By Agbafo Ijeoma
A group of individuals has renovated the Lagos State University (LASU) Law Clinic to provide a more conducive environment for law students and strengthen practical legal education at the institution. The intervention was carried out in honour of retired Supreme Court Justice George Oguntade, a former Vice-Chancellor of LASU.
The spokesperson for the group, Mrs Afolakemi Ogunde, said the initiative was part of efforts to give back to the university and create a lasting impact on students’ education and professional development. She said the group’s assessment of the facility showed that several amenities had become dilapidated and non-functional, prompting the renovation.
Ogunde said the project was designed to make the clinic more functional for clinical learning, practical simulations and professional skills development, rather than simply improving its appearance. She expressed hope that the renovated facility would help students develop stronger practical skills, confidence and a deeper understanding of legal practice, while urging the university and students to take ownership of the facility and ensure its proper maintenance.
The 40th President of the LASU Law Students’ Society, Mr Emmanuel Sewanu, described the renovation as a significant boost to practical legal education. He said the facility had previously been used mainly for lectures, offices and meetings, which had reduced its effectiveness as a law clinic, but that its restoration would allow senior students to establish and register students’ chambers and begin their advocacy journey under lecturers’ supervision.
Sewanu said the clinic would help bridge the gap between learning and practising law by exposing students to real-life legal issues and developing their skills in legal research, client interviewing, communication, advocacy, problem-solving and professional ethics.
Fourth-year law student Mariam Rasheed also said the renovation would support moot court sessions, advocacy training and other academic activities, while third-year student Israel Omodudu highlighted the provision of a projector and modern lectern as improvements that would make learning more engaging and aligned with contemporary legal education.
