#DEARASPIRANTTOTHEBAR, “LAW SCHOOL IS BOTH A MARATHON AND A SPRINT”

Name: Eniifeoluwa Adewole

Campus: Abuja Campus (First Class), Director General’s Prize for First Class Students; Second Best Graduating Student, Corporate Law Practice

University:  University of Ibadan, Second Class Upper Division

About: I am a young aspiring lawyer interested in Corporate Law Practice.

Source: Eniifeoluwa Adewole

‘With the benefit of hindsight, if you had to talk to yourself when you were resuming at the Nigerian Law School last year, what would you have told yourself?’

In response to the above question, Eniife says:

Source: Eniifeoluwa Adewole

Read as much as you can. Be as dedicated to the course as possible. Study wide and deep. Have a detailed understanding of the concepts. Get a firm hold of your Case Law and Statutes but understand the concepts more. Try as much as possible not to have a favorite course. Make use of past questions as they help you understand the mode of asking and answering questions. Law school is both a marathon and a sprint. You need to move as fast as possible and as far as possible. It is not impossible to excel soo decide everyday to take steps towards excelling. Make great friends while on campus too and if possible, join study groups.

#DEARASPIRANTTOTHEBAR, “COMPARISON UNDERMINES ONE’S ABILITY”

Name: Blessing Ogo-Oluwa ADEAGBO

Campus: Abuja Campus (First Class), Director General’s Prize for First Class Students.

University: University of Ibadan, First Class Honours, Award for the Best Student in Environmental Law

About: I am Blessing Ogo-Oluwa Adeagbo, I graduated with first class honours from both the University of Ibadan and the Nigerian Law School. I love God and I love people. I am an advocate of knowledge and I strongly believe that the first step to freedom in every situation is knowledge. I love reading and singing. My email address is blessadeagbo@gmail.com.

Source: Blessing Adeagbo

In response to our question, ‘With the benefit of hindsight, if you had to talk to yourself when you were resuming at the Nigerian Law School last year, what would you have told yourself?’, Blessing says:

I would have told myself to be calm and not to entertain fear. I discovered at the Nigerian Law School that what causes failure is principally fear. All the times I had challenges while studying, it was because I was afraid. As soon as I made up my mind to banish fear, studying became easier. I began to understand what I was reading faster. Also, I would have told myself that I was not in competition with anyone but myself. The way people responded to questions and analyzed issues in class when we first resumed almost made me doubt my own level of intelligence. Thank God I was able to come around early enough, I assured myself that all that mattered was that I was putting in all my best, what would test my knowledge was not people’s responses in class but the Bar Finals. Well, I graduated as one of the first twenty in my set, that showed me that I am not dump after all. Comparison undermines one’s ability.

 

#DEARASPIRANTTOTHEBAR, “ATTAINING A GREAT HEIGHT IS NOT AN IMPOSSIBILITY”

Name: Grace N. Kalu

Campus: Lagos Campus (First Class) Director General’s Prize for attaining First Class; Sir Lionel Brett K.B.E. Prize for the Best Student in Criminal Litigation; Mrs. Oluwatoyin Doherty’s Prize for the Best Female Student in Criminal Litigation; 7th Overall Best Student, 2018/2019 Session

University: University of Uyo (Second Class Upper)

Source: Grace Kalu

I resumed Law School with the determination to give it my best shot. My underlying statement was that I had only one opportunity to make an impression in Law School and so I will do my best. Before resuming in November 2018, I found Ekaete Hunter’s blog and so I was already familiar with stories of people who made a First Class from Law School, including those that were exceptional to the point of winning awards and emerging as overall best. I named myself “A fan of the Red Scroll” and got set to have my own experience.

