Donors renovate LASU Law Clinic

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The Lagos State University Law Clinic has been renovated by a group of individuals led by Olugbenga Ajala.

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The renovation was carried out in honour of Justice George Oguntade (retd.), who is a former Chancellor of LASU.

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Speaking on behalf of the donors, Afolakemi Ogunde said the group decided to renovate the facility after inspecting its condition and finding several non-functional facilities.

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Ogunde said Ajala conceived the project after learning about the state of the Law Clinic and subsequently mobilised friends to improve the learning environment for law students.

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Ogunde added that the intervention also aimed to improve practical legal training and provide a more conducive environment for students.

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She said the group had previously renovated an annex lecture hall at the University of Lagos in honour of Oguntade before extending the initiative to LASU, where the retired jurist served as Chancellor in 2015.

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According to her, the LASU project was designed to go beyond cosmetic improvements to making the facility more suitable for clinical learning, practical simulations and professional skills development.

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She said, “It quickly became clear to us that the existing environment did not provide the kind of conducive and practical learning experience that law students deserved, particularly in a space intended to prepare them for the realities of legal practice.”

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Ogunde expressed hope that the renovated clinic would enable students to develop practical skills and gain greater exposure to the demands of legal practice.

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“Our hope is that every student who uses the facility will have a better learning experience and leave with stronger practical skills, greater confidence and a deeper understanding of what it means to serve as a lawyer,” she said.

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The President of the LASU Law Students’ Society, Emmanuel Sewanu, said the renovation had restored the facility’s role as a practical training centre for law students.

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Sewanu said the Law Clinic had previously been used largely for lectures, offices, meetings and other activities, which gradually diminished from its original purpose as a centre for clinical legal education.

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He said the renovated facility would allow senior law students to establish and register students’ chambers and begin their advocacy training under the supervision of lecturers attached to the clinic.

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“The Law Clinic will bridge the gap between learning and practising the law.

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“It will expose students to real-life legal issues while helping us develop skills in legal research, client interviewing, communication, advocacy, problem-solving and professional ethics,” he said.

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A 400-level law student, Mariam Rasheed, said the renovation had improved the condition of the facility and would make academic and practical activities more comfortable.

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Rasheed said some chairs were damaged before the intervention, while ventilation was inadequate and parts of the facility had peeling paint.

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She said the improved facility would support moot court sessions, advocacy training and other academic activities.

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Another student, Israel Omodudu, a 300-level law student, said the provision of a projector and modern lectern would make teaching and learning more engaging.

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Omodudu, however, called for further improvements, including air conditioning and other modern learning facilities, to support digital and technology-driven legal education.

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The renovated facility was dedicated in July 2026 by the Lagos State Head of Service, Olabode Agoro.

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A plaque at the facility states that the Law Clinic was renovated in honour of Justice George Adesola Oguntade, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court and former Chancellor of LASU.

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