The Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG) Ayodele Atsenuwa, a Professor of Public Law has revealed that the faculty almost lost its full accreditation during the last visit of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to the school.
The reason, she said, was due to the state of the moot court, which lacked space and adequate facilities that meet standards set by the Commission.
She made this known during the commissioning of a moot court donated to the faculty by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Alhaji Femi Okunnu to boost advocacy skills and sharpen students’ knowledge in legal analysis.
The existence of a functional moot court is a major requirement for full accreditation of the faculties of law in Nigerian universities
It would be 58 years that the faculty of Law risked losing its full accreditation over the failure to have a standard moot court.
Okunnu, who donated N100m for the project, stated that his association with the institution dated back to the foundation of some faculties, which made him part of the institution’s success story.
While expressing gratitude to the donor, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe noted that the fourth floor, housing the moot court, which the veteran lawyer donated, took a long time for the university community to get a donor.
He added that the project was also in line with his vision for the university, which borders on completing all existing projects.
He recalled that when the faculty started, having a moot court was not an important requirement as it is now.
“Where we were using for a moot court was not befitting of us as a university of the first choice. It cannot take more than 30 people. But with this one now, it will take 80 students conveniently. The university will make sure that the facilities that will be provided would be of international standard.
“In addition to the support, UNILAG has been receiving assistance from TETFUND. We just got a research grant of N1billion and they promised to give us an iconic building in the college of medicine,” he disclosed.
Ogundipe stressed that apart from the grants received from TETFUND, buildings that meet the international standards for learning, worth billions would be funded by TETFUND, while Pastor Daniel Olukoya would commission a project at the Senate building in 2021.
He advised law students to remain committed to proving to the world that the faculty of law remains the best and a good brand, adding that the institution is committed to growing academic scholars that would be able to represent and defend the academic system.
Professor Adele Jinodu who represented the donor at the commissioning stressed that beyond the building donated by Okunnu, the elder statesman always felt the commitment to invest in education.
The building, which is the fourth floor of the faculty of the law building, has a moot court, two seminar rooms, eight lecturer offices, a boardroom, lawyers changing room, a judges’ room, and rest room.
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