ACU Law Lecture: Osipitan, SAN Urges Future Lawyers to Embrace Ethics, Technology and Expanding Legal Frontiers

The Modupe and Folorunso Alakija Faculty of Law, Ajayi Crowther University (ACU), Oyo, on Thursday, 18th June 2026, hosted a public lecture delivered by Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, SAN, titled “The Legal Profession in Nigeria: Gateway and Pathways,” which examined the evolution, structure, and future direction of legal practice in Nigeria.

Addressing students directly, Prof. Osipitan called on aspiring legal practitioners to combine ethical responsibility with technological competence, stressing that the future of the profession will be shaped by rapid digital transformation and global integration.

He stated: “Technology will change your tools, the market will change your pricing, and globalization will change your borders — but nothing can change the core ethical imperatives of your calling. Will the future lawyer merely possess technical sophistication, or will he also embody ethical responsibility?”

He urged students to respect the institutional identity of the legal profession and referenced recent judicial interventions, describing the profession in Nigeria as “one indivisible, statutorily protected family.”

Prof. Osipitan, whose academic and personal connection to Oyo dates back over five decades to his days at Olivet Baptist High School, Olivet Heights, delivered a historical analysis of the Nigerian legal system across three major phases: 1876 to 1914, 1914 to 1962, and the post-1962 era.

He traced the origins of formal legal practice to the Supreme Court Ordinance of 1876, which created a tripartite classification of legal practitioners as professionally qualified legal practitioners, articled clerks, and local attorneys. He identified Christopher Sapara-Williams as the first Nigerian barrister called to the English Bar in 1879, alongside early legal pioneers including Sir Kitoye Ajasa, Edmund Macaulay, and Eric Olawole Moore.

He explained that the 1914 to 1962 period, following the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates, restricted legal practice to British-qualified lawyers, excluding articled clerks and local attorneys.

According to him, by the mid-20th century, deficiencies in the colonial legal education model necessitated reform, leading to the establishment of the Unsworth Committee in April 1959. He noted that its recommendations laid the foundation for Nigeria’s modern legal education system.

“Nigeria must establish its own autonomous system of legal education,” he said, citing the committee’s recommendation, which culminated in the Legal Education Act of 1962 and the Legal Practitioners Act of 1962, with the Nigerian Law School beginning operations in January 1963.

He further outlined the modern pathway to becoming a lawyer in Nigeria, beginning with undergraduate study in accredited universities. He highlighted the role of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the five-year LL.B curriculum covering core areas such as Nigerian Legal System, Jurisprudence, and Legal Theory.

He also explained the second stage at the Nigerian Law School and the final stage, the Call to the Bar by the Body of Benchers, which formally admits graduates as Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Prof. Osipitan expanded the discussion to career opportunities beyond courtroom litigation, warning graduates against immediate solo practice after Call to Bar, describing it as “professional suicide” without structured mentorship.

He pointed to emerging fields such as legal technology (Legaltech), data protection and privacy law, cybersecurity law, and fintech and blockchain regulation, noting rising demand for lawyers in licensing, compliance, payments law, and cryptocurrency regulation. He added that globally recognized certifications such as the Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) enhance professional competitiveness.

He also discussed judicial career progression from magistrate courts to the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court, while noting constitutional requirements for judicial appointments. He commended the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, for her commitment to judicial modernization.

Concluding, he emphasized the ethical foundation of the legal profession, stressing that lawyers are not traders or business operators but professionals serving a public trust.

“The legal profession differs fundamentally from ordinary commercial enterprise. Lawyers are neither traders nor business men/women; lawyers are professionals. The legal profession is a public calling,” he said.

The lecture attracted a distinguished audience including the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Ajayi Crowther University, Dr. Olutoyin Okeowo; Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ebunoluwa Oduwole; and Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Olanrewaju Onadeko, SAN. They collectively urged students to maximize the intellectual value of the session.

Also present were members of the university Governing Council, academic staff, students, and a delegation from the University of Lagos.