The Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, on Wednesday said 251 candidates bagged first-class grade in the last Bar final examination describing it as “an outstanding excellent performance and unprecedented”.

Prof Chiroma who disclosed this at the Call to Bar ceremony held in Abuja said 888 candidates failed the final bar examination conducted in November 2023.

According to him, 5,300 candidates sat for the examination, 4,412 candidates passed while 888 candidates failed the Bar final examination.

His words: “Mr. Chairman, distinguished members of the Body of Benchers, I will be presenting at this Call to the Bar ceremonies a total of 4,412 candidates who were successful at the November 2023 Bar Final examinations as well as 14 candidates from previous Bar Final Examinations

“I am happy to report on the good performance recorded by the candidates as seen in the Executive Summary below: Outstanding/General Performance. Total number of students who participated in the Examinations:5,300. Total number of successful candidates:4,412

“The Nigerian Law School is proudly happy to report that a total number of 251 candidates bagged first class grade in the last Bar final examination. This is indeed an outstanding excellent performance and, of course, unprecedented.

“These figures translate to 83.3 per cent success at the Bar final examinations.”

Retired Justice of the Supreme Court and Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Justice Mary Peter-Odili, lamented that the current period was bad for the judiciary.

According to her, the confidence in the judiciary was dwindling as a result of the spate of conflicting judgments and indiscipline among lawyers.

She said: “It is a bad period in the sense that the judiciary is being bashed and public confidence in the legal system is dwindling, occasioned by incessant conflicting judgments in our courts and flagrant indiscipline amongst lawyers.”

Speaking on the spate of conflicting judgements, Justice Odili said the Body of Benchers had set up a committee to look into the issue.

Hear her: “In a bid to address this vexed issue of conflicting judgments, the Body of Benchers constituted a committee made up of ranking members of the profession. The committee will come up with the best possible ways of addressing the concerns.

“When the committee completes its assignment and presents its report to the Body of Benchers, it will, upon consideration and approval, be forwarded to the relevant bodies for implementation,” she stressed.

Addressing the new wigs (new lawyers) Justice Odili urged them to avoid all forms of corruption as well as conduct that could tarnish the image of the judiciary.

Specifically, she said: “You have been called to the Bar in a very important historic period in the legal profession in Nigeria, a period when the good, the bad and the ugly are all operating at the same time.

“The good to the extent that the Supreme Court now has the full complement of Justices required to man the court.

“The good to the extent that the welfare of judicial officers is being taken seriously and the Body of Benchers alongside other relevant bodies is championing the process

“I have read in the papers about the increased funding of the judiciary which is a positive development. I hope it will be backed by adequate release of funds as and when due.”