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Rivers State’s Governor Nyesom Wike has reiterated that the Nigerian Law School’s Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas Campus in Port Harcourt has been designed to be a self-sustaining institution in Nigeria.
On Monday, Governor Wike presented the Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, Emeka Ngige, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, with the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of adjoining property to the campus.
The presentation was made when Governor Wike led the Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, Ngige, SAN, and the Director-General of Nigeria Law School, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, as well as other dignitaries, around structures on the Law Campus that had been completed and were ready for formal handover.
Governor Wike stated that the procurement of the campus’s adjoining property would allow the campus’s operators to use it for numerous commercial and revenue-generating activities to meet the financial requirements of the Law School in Port Harcourt.
He said: “We are using this opportunity to present the Certificate of Occupancy of the property we have acquired and paid for by the Rivers State government for the Nigerian Law School, Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas, Port Harcourt Campus to you (Chairman). “We are giving the property to you for the purposes of making some revenue to run this campus. Whatever revenue derived is to be utilised for this campus alone.
“Very soon, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and the Director General will meet to prepare a Memorandum of Understanding. It will ensure that you won’t take revenue from here to subsidize for other campuses. Any money you make here, put it here in this campus.
Governor Wike also informed them that, with all of the campus’s structures now completed, the state government is waiting for the Council of Legal Education to set a date for the campus to be formally handed over to them.
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In his response, Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN, Chairman of the Council of Legal Education, stated that they were inspecting the facility and were awestruck by what they’ve seen.
“Last [year], 17th July 2021, was when we came for the foundation laying ceremony and His Excellency promised that this project will be delivered in one- year. Behold, today is June 27th, not up to July, yet and he had delivered.
Recall that when we were doing the groundbreaking ceremony, His Excellency promised that every month he will give this campus 10 million naira for four years and will be given in advance, that is about N480 million to run this institution.
When I learnt that he had acquired adjoining property; houses, shopping malls and other business facilities for the Law School to rent out to raise revenue to run this institution. I can tell you it is unparalleled.”
READ MORE: PICTURES: Nigerian Law School In Port Harcourt.
Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, Director General of Nigerian Law School, described the Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas Campus in Port Harcourt as the best of all Law campuses in Nigeria.
“On behalf of the Council, we are very grateful for a promise made and promise kept. This is the turning point in the history of legal education in Nigeria .” he said.
During an inspection of the lecturers’ quarters in Port Harcourt’s New Government Residential Area, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Onueze CJ Okocha, SAN., said Governor Wike was a competitor who kept promises and delivered the Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas Port Harcourt Campus, which is tastefully constructed and furnished.
Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association Okey Wali, SAN., also spoke. He stated that Governor Wike has done this to demonstrate his support for democracy and the advancement of Nigeria’s judicial system.
Prof Zacchaeus Adangor, SAN., Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, described the project as legendary and culturally significant because there is nothing like it in the country.
He also stated that Governor Wike provided it as part of his commitment to furthering legal education in the country, to which they are proud of.
