4,711 Law Graduates Inducted Into Legal Profession Amidst BoB, NBA Crisis
A total number of 4,711 law graduates have been called to the Bar in Abuja yesterday amidst the crisis between the Body of the Benchers, BoB and the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA.
According to the Director-General, Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, the new lawyers successfully completed the vocational training at the Nigerian Law School as prescribed by the Legal Education Act of 1962.
The DG disclosed that the new wigs emerged successful at the August/September 2022 Bar final examination, adding that out of a total of 5,802 students, who participated in the exams, 4,691 emerged successful representing 80.81%.
A breakdown of the results showed that 119 students graduated with 1st Class; 789 with 2nd Class Upper; 2,460, 2nd Class Lower; and 1,323 were awarded Pass.
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The Law School DG, charged the new wigs to make the best use of the legal profession, while stressing that the institution has contributed to training of the entire arm of the judiciary.
“The school has also contributed to the training of legal man-power for our sister African countries like the Republic of the Gambia, the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Republic of Cameroun.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Body of Benchers, BoB, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, presided over the induction amidst protest by the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, led by Mr Yakubu Maikyau, SAN.
The NBA, had in a letter dated December 4, asked Olanipekun to step aside as chairman, while the Vice Chairman, Retired Supreme Court Justice Mary Peter-Odili, takes over the proceedings at Tuesday’s Call-to-Bar ceremony.
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In pressing home their demand, Mr Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, boycotted the Call to Bar ceremony.
Mr. Maikyau, said its decision to shun the ceremony, was based on the refusal of the Chairman of the Body of Benchers (BoB), Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, to resign.
NBA, which is the umbrella body of legal practitioners in the country, said it had in a letter it also copied to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, asked Chief Olanipekun to step aside as leader of the BoB, following a claim by a leading partner in his chamber, Ms. Adekunbi Ogunde, that he influenced judges to deliver favourable judgments for his clients.
