Academic excellence took centre stage at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) as the Faculty of Law celebrated 34 alumni who graduated with First Class honours in the 2025 Nigerian Law School Bar Final Examination, reaffirming the institution’s reputation as one of Nigeria’s leading producers of outstanding legal professionals.
The colourful ceremony, held on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at the Faculty Boardroom, marked the graduates’ first official homecoming after their success at the Nigerian Law School. It brought together members of the Faculty’s management, lecturers, students and alumni to celebrate the remarkable achievement.
The event was the second edition of the Faculty’s recognition ceremony, following a similar celebration in honour of 43 alumni who graduated with First Class honours in the 2024 Nigerian Law School Bar Final Examination.
Speaking at the event, the outgoing Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Abiola Sanni, SAN, represented by Professor Tunde Otubu, described the occasion as a celebration of excellence and resilience.
He commended the graduates, members of the 2026 Call to Bar cohort, for sustaining the Faculty’s long-standing tradition of academic distinction.
According to him, their achievement reflects intellectual brilliance, discipline, perseverance and hard work, bringing honour not only to themselves and their families but also to their alma mater.
He urged the new lawyers to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and service throughout their legal careers.
The incoming Dean of the Faculty, Professor Adejoke Oyewunmi, also congratulated the graduates, describing their success as a source of pride for the Faculty and an inspiration to current and future law students.
Beyond recognising the First Class Bar graduates, the Faculty also honoured two students who recorded an outstanding international achievement at the 2026 World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition in Switzerland.
Kaosisochukwu Andrina Nkpolara, a 500-Level student, and Israel Idara Ifiok, a 200-Level student, emerged World Champions at the competition, further reinforcing the Faculty’s growing reputation for excellence in advocacy and international legal contests.
Israel Idara Ifiok was named Best Oralist, while Kaosisochukwu Andrina Nkpolara emerged Second Runner-Up Best Oralist.
Another major highlight of the ceremony was the inauguration of the General Assembly of the Faculty of Law Alumni Association, comprising two representatives from each graduating class.
The initiative, coordinated by the Chairman of the Faculty of Law Alumni Relations Committee, Mrs. Funke Ago, SAN, is aimed at strengthening alumni engagement, promoting mentorship and fostering sustained collaboration between graduates and the Faculty.
Speaking during the inauguration, Ago described the General Assembly as a structured platform for reconnecting generations of alumni while supporting scholarly initiatives and expanding the Faculty’s contributions to national development.
She also congratulated the First Class graduates, describing their achievement as another testament to the Faculty’s enduring culture of excellence, discipline and diligence.
Responding on behalf of the award recipients, Joshua Adeyeye, Esq., former President of the Faculty of Law Students’ Association, expressed appreciation to the Faculty for its rigorous academic training, mentorship and unwavering support.
He said the quality of education and guidance they received at UNILAG prepared them for the demands of the Nigerian Law School and assured the Faculty that the graduates would continue to uphold the values of excellence and professionalism for which the University of Lagos is renowned.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.