Gbenro Adesina
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka has revealed that the Institution produced the Overall best graduating student at the January 2020 Final Bar Examinations of the Nigerian Law School, apart from UI students winning 28 out of the Law school’s 38 prizes.
The UI law graduate with the overall best result, Olalere Yusuf Asamu, also won a total of 12 prizes.
Prof Olayinka, who made this known in a statement dated September 15, 2020, could not hide his joy at the sterling performance of the UI graduates at the Law School.
The statement read in part:
“The University of Ibadan community is highly pleased with the outstanding performance of her law graduates who won 28 out of the 38 prizes at the Bar Final Examinations January 2020 as approved by the Council of Legal Education, Bwari, Abuja. The information was published by the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN.
“We received the news with much joy in our hearts, coming barely two weeks after our great University was ranked the best in West Africa, number 7 in Africa and among the top 500 universities in the world. We will continue to post superior performance in the years ahead. We congratulate our students, knowing full well that in the words of our University Anthem, this is “Greatness won with honest toil”. We acknowledge with gratitude the persistence, hardwork, innovation and perseverance of the members of the Faculty. The University Management will continue to support you as we appreciate that Law is one of our flagship programmes.
“It is worth noting that the University of Ibadan produced the Overall best graduating student, in the person of Olalere Yusuf Asamu, who won a total of 12 prizes. Adebayo, Deborah IbukunOluwa emerged the Best Overall Female Student of the Year, in addition to her winning four other prizes. Madu, Kelechi Chris-Angelo; Ayeku, Adeyemi Kehinde and Udeh, Kosisochukwu Chukwunonso won two prizes each, while Anyaeji, Ohizoba Theodora; Adebayo, Temilade Jumoke; Adewole Enifeoluwa Philip; Banjo, Afolasade Omobowale and Ojini, Ese Isioma won one prize each.
“The prizes won by the Ibadan-trained lawyers are in Property Law Practice; Civil Litigation; Criminal Litigation; Corporate Law Practice; Professional Ethics and Skills; Best Overall Male Student of the Year; Best Female Student in Civil Litigation; Best Female Student in Civil and Criminal Litigation; Best Student of the Year (1st Prize); Best Overall Male Student; Most Promising Student; Prize for 1stClass Students and the Council of Legal Education Star Prize.
“It is trite to state that we have never been so pleased.
“In the words of Professor Oluyemisi Adefunke Bamgbose, SAN, former Dean of Law and member of the Governing Council: The outstanding performance of our students at the Nigerian Law School year 2020 is a consequence of a combination of the following: faithfulness of God; Uncompromising and supportive University Management; and first class and committed faculty staff and intelligent and diligent students.
“The Dean of Law, Professor Simisola Olutoyin Akintola was extremely happy and pleased with the outstanding performance of the UI students. She said that since nearly all the prize winners are UI students that she was just looking for the very few on the list who are not Ibadan products.
“To Professor Israel Adeniyi Olatunbosun, the immediate Past Dean of Law and currently the Acting Vice-Chancellor KolaDaisi University, Ibadan: Our admission policy has been an added advantage and contribution to outstanding performances we have been recording at the Nigerian Law School. Once again, UI law graduates have done the University proud at the 2020 Call to Bar ceremony with outstanding records carting away 28 out of 38 prizes and awards , including the star prize by Yusuf Olalere. Remarkably UI graduates have proven consistently superlative records of high quality and attest to our maxim that certainly if it must be from UI, it must be of outstanding quality.
“Dr John Akintayo, a Reader in Law, Quondam Head of Department and one of the first generation of students of Law at the University of Ibadan in the 1980s: Praise the Lord Jesus. God has done it again for us. I have asked a colleague to identify all our graduates so that I don’t leave anyone out. Madu, Ayeku are UI Graduates. Congratulations sir. Thank you for your support sir. My VC sir, we are quite excited. This has proved to the whole world that Ibadan is the best place to study Law in Nigeria.
“Dr Afolasade Adewumi, a Senior Lecturer in Law and a member of the University Senate said, Greatest UItes won almost all the Law School Prizes; UItes won 28 out of 38 prizes. Thank you very much Sir. You have done excellently well for all of us. You provided the conducive environment for us to work in.
“We once again congratulate these great ambassadors of the University of Ibadan for doing their alma mater proud and wish you and all your other colleagues who were also called to the Bar today greater successes in their career. Having received the best legal training at Ibadan and Abuja, the world is now under your feet. Higher still”.
