLS. I further appreciate that the NBA is a weighty organization with direct and hard-to-ignore access to those that make the rules and run the system. I firmly believe that the NBA, as the body that represents the interest of ALL Nigerian lawyers, can, and should, take this up and wield its influence, even if as a stakeholder in continuing legal education.

I raised this issue via a Zoom-based Q&A with the presidential aspirants yesterday, but, for different reasons, no candidate could attend to it. I reiterate it here in belief that an NBA intervention benefits us all and will accord many of our peers a more tangible sense of belonging. I am positive that young lawyers going abroad, for instance, to garner academic/professional exposure ultimately benefits our profession, our legal system, and our country at large. Suffice it to state that many return home better contributors on various platforms and many are good ambassadors of our country while overseas.

I am soliciting your outright commitment, as a principal candidate, to liaise with the NLS to resolve this matter decisively. I dare state that this is an issue that can be resolved rather easily if the NLS is moved to modernize. We do not need to travel far to transplant a solution. Perhaps, all that the NLS needs to do is borrow a leaf from my Alma Mata, the great University of Nigeria, which, for years, has operated a seamless transcript application and delivery system, albeit slightly more expensive. So, this is clearly a problem with a ready-made Nigerian solution. I am confident that our NBA is best placed to provide leadership and coordinate the response to this inexplicably lingering issue. There is no better time.

I thank you dearly, Sir, for your many years of service and continued availability to serve.

Okanga Ogbu Okanga, Esq

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