147 graduating lawyers bag first class

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, SAN, has tasked the new wigs on the need to be steadfast and preserve the honor and dignity of the legal profession.
Speaking at the call to bar ceremony held at the Nigerian Law School Bwari, in Abuja, the CJN further charged the new wigs on the need to exhibit the highest level of professional ethics and decorum.
A total number of 4,456 students out of the 5,689 candidates that participated in the examinations successfully passed the August 2019 Bar final examinations.
While 147 (2.58) candidates were graded First Class, 741 (13.03) were graded Second Class Upper with 2,247 (39.50) bagging Second Class lower, just as 1,321(23.22) candidates got pass.
Muhammad said, “You must be steadfast and preserve the honor and dignity of the profession,”
While urging them to leave footprints on sands of time, the CJN further urged the new wigs to be courageous and bold enough to tread new grounds and seek advice of experienced senior counsels.
“Your priority is to commit yourselves to the pursuit for justice. Where you see justice is not being achieved, do all you can within the ambit of law to ensure justice is served,” he charged further.
The CJN nevertheless commended the body of benchers, the Nigerian Law School and the Council for Legal Education for its diligence and exceptional role in providing the required skill and knowledge to the new wigs.
Also speaking, the Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Professor Hayatu Chiroma, SAN who congratulated the new wigs reminded them that the knowledge acquired have made them to be new wigs of the Nigerian bar and proud members of the noble profession.
Chiroma attributed the astronomical growth of the institution uninterrupted 56 years of existence as deserving of commendation, saying that the school has contributed to training of an entire judicial arm of government up to the Supreme Court.
The DG nevertheless renewed the call for intervention and financial assistance for the institution but with a caveat: “Through structured and legitimate means”.
He urged the legal community, corporate organizations, government, parents, guardian as well as spirited individuals to assist the institution in form of donations, foundations, scholarships and grants in meeting its ever increasing demands.