Council of Legal Education Advocates for Law as a Second-Degree Program to Combat Lawyer Unemployment

The Council of Legal Education in Nigeria is proposing that law be introduced as a second-degree program to enhance legal practice and address the rising unemployment among lawyers. Emeka Ngige (SAN), chairman of the council, made this announcement during the 2024 grand reunion of the 1989 law class of Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Enugu.

Ngige pointed out that many successful Nigerian lawyers initially pursued different fields before transitioning to law. He expressed concern over the growing number of unemployed lawyers, attributing this issue to individuals being pressured into studying law without a genuine interest. “A troubling trend is the unemployment of many lawyers, often due to them being pushed into the field by their parents without a real passion or understanding. We need to encourage those who are genuinely interested and mature enough to study law,” Ngige emphasized.

Ngige highlighted that younger students, some as young as 19, might graduate only to find themselves uninterested in practicing law. He cited renowned figures such as Justices Chukwudifu Oputa, Nnaemeka Agu, and Fidelis Nwadialor, who initially studied other subjects before becoming successful legal practitioners, as examples of the benefits of this approach.

The Council is currently in discussions with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to explore the implementation of this proposal, which they believe will strengthen the legal profession in Nigeria.

The reunion also honored Prof. Christian Okeke, the pioneer Dean of the Faculty of Law at UNIZIK. Ngige addressed several challenges facing legal education in Nigeria, including inadequate funding, lack of dedicated law faculties, frequent strikes, and unaccredited law programs. He also criticized the practice of law teachers holding multiple positions across different institutions, which he said undermines the quality of education.

Prof. Gozie Ogbodo, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Godfrey Okoye University, praised Prof. Okeke’s significant contributions to legal education, highlighting the event as a celebration of his lasting impact.