I had always desired to be in Lagos Campus and so when I got posted to Lagos Campus, my joy knew no bounds. I resumed immediately and prayed extensively to receive instructions from God to guide my life in school. These were my guiding principles:

1. Always put God First.
2. Set goals and keep your eyes on the goal
3. Read Consistently
4. Never Complain

The first principle wasn’t a hard thing to do because God is my life. Law School did not make me relent in Service to God as I served as the Vice President of CLASFON in Lagos Campus. My goals were written down in my heart, my journal and on all my class notes. I built a habit of not complaining and so I ensured that I wasn’t found among circles were people complained about Law School. However, I had to discipline myself to follow through the third principle.

#DEARASPIRANTTOTHEBAR, “TIME IS GOLD”

Name: Alice Pamilerin Adeyi

Alice Pamilerin Adeyi

Alice Pamilerin Adeyi

Alice Pamilerin Adeyi

‘With the benefit of hindsight, if you had to talk to yourself when you were resuming at the Nigerian Law School last year, what would you have told yourself?‘

I will tell myself that it is okay not to have a perfect reading schedule like everyone else so long as I meet my reading quota and I am prepared for the bar finals.

I will tell myself that it is okay to relax and do something fun outside the Law School curriculum, as long as I don’t forget my main goal.

I will tell myself that I may not always have control of the situation, there might be ill health, long tiring hours of lecture, not so perfect externship posting, not so comfortable hostel facilities, but all these won’t last forever.

I will tell myself not to shy away from participating actively in class, so long as I do it with a sense of humility.

I will discipline myself to read before each lecture and go through each day’s lesson, even if I don’t feel like it.

I will make myself understand that it is better to take as much notes in class and fill up the spaces
afterwards; than to make my notes after each lecture, because time is gold.

I will remind myself that it is easy to make a First Class in Law School with the right mindset, discipline and total trust in God.

Finally, I will tell myself that God keeps His promises, all I have to do is believe and never forget them.

#DEARASPIRANTTOTHEBAR, “AS A FOREIGN STUDENT, WHAT ARE YOUR ODDS?”

Name: Akorede Samuel Omotayo

Campus: Lagos Campus (First Class), Director General’s Prize for First Class Students;  

University: Bangor University, United Kingdom (First Class Honours), Top of the class (G. LLB), 2016/2017 Academic Session; and

Ekiti State University: BA (Honours) Philosophy; Professor P. O. Bodunrin’s Prize for Best Graduating Student 2012/2013 Academic session; Chief Olu Akinyede’s Prize for Best Graduating Student 2012/2013 Academic session.

About: Akorede hails from Iwo, Osun State. He had his secondary education at Good Shepherd Schools, Lagos. He is a candidate of the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship Scheme and he is currently a Banking and Finance Associate at Odujinrin & Adefulu.

AKOREDE SAMUEL OMOTAYO

Introduction

I would like to start by saying “congratulations!”.

You have taken the first of many bold steps by reading up on the success stories of others. However, as you would have discovered, everyone has got a different story to tell and I have decided to tell mine from the perspective of a foreign-trained student* (“foreign student”). Hopefully, you find it useful!

Bar Part 1

My experience during the Bar Part 1 was mostly enjoyable. For Foreign students, there is usually the urge to visit Lovitos and party every weekend. However, please do not take the Bar Part 1 lightly.

Do you know why?

• You have just two months to study courses ordinarily taught in Nigerian Universities in a five-year period.
• The odds are stacked against you as a foreign student in Bar Part II because you do not have the advantage of learning most of the legal principles required to appreciate Bar II curriculum.
• Failing any Bar Part 1 exam will likely dampen your confidence to excel in Bar II.
• Understanding the lecturing style and the techniques used in answering Bar Part 1 questions will be very helpful for Bar Part II.

Having said that, my immediate advice for Bar 1 exams is to attend all the classes, listen effectively and read to understand the legal principles rather than reading to pass. From my experience, the questions are prepared to help students think about issues in a practical way – unlike Bar II questions which require students to answer based on the Law.

There is no First Class with Bar Part 1– so please keep it easy and effective!