ACCREDITATION STATUS OF FACULTY OF LAW, MADONNA UNIVERSITY, OKIJA
At its meeting of October 22, 2013, the Council of Legal Education considered the reports of its Accreditation and Special Visitation Panels to the Faculty of Law, Madonna University, Okija.
It emerged from the findings by the Panels that:
- The Faculty had an ageing teaching staff made up mostly of retired academics and inadequate in number;
- There was a large number of graduands who have been unable to gain admission to the Nigerian Law School due to the flagrant disregard of the Faculty’s admission quota of 50 on regular basis. The Faculty is known to graduate more than 600 students annually. In the current School Year of 2013/2014, the Faculty was indulged with about 500 places for its students at the Nigerian Law School. This was done to ensure that the students did not suffer for the indiscipline of their institution. It is also on record that there are over 1,000 graduates of this Faculty yet to attend the Nigerian Law School. This is the true story of this Law Faculty, which has always mass produced law graduates, even when it has no facilities in place for such; and when it does not have the authority of the Council of Legal Education so to do.
- There were inadequate physical and learning facilities in terms of classroom capacity and library collections, among others;
- There was an over bearing attitude on the part of the Proprietor of the University; and undue interference by Nuns in the affairs of the Faculty. These have been hampering the administrative efficiency in the Faculty. It was also found that the authorities have been adopting unorthodox disciplinary measures in dealing with students;
The Council of Legal Education after thorough consideration decided as follows:
(a) That the suspension of admission to the Faculty of Law which became effective from the 2011/2012 Session shall remain in force for a further period of three Sessions i.e. until the end of 2016/2017 Session;
(b) That the University should put in place proper conventional administrative structures and disciplinary measures in the Faculty and avoid dehumanizing practices; and
(c) The Council of Legal Education will monitor closely, compliance with above directives to ensure a proper re-positioning of the Faculty, whenever the suspension of its accreditation is considered for review.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
For avoidance of doubt, the Law Faculty should have no students in the 100,200 and 300 levels for now and by the 2016/2017 academic Session; there should be no students in the Faculty. The gross indiscipline exhibited by the Faculty to the directives of the Council of Legal Education, is a cause for concern and must be brought to the notice of the general public. Prospective applicants as well as parents and guardians should be guided accordingly please.
The Faculty of Law has had its accreditation suspended; and any applicant that applies to study there does so at his or her risk.
The Council of Legal Education will not be drawn into the issue of admission of any student that accepts to study in the Faculty throughout the period of withdrawal of its accreditation please.
SECRETARY TO THE COUNCIL AND DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION
