@Oddy4real: You failed the last Bar exams? Stop moaning! (Y! FrontPage)

by Ayokunle Odekunle

Caveat

This is not an attempt at deriding anybody or a set of people. This also isn’t to make anybody feel bad. I however cannot guarantee that you will feel happy after reading this. I intend saying things as they are. Sorry if you feel bad.

And no sorry.

Here we go.

Background

I remember an episode when I was in SS2 at the prestigious Mayflower School, Ikenne. Upon the end of a certain term (second term I think), I made 55% in English Language and my father was worried. He asked, “How come you made just 55% in English Language?”

I answered, “Ah, we failed gaan o. In fact, out of 76 of us in the Class, only 6 scored 70 and above. I even tried.”

My father looked at me like I had asked for both of his kidneys., then blurted out, “I can guess those that got distinction have big heads with two horns abi? Or did they pay extra school fees?”

I stood there, hands-fallen, crestfallen, smitten and stunned. Lesson learnt

Nigerian Law School system

Unlike the Universities where you are inundated with notes, lengthy and boring lectures, teaching at the Law School is more practical. Notes and tasks are sent to each student at least 24 hours before the classes. And in class, it is very interactive. It isn’t like it is in most Universities where one man runs the whole show and then walks away when he is done satisfying himself- without regard for his students. Law School lecturers interact with you and at some point will surprise you by throwing impromptu questions at you.

Before leaving the Law School, it is also expected that you deliver a presentation on one of your topics before the whole class. This way, you are very much aware of what the topic entails and more often than not, what you presented on sticks. (I remember my presentation where I was asked to move a motion and I couldn’t. The class of over 1,000 people started laughing at me).

As you can see from the above, the Law school is set up to enable a student prepare forehand for exams, read to understand the subject and also to make the student know his subjects in and out.

Bar final exams

I must say the Bar Final Exams has to be the most challenging and most difficult exam I have ever written. Also the most straightforward.

There is always a lot to read and assimilate. Asides that, one that to deal with the tension which is enough to make a lion cower. One has to deal with the many tales that one has heard; about people going mad, about people sleeping going blank during the exams and many more.

However, the Bar Final exams are pretty straight-forward. A=A. No stories, nothing. The questions are structured like this:

“1. Chika  wants to sue Ola who is owing him 100 Million Naira and he believes Ola has no defence to the claim

a. Which Court should Chika institute the action?

b. What documents should Ola file in response?

c. How many days does Ola have to file a response?

d. Draft the processes Chika has to file.”

From the questions above,it is clear that the answers required are short, concise and straight-forward -not stories. Some ITKs will however feel they are addressing an imaginary Court and they then write 2 page answer for something that requires just 4 lines. See?

The point here is the Bar Final exams are very easy to pass.  And very easy to fail too. It all depends on the candidate.

The candidate is in control of the situation. How he chooses to exercise that power of control determines his fate.

Why people fail

I passed through the Law school and so I think I have a fair idea as to why people fail.

1. Overconfidence: Some people made 2:1 from some mushroom Universities where they were local champions and then believe since the world is a global village, they will walk into the Law School and ‘show them’. These set of people always rush to answer questions in class so as to drive the fear of God into their dull and unfortunate colleagues. At group meetings, their voices are loudest during arguments. Exams come and the collect extra-sheets upon extra- sheets. They over-do things and then make a Pass. They then blame the Law School DG or some long dead ancestors for their predicaments.

2. Under-confidence: I saw this at play when I was writing the Bar exams. People who were adequately prepared for the exam suddenly developed cold feet when it was most important. And without confidence, you cannot do jack.

3. Unseriousness: No apologies. Some people who get posted to Lagos for their Law School had never been to Lagos before. Then they get posted to Victoria Island of all places? These group of people make Shoprite their home. They drink and make merry, chase girls, some girls go into semi-prostitution and then some watch movies during classes. These people believe they can always rush through their reading during chamber attachment and make a pass. These ones then fail and blame the agidi seller behind their family house. Really?

