Rivers State has joined other states hosting campuses of the Nigerian Law School, following the federal government’s approval for the establishment of the campus in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The approval was announced Tuesday by the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma (SAN), at the 2021 Call to Bar ceremony which held in Abuja.
The occasion witnessed the formal administration of oath of the legal profession on 880 successful law graduates at the December 2020 Bar final examination.
The exam is being conducted by the Nigerian Law School under the supervision of the Council of Legal Education.
Speaking at the occasion, Chiroma disclosed that the federal government’s approval followed a request from the Rivers State Government to build, equip and hand over a brand new campus of the Nigerian Law School to the Council of Legal Education in the state.
He also announced that the state Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, had recently given approval for the construction of 1,500 sitting capacity auditorium and two 900-bed spaces of male and female hostels for the Yenogoa Campus of the Nigerian Law School.
Corona noted that the projects were flagged off for immediate construction last month by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
He equally disclosed that the institution had, last month, admitted law graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) for remedial course, even as he commended members of the Body of Benchers and other relevant stakeholders in the legal profession for their commitment, cooperation and assistance in the resolution of the NOUN students crisis.
Chiroma, while charging the new wigs to adhere strictly to the norms and ethics of the legal profession, pointed out that a total of 1,561 students sat for the December 2020 Bar final examinations, out of which 880 came out successful.
In his speech, the Chairman of the Body of Benchers and life Bencher, Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, urged the newly admitted lawyers to refrain from any act or conduct that will obstruct or adversely affect the course of justice.
“You must adhere strictly to the provisions of the rules of professional conduct and maintain best practices at all times”, he said and cautioned that the Legal Profession and Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) will not hesitate to discipline any erring lawyer whose conduct negates the sacrosanct standards of the legal profession or amount to any infamous conduct.
Justice Rhodes-Vivour was optimistic that the future of law practice in Nigeria is bright with the advent of legal analytic softwares and the internet, which has provided a complete range of legal information and source materials, including judicial decisions.
