By Sandra Michaels
ABUJA — Law graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) have taken their battle for professional survival to the House of Representatives, crying out over a lingering regulatory gridlock blocking their entry into the Nigerian Law School.
Appearing before the House Committee on Public Petitions, the affected graduates disclosed that their mobilization lists submitted by the institution were abruptly rejected, leaving their career aspirations in limbo without official explanation.
Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved alumni, Dr. Adeniyi Oladele painted a grim picture of their plight, stating that they have endured years of emotional distress, professional stagnation, and profound confusion despite successfully completing their rigorous law degree programmes.
“We have spent years in pain and confusion despite completing our law programme,” Oladele lamented before lawmakers.
In its defense, the university’s representative, Professor Shio Ademo, maintained that NOUN had formally responded to the petition.
He noted that a precedent existed, pointing out that the Council of Legal Education had previously permitted 1,888 NOUN students to proceed to the Law School back in 2019.
Weighing into the contentious regulatory impasse, the House Committee ordered the management of NOUN to submit a comprehensive, soft-copy list of all affected students to facilitate a thorough legislative investigation.
The panel vowed to unravel the root cause of the exclusion and push for a lasting resolution to the professional training deadlock.
