A heated debate has erupted among senior legal practitioners over proposals to abolish the Nigerian Law School amid growing concerns about the declining quality of legal education in the country.
The discussion took centre stage at the 2026 Legal Education Summit organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), where stakeholders sharply disagreed on the future structure of legal training in Nigeria.
Vice Chancellor of Imo State University, Prof. Uchefula Chukwumaeze (SAN), sparked controversy by calling for the abolition of the Nigerian Law School, arguing that it has outlived its usefulness and should be replaced with a university-based system of legal training.
He proposed that law faculties in accredited universities should handle full legal education, while the Council of Legal Education should only set standards and supervise bar qualification examinations.
Chukwumaeze cited legal education systems in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, arguing that Nigeria should align its structure with global best practices. He also recommended restructuring admission requirements and extending legal training to a seven-year programme combining academic study and internship.
However, the proposal was strongly rejected by the Director of the Nigerian Law School, Dr. Olugbemisola Odusote, who described it as inappropriate and not in the national interest, warning that it could weaken professional standards.
She argued that not all accredited universities are qualified to independently train lawyers for Bar admission and stressed that the Law School remains essential for maintaining uniform standards in legal practice.
The Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), also dismissed the proposal, insisting that legal education must remain properly regulated and should not be decentralised in a way that undermines quality control.
He added that WAEC and JAMB function only as examining bodies, unlike what was being proposed for legal training, and warned against reforms that could damage the profession rather than improve it.
Meanwhile, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), represented at the summit, described the gathering as an important platform for strengthening legal education and improving its global competitiveness.
The President of the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers supported reforms in principle but suggested reducing the length of study while improving the practical content of university legal education.
The NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), also backed reform discussions, noting that the effectiveness of lawyers depends largely on the strength of the education system that produces them, and calling for a review of the current structure.
