Osinbajo Expresses Concern over Falling Standards of Advocacy Skills in Nigeria
The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbanjo, SAN, has expressed concern over the falling standard of advocacy skills in the legal profession in Nigeria.
Osinbajo, who made these remarks at the SimonsCooper Advocacy Development (SCAD) Competition in Lagos, last week, noted that for the law profession in Nigeria to do better, there was need for Lawyers to improve in their advocacy skills.
The award, which is a biennial event, is sponsored by the SimmonsCoopers Partners, a law firm founded in 2006 by the Vice President, Babatunde Irukera, the current Director-General of the Consumer Protection Council, and Mr. Dapo Akinosun.
According to Osinbajo, if the nation’s legal profession failed to do better, it would spell doom for the justice system and governance.
"Law and Advocacy is the very firmament of democracy. We are falling far behind in advocacy. Out of every 10 Lawyers we have in Nigeria, We can only get two who are very good in advocacy .
“In the past, most Lawyers had a passion for advocacy. Although the legal profession has greatly improved in its overall quality, there is still need to encourage more Lawyers to take up advocacy”, Osinbajo said.
Osinbajo, who was a Senior Partner at SimmonsCoopers then said SCAD, through the advocacy awards, not only want to give out to society, but also want to encourage upcoming Lawyers in advocacy.
“Law firms, should not be all about profit. We must find ways of giving back to the profession, and mentoring the young and upcoming ones”, he said.
SCAD competition, affords young Lawyers, a platform for the expression of thought and writing skills in Advocacy.
The SCAD competition which is its fourth edition, presented dispute scenarios such as Federalism, Anti-inflammatory Trust Law, Administrative Law, Electricity Law, among other legal perspectives.
The 2018 competition had entries from 23 Universities across Nigeria, but only 10 of the Universities emerged successful for the finals.
The finalists include: Mr Aganin Ntieno-Owor from the Nigerian Law School Kano, Miss Mariam Agbontafara from Afe Babalola University Ekiti, and Mr Ikusika Bamidele from Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Osun.
Others are: Mr John Ojelabi from the Lagos State University, Mr Olalere Adamu from the University of Ibadan, Mr Samuel Olajide from the University of Illorin, and Mr Kolawole Oladeji from the Ekiti State University,
The remaining are: Mr Paul Msughter from the Benue State University Makurdi (BSU), Mr Israel Oyarinde from the Obafemi Awolowo University Osun, and Miss Emmanuella Ujam from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Anambra.
The finalists were given 10 minutes each, to argue a case scenario on Electricity Distribution in Lagos State.
The mock case scenario was between one Ayade Disco as Plaintiff, and joining Defendants such as: the National Electrical Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Attorney-General of Lagos State, and the Lagos State House of Assembly.
After taking various arguments from the respective students, the panelists read out the scores as follows: Mr. Ordam Msughter as winner, Mr. Olaitan Ojelabi from the Lagos State University as first runner up, and Mr. Bamidele Ikusika from the Obafemi Awolowo University, as second runner up.
The winner went home with a cash prize of N200,000, a computer tablet, as well as a SimmonsCoopers Partners Internship opportunity.
The first runner up won a cash sum of N150,000, and a SimmonCoopers Partners Internship Opportunity, while the Second runner up won the sum of N100,000 and a SimmonCoopers Partners Internship opportunity.
Dignitaries at the event included the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, former Solicitor-General of Lagos State, Mr. Fola Arthur Worrey, Dr. Yemi Oke, a lecturer of Electricity Law at the Lagos State University, Group Managing Director at Aiteo group, Dr Ransome Peanut and Hon. Justice Kudirat Abike of the Lagos State High Court.
Benue State University’s Ordam Msughter, emerged as Winner of the 2018 SimmonsCooper Advocacy Development Award for Young Lawyers.