NBA President commended for prioritising legal education

Professor Damilola Olawuyi (SAN)

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), has been commended for prioritising legal education in his inaugural address to the bar by the newly appointed Chairman of the Legal Education Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association and Deputy Vice Chancellor at Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) Professor Damilola Sunday Olawuyi (SAN).

It will be recalled that while reeling out his agenda to reposition the legal profession in the country over the next two years, the newly sworn-in 32nd President of the NBA, Afam Osigwe (SAN) announced the immediate constitution of the NBA Legal Education Committee.

He had stated that “this committee will formulate and present the NBA position on the reform and development of legal education in Nigeria, drive a proposed review of curricula in Law faculties of Nigerian universities and the Nigerian Law School to bring them in conformity with contemporary developments and international standards, propose criteria for employment of law lecturers and retraining program for Law lecturers, push for an improvement of infrastructural conditions in the Nigerian Law School campuses, develop a programme to have practising lawyers actively involved in teaching several courses at the Nigerian Law School and Faculties of Law and introduce a mentorship scheme for aspirants to the Bar (whereby Law students would be assigned to established Law Firms), beginning at the Law Faculties and continuing into the Law School as it obtains in other developed jurisdictions. “

The Committee will also collaborate with donors to establish an Endowment Fund for Legal Education. The Fund will support law teachers in conducting research aimed at advancing the justice sector, promoting constitutionalism in Nigeria, and furthering ‘curriculum and academic development.”

Announcing the membership of the Committee, the NBA President noted that “the Committee shall comprise Prof. Damilola Olawuyi, SAN (Chair), Prof Kamal Dawud (Alternate Chair), Dr. Jonathan Ekperusi (Secretary), Dr. Matthew Anusiem.”

While reacting to his appointment as Chairman of the NBA-LEC, the frontline legal scholar and Professor of International Law, who is also a United Nations Independent Expert, Professor Olawuyi, SAN noted that: “Over the last years, especially at the recent NBA Legal Education Summit in 2022, which I chaired its organizing committee, members of the legal profession have consistently called for a reimagination of legal education in Nigeria, including the need to develop practice-ready lawyers who can contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s development.

“By identifying the reform of legal education as his top priority, the NBA President Mazi Osigwe, SAN has demonstrated his commendable and exemplary desire to spearhead transformational innovation in our training of future lawyers.

“Academic members of the bar must seize this new momentum by engaging actively with the NBA Legal Education Committee as we unveil innovative programs aimed at paving the way for legal entrepreneurship and technology-driven advancements in the teaching and practice of law in Nigeria,” he said.

Professor Olawuyi noted that “Just as the problems facing our society are not static, legal education cannot afford to be static, adding that “this is why knowing the law alone is no longer sufficient to succeed in today’s world. We need lawyers that are skilled in business management, use of data analytics and artificial intelligence, as well as equipped with market awareness and entrepreneurship skills needed to move beyond traditional practice areas and become leaders in contemporary and emerging areas of law, such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity law, space and aviation law, healthcare law, food and agricultural law, renewable energy, carbon finance law and international development law amongst others.

“The NBA Legal Education Committee is well placed to continue this important discussion and we look forward to working with all stakeholders in this important task.” the Learned Silk concluded.

Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare