Date: 2014-08-25

It has become a tradition, not to mention a norm, throughout the Country for State governments to, as part of their educational policy, assist their law students in the payment of law school fee. This now acceptable tradition became necessary due to the skyrocketed amount demanded by the Nigerian law school authority which is currently over N300, 000. It must be noted that this career-threatening fee has cut short the dreams of many would-be lawyers in the country, leaving them frustrated, blue and disillusioned.

Having realized this much, the Kwara State government under the leadership of Gov. AbdulFatah Ahmed has bought into the laudable idea through scholarship intervention to prospective law students. And this explains the reason for the disbursement of about N32million in 2013 to the 2011/2012 set, with a promise by the government to extend the same gesture to the 2012/2013 set.

It is however unfortunate, not to mention surprising, that for over ten months after their call, the Kwara State government has not deemed it fit to pay the 2012/2013 set. This development has not in any way helped the image of the government. It would be recalled that on the 4th of June, 2013, one Mr Olateju and others led a procession of law students (then on Court attachment) to the Government House in Ilorin in order to press home their demand. The students were received at the government house by the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Alhaji Mohammed Lade, who on behalf of the State Governor re-affirmed that the 2012/2013 set would be paid, even before the conclusion of their law school programme. The 2012/2013 set have since concluded their programme and have in fact been called to the prestigious Nigerian Bar, but shockingly the State government has failed to live up to its promise! This is not fair at all. The 2012/2013 set are not asking for too much; they are simply demanding that the Kwara State government does what it had already promised to do. Besides, it would amount to discrimination for the government to give scholarship to 2011/2012 set and then abandon the 2012/2013 set.

Bearing in mind the time-worn saying that it is better late than never, I appeal to the State Government, especially Governor Ahmed to as a matter of urgency settle the 2012/2013 set in the interest of all.

Alatise Taofeeq Esq.