4. Bad Universities: I am not saying this because I made a 2:2 at the University. But truth is, some Universities award 2:1 and so on to people who won’t make 3rd Class in a decent University. These people, believing they are super humans flop at the Law School because their foundations are faulty. You cannot build a skyscraper on a foundation that isn’t solid. Ask TB Joshua.

This is why I have always insisted that the Law School is a leveller of persons.

My Experience

I made a 2:2 at the University of Ibadan (punishment for my sins of unseriousness) and I was determined to make at least a 2:1 at the Nigerian Law School. I knew that should I fail to make that 2:1, my chances of working in the big law firms like Kenna Partners , Aluko & Oyebode, Banwo & Ighodalo, Templars, Babalakin & Co etc, would be virtually non-existent and I may probably end up with some Law firm somewhere earning 25k per month and my boss will be giving me plates to go buy amala and gbegiri for him every afternoon.

I put my all to it, for the first time in my existence, I kept notes in class. Meanwhile, I had my fair share of the social life, but, I kept a keen eye on my studies. Rolling with friends like Ige Babatunde, Alexander Adams, I read like I will die should I not make the 2:1. I did. Now, I tried to stay clear of the things I listed above e.g. overconfidence and under-confidence. I ensured I covered ALL my topics, at the exam hall I ensured I understood questions before answering them.

If an unserious and dull person like me could do it, no excuses for anybody.

This year’s results

I learnt a lot of people failed this year’s Bar Final exams and my reaction was, “so what”? A lot of them complained that the Director-General decided to fail them because they are so fine that he has a beef with them. Some of them allege a vendetta. Some are even making it seem like the PDP persecuting the APC. I find it embarrassing, disgraceful and distasteful.

As long as people who wrote that examination in the same conditions as you wrote them made 1st Class, 2:1 or 2:2, then you have no excuses. Why try to tarnish a system because of your own actions and inactions? Why try bring the Legal profession into disrepute that even some overlords who have never seen the fore-walls of the Law School and some attention seeking bloggers, blogs and tweeps suddenly became experts in analysing the Bar Final exams so much that they conjured up a very annoying statistic.

Last Words

If you made a pass, well, you have extra work to do to prove to the ‘Hollywood’ Law firms that you have it in you. It means you probably have to dig in deep to get to the very top but hey, isn’t that what great people are made of?  Great people find a way of going all the way up even when the odds are against them. Gani Fawehinmi made a pass, Rotimi Fawole (@TextheLaw) who is one of the best lawyers we have today when we talk of Intellectual Property Law made a 2:2 at the Law School. Yet he is at the top and on his way to being at the very top.

You failed? Instead of spending all your time ranting on Twitter, sending worthless and annoying BCs on BBM because you are looking for sympathisers, go and prepare for your resit. It will be a tragedy for you to fail this time, moan all you can, blame some enemies both seen and unseen all you can and then fail again. If you fail again, there is every probability you will fail again and again. And then you will accuse your stubborn and jealous village people for refusing to give up on you.

A word is enough for the wise

——————–

Lawyer by day, writer by night, Ayokunle Odekunle is a Graduate of the University of Ibadan where he was the Most Outstanding Student for the year 2011.

 

Comments (11)

  1. He was Most Outstanding Personality means he shone and was above average in all spheres of endeavour in UI. He never said he was the most outstanding person academically

  2. I quite agree with oddy, I wrote the exams this year and made a 2:2 although I worked hard for and expected a 2:1 to complement my 2:2 in lasu. Most people that actually worked for just a pass failed the exams this year but one must say the marking was very strict this year as admitted by the authorities of the NLS. The good news however is that another Bar finals is coming up by may 2015 and call to bar in July, focus should be on that for resit students and the groaning should stop.

