We are writing to bring to your attention a matter of grave concern regarding the unfair treatment of the Set 2017 Law graduates of Imo State University, Owerri, by the Faculty of Law, Imo State University. It has come to our attention that despite being due for admission to the Nigerian Law School, approximately 60 members of Set 2017 and a few others from previous sets have been unjustly sidelined, while our junior colleagues from Set 2018 have been prioritised for admission.
As law students, we are acutely aware of the principles of seniority and fairness that underpin the legal profession in Nigeria. It is deeply disheartening that the actions of the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. C. K. Okorie SAN, have not only disregarded these principles but have also undermined the order of seniority within the legal profession.
In his defense, the Dean has purported that the Set 2018 students on the list graduated with Second Class Upper, while the backlog students of Set 2017 and others graduated with Second Class Lower. However, it must be noted that such a distinction is not a requirement for admission into the Nigerian Law School as all law graduates, whether First Class, 2.1, 2.2, 3rd Class, or Pass, are eligible. Thus, this argument holds no ground.
Furthermore, we, the members of Set 2017, have attempted to engage the Dean on this matter, only to be met with hostility and disdain. Our pleas for fairness and justice were summarily dismissed, and we were callously advised to procure the Law School application form on our own by any means available to us, a task which we find impossible. This blatant disregard for our rights and welfare is unacceptable and speaks volumes about injustice in a place where the standard of justice should be set.
We are writing this letter with a sense of apprehension, as we are aware that our Dean may interpret it as a personal grievance against him, potentially leading to further negative repercussions. Our greatest concern is that he may manipulate our academic records or fabricate issues with our results to justify excluding us from the Nigerian Law School admissions process.
Moreover, it is important to highlight that prior to the provision for a backlog session, when we were not sent to law school alongside our classmates, many of us opted to complete our youth service to avoid wasting a year. However, the Dean insisted that law school attendance must precede youth service, and since then, he has withheld our results from Senate approval, preventing us from advancing our academic and professional careers.
As a result of this unjust treatment, a few of our classmates who could afford the exorbitant fees for obtaining the law school application form outside the faculty have managed to secure admission to the Nigerian Law School, leaving the rest of us stranded and deprived of our rightful opportunity to pursue our legal education. We are writing this letter out of desperation, as we are on the verge of losing two years of our lives and careers due to this unfair treatment.
Therefore, we implore the Council of Legal Education in Nigeria to intervene swiftly and decisively in this matter. We appeal:
- That a thorough investigation into the actions of the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Imo State University, Owerri, regarding the admission of backlog students to the Nigerian Law School be conducted.
- That all eligible backlog students from Set 2017 be included on the list of candidates for admission into the Nigerian Law School, irrespective of their class of degree.
- That such injustices are rectified, and that the principles of seniority, fairness, and integrity are upheld within the legal education system because, according to Justice Oputa, “when we speak of Justice, we are reaching for the very foundation of human existence. Justice is the cornerstone of human togetherness.”
