The Nigerian Law School has banned Baze University in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, from admitting students into its Law Faculty for consistently violating its admission quota of 50 students per session as approved by the Council of Legal Education (CLE).

Baze University was founded by Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the running mate to the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi.

The imposition of the moratorium was sequel to the findings of the Council of Legal Education which showed that the university’s Law Faculty was currently having a backlog of over 347 law students waiting to be admitted into the Nigerian Law School.

The Acting Secretary and Director of Administration of the Nigerian Law School, Ms Aderonke Osho, made this known in a statement made available to journalists on Friday.

Osho stated that “At its Quarterly Meeting held on November 23, 2023, the Council of Legal Education (CLE) presided over by its Chairman, Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN, OFR considered the report of the Accreditation panel to the Faculty of Law, Baze University, Abuja.

“It emerged from the findings by the Panel led by the Director-General, Nigerian Law School, Prof Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, that: Baze University consistently and most flagrantly had contravened its admission quota of 50 students per session as approved by the Council of Legal Education with the result that the Faculty is currently having a backlog of over 347 law students waiting to be admitted into the Nigerian Law School.

“Since 2017 the Council of Legal Education had grappled with the excesses of Baze University by admitting over 750 law students which ordinarily would have taken about 15 years of admission based on the quota allotted to the University.

“Baze University runs a three (3)-year LL.B programme for some UTME candidates without the approval of National Universities Commission (NUC), Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB and Council of Legal Education.”

The statement further noted that “Under the NUC Minimum Benchmark Academic Standard (BMAS) for law degree programme in Nigerian Universities, Law is a five (5)-year programme for UTME candidates and four (4)-year for Direct Entry students.

“The Council of Legal Education after thorough consideration of these infractions resolved as follows: The imposition of a moratorium on admission of law students to the Faculty of Law, Baze University, Abuja, with immediate effect;

“The moratorium will last in the first instance for a period of 5 years and may be renewed if no satisfactory action is taken to remedy the situation.

“The Council in the interest of the innocent students, parents and guardians will use the 5 year period to find ways to deal with the backlog of law students admitted by Baze University in excess of its admission quota.

“Follow-up visits will be paid to the University to ascertain the extent of the measures it has taken to remedy the anomalies observed during the accreditation visit.

“The National Universities Commission (NUC), Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Parents, guardians, prospective applicants and members of the public are hereby put on notice on the status of Baze University Abuja and its faculty of Law.” 

President Bola Tinubu has announced the immediate cancellation of the automatic deduction of 40% from the internally generated revenues (IGR) of federal universities, citing the ill-timed nature of the policy.

Mr Tinubu spoke on Friday at an ongoing 75th Founder’s Day ceremony of the University of Ibadan (UI). He was represented by the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman.

In his speech as the Visitor to the university, Mr Tinubu pledged his commitment to the reform of the nation’s education sector as the bedrock for national development.

“The 40 per cent IGR automatic deduction policy stands cancelled. This is not the best time for such policy since our universities are struggling.” Tinubu said.

The policy was originally to commence in November. Universities will have 40 percent of revenues generated internally and deposited in their accounts will be deducted automatically by the government via the Treasury Single Accounts (TSA).

Dated 17 October with reference R&I/2045/T/252, and signed by the Director of Revenue and Investment Department, Felix Ogundairo, the letter noted that the decision which affects all partially funded government agencies and parastatals including universities is in line with the provisions of Section 62 of Finance Act 2020.

Twenty-year-old, Morenikeji Adebanjo, from Ogun State has emerged the overall best student at the 10th Convention Ceremony of Baze University.

Speaking during the convocation ceremony of the school in Abuja on Saturday, Adebanjo attributed her success to collective efforts of her lecturers, families and the institution.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adebanjo, a graduate of Law, came overall best with the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.81 on a scale of 4.0, from the 388 undergraduate candidates

Also, Oseloka Zikora, a Mass Communication student, came overall best with 5.0 CGPA on a scale of 5.0 in the Masters programme among 225 candidates.

Adebanjo, while promising to be a helpful member of the society through mentorship, said this was the only way to give back to the school and the society at large.

“A lot actually inspired me, first is God, second my family and this achievement is not an individual achievement but a collective achievement through Baze University.

“My lecturers also were of great help to me. Sometimes going to meet them for extra explanation and taking the time to really understand, I appreciate their efforts. It was a collective effort.

“I will try to be a helpful member of the society in any way I can. I intend to help first the undergraduates, give them some advice on how to succeed as well as using law as an instrument of change,” she said.

In an address, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Kathleen Okafor, said the university has recorded a notable milestone, including growing academic programmes from 72 in 2022 to 102.

Okafor said this comprised 43 undergraduate courses, 41 post-graduate (PGD and MSc) programmes and 18 PhD programmes.

She said that the convocation was also to honour two Nigerians, late Justice Mohammed Bello with the Honorary Doctor of Letters, and late Hajiya Maryam Babangida, with an Honorary Doctor of Science degree.

“Today, we present a list of 613 graduands, 388 at Undergraduate level and 225 at Postgraduate (Masters Degrees) level.

“To us, the pleasure of producing another set of excellent intellectuals for the nation and the international community is limitless. We return all glory to the Almighty God who has made this possible,” she said.

The acting vice-chancellor also said that women must participate to be in the quest for economic regeneration as well as engage in the family and national resources for fairness, equity and justice.

She said that universities must henceforth impact education that is relevant and ethical, combating genocides and poverty, blatant breaches of the rule of law.

“The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and World Bank research reports show that exposure of women to economic activities shot productively from about 17 per cent to 37 per cent within two years.

“Women must be in this quest for economic regeneration, they must participate, they must collaborate and engage in the family and national resources for fairness, equity and justice .Them can be no peace without justice,” she said.

She, therefore, advised the graduating students to pursue self development in their specialised discipline and as well join relevant professional associations to sharpen their digital skills.

She said this was necessary because with the age of digital innovation and entrepreneurship, they would be well equipped to face the exigencies of work places.

Another graduating student, Roosevelt Ken-Ebeku, encouraged the graduands to share and inculcate the values and lesson learnt from the school to the society at large.

Ken-Ebeku, also the Student Union Government (SUG) President of the institution, commended the institution’s management for the numerous social activities the school offered, saying that the 10th convocation was the first of its kind the institution had witnessed.

(NAN) www.nannews.ng