    1. Capable, I am disappointed, we both know the game changed, why align with this lawyer who is just blowing his horns here. perhaps if he had written this particular bar final maybe he would have failed, being the best graduating student in ui with a 2.2

  3. I don’t get this. How can you be the most outstanding student in the year of 2011 with 2:2 ? Is UI students that poor ?

    1. He was Most outstanding Personality in the school and not BEST ACADEMIC STUDENT. There is a difference between both. And it isnt IS UITES THAT POOR. Fix your grammar

  4. Was in Law School between 2006 -2007, I can relate with the author albeit our lectures was not as interactive as he described, we didn’t get modules 24hours to the lectures and it was more of a monologue. Law School is a lot of commitment, play and shine, I worked extra hard for a 2:1 in Law School to neutralise the 2:2 I made in Uni, I however ended up with a 2:2 again thanks to my only C grade in Civil procedure. I have seen countless petitions on blogs and to be honest the authors of those petitions have no place in the legal profession. English is the Lawyers communication tool, a mastery of which makes a good lawyer, the petitions are convoluted, I am sorry!

    If you nibble on your notes from day one, play hard You will pass the Bar Finals exams with a 2:2, I know that as a fact!

    1. Or a pass..
      I think.
      I didn’t nibble from day one.
      I nibbled a day to each course although I never missed lectures and group meetings – but I know people that studied from day 1 and had a Pass (conditional or not).

      In Essence – there is room for People with a pass.
      Thank you.

      1. Nice piece Oddy and very true too…this piece reminds me so much about that all important journey to the NBA…wasn’t easy at all…especially the Lagos law school…but I’m glad I passed through that law school…meanwhile, the ITKs as Oddy called them, almost cost me my confidence…but thank God I got it back way before the exam, or else it would have been a disaster! Those people are wonderful! Anyway, I also agree with Eke cos truly, the grades will afford you opportunities but when the chips are down, it’s really about what you have to offer ie your input into the system intellectually etc….but in all, Oddy’s on point.

  5. Eke has said everything I had in mind to say…law school is about focus and appreciating your ability. I remember carrying my Rules of Professional Conduct handbook with me to Piccadily and glancing at it as I struggled with hot morsels of barbecue fish as I had a target that day, I can’t forget arguing corporate law procedures with Ikenna Ajamwachukwu, Ogbonna Chukwumerije, Ralph Ogadah, Greg Ogefere and Bola over sweaty bottles of beer because we had only one thing on our minds. We followed instructions; ate, drank and smoked the law taking nothing for granted.

  6. Nice piece.. fair enough too.
    I was in law school with the writer and I know the “friends” he mentioned here.. this is to corroborate the fact that he went to law school and he knows what he is saying although there’s an uppity thing going on somewhere.
    I went to law school to pass, I wasn’t concerned about grades (my mistake) – and I passed. I and lived the “life” in law school with my boys and we all passed. I never felt bad or blame anyone for my (not so fancy) result.
    One of the reasons students fail that was ignored by the writer is the fact that they make new friends and adjust their lives to fit in with the newbies – forgetting that although “All brains are equal, some are more equal than others”. At the end of the day, after running around Lagos, you are alone in the runarounds for resit registration.
    As the writer pointed out, you can’t bring your university shine to Law school it’s a different ball game totally. You have to reset and fit in to their style for just 10months and you are free again.

    Lastly, 2’1 or 1’1 (lol) doesn’t guarantee you a Good job or success in life. Even with the writer’s 2’1, he had to sit for another exam to be employed. This means, great grades will get you opportunities, but if you don’t have sense – your loss.
    If you had a “pass” you might have to wait small for the 2’1s and 1st class’ to fuck up – then you can show yourself. Thus, all hope isn’t lost.

    Don’t forget our beloved country, you might have a job waiting for you while you are writing your resit – it depends on whose house you sleep at night.

    A word – two words are more than enough for the wise.

    Adios.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cool good eh love2 cute confused notgood numb disgusting fail