‘Stop begging for failed Law School students’

 

The Body of Benchers, whose responsibility is to admit and call successful students of the Nigerian Law School to the bar, has warned Nigerians to desist from begging for the students who failed their final Bar examination.

The Nigerian Law School was said to have recorded mass failure in the 2013/2014 final Bar examination. About 50 per cent of the students reportedly failed the examination.

The body, through its Chairman, Chief Onomigbo Okpoko (SAN), said in a statement obtained on Thursday that it had been inundated with requests of members of the public for waiver and review of the results.

Okpoko explained that the responsibility of the Body of Benchers was limited to admitting and calling successful law school students to bar.

He therefore asked the public to stop requesting for waiver or review of the result “as it has absolutely nothing to do with the conduct of Bar exams.”

He said, “Nigerians must learn to play by the rules always and accept what the rules of the Council of Legal Education dictate.

“Rather than question the Council of Legal Education on the mass failure, let us all for once, turn to those who failed and ask them why they failed when some of their classmates made first class, second class upper and lower in the same examination.”

Okpoko reminded the public that Nigeria had, in the past, produced lawyers for the world court and for other countries.

He thus maintained that there was the need to encourage the students, who are future magistrates, judges and Justices to be hardworking so as to be able to pass their Bar examination at the Law School.

He added, “The lawyers we produce from our Law School must attain the standard of pass prescribed by the Law School authorities. It is not for the Body of Benchers or indeed anyone to interfere in any manner with the results released by the Council of Legal Education.

“Every institution of learning has its own regulations as to examinations and the mark to attain to be successful in the exams conducted by that institution. This is not limited to Nigeria.

“The standard set by the Council of Legal Education for passing its exams, are matters within the domestic jurisdiction of the Council. All those who love this country and desire to see Nigeria produce the best lawyers for the world should accept the results as published and encourage those who failed to work hard when the opportunity comes again.”