ENUGU STATE HON. ATTORNEY GENERAL LEADS A FIVE-MAN COUNCIL OF LEGAL EDUCATION ACCREDITATION PANEL

The Faculty of Law of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), is currently undergoing a crucial accreditation exercise. A distinguished panel led by Dr. Kingsley Tochi Udeh, the Honourable Attorney General of Enugu State, who is a statutory member of the Council of Legal Education, arrived on the campus to assess the faculty’s facilities, resources, and academic standards. The Panel, comprised of five members—Aderonke O. Osho, Secretary of the Council of Legal Education; Mr. Chukwuma Ezeala, member of the Council of Legal Education; Dr. Olayinka Akinwumi, Law Librarian at the Nigerian Law School; and B.S. Bello, Secretary of the Panel, in addition to the Honourable Attorney General, who is the Leader of the panel—began their evaluation process with a warm welcome by the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Oguejiofor Ujam, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Daniel Nwachukwu, who received them on Friday, 14th February, 2025. The discussions during this initial meeting centered on the purpose of the accreditation visit and the team’s methodology.

Following their meeting with the Deputy Vice Chancellor, the accreditation team proceeded to the Faculty of Law’s administrative block, where they were received by the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Festus Ukwueze. This marked the official commencement of the accreditation exercise. Upon arriving at the Faculty, the Panel met with the Dean and the academic staff, and immediately began a thorough examination of various aspects of the Faculty, leaving no stone unturned in their quest to ascertain its adherence to established standards. The scope of the accreditation exercise is comprehensive, covering a wide range of areas crucial to legal education. The Panel meticulously scrutinized lecturers’ offices, evaluating their suitability for consultations and research. The team also assessed the lecture rooms, paying close attention to their capacity, ventilation, lighting, and overall learning environment. The adequacy and relevance of the library’s resources, including its collection of legal texts, journals, and online databases, were also thoroughly reviewed.

Beyond physical infrastructure, the accreditation team delved into the Faculty’s teaching methodologies, and analysed the pedagogical approaches employed by lecturers and their effectiveness in imparting legal knowledge and skills on students. They reviewed some course materials to gauge the nature of the curriculum and the quality of instruction being provided to law students at the Faculty.

This accreditation exercise is significant, being the first since the last one held in 2012. Accreditation exercise serves as a mechanism for ensuring that the high standards set by the Council of Legal Education are maintained.

The outcome of this accreditation exercise will have significant implications for the Faculty of Law, UNEC, which is the first law faculty in Nigeria and the West African sub region. A successful accreditation will reaffirm the Faculty’s commitment to excellence and its adherence to the highest standards of legal education. Conversely, the areas of improvement identified by the Panel will need to be addressed promptly and effectively by the Faculty to maintain or upgrade its status.

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