Olawale sanusi , PORT HARCOURT –
A retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Mary Odili, has advised law students across the Niger Delta to cherish every practical experience and learning opportunity they encounter, noting that lessons gathered during early training will guide their professional future.
Justice Odili gave the charge on Monday while speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the NDDC 2026 Annual Moot and Mock Trial Competition for faculties of law in the region, held at the Dr. Nabo Graham Douglas SAN Campus of the Nigerian Law School in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Addressing the participating students on the lasting value of practical exposure, Justice Odili enjoined them to maximize the contest regardless of the outcome:
“I enjoin each and every one of you participating to give it your all, and whether you win or not, there is a lot you would have gained, since what is garnered in this contest will stay with you for life. In the near future, you would see how useful this moot court is when you begin to appear in the regular courts, because not everything is learnt in the classroom, whether in the university or the law school,” Odili urged.
Recounting her second-year undergraduate days serving in the Enugu chambers of Chief Philip Nnaemeka-Agu, SAN, she recalled how early exposure to drafting quit notices and attending court sessions instilled a discipline that lasted throughout her career:
“He taught me to draft notices to quit and the fact that it was a technical process which had the periods of time as determinant to its validity, and that if you were not careful with the drafting of time, you lost the case. the experience of that vacation period stuck for all time. Hence, I advise you to treasure whatever experience you are posted with, since it will guide you in future.”
Also speaking at the event, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, stressed that moot trial advocacy prepares students for every branch of legal practice, including corporate law and solicitor work: “The best lawyers I have encountered in my over three decade experience, regardless of whether they describe themselves as litigators or solicitors, are those who can construct a compelling argument and present it with clarity and conviction. That is a skill that moot court teaches you, and it is a skill that will serve you for the rest of your career,” Akpata stated.
On his part, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku represented by the Director of Finance and Administration, Mr. Boma Iyaye reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to youth development and legal education:
“Under my stewardship, this is the third consecutive year this competition has held, and this represents our personal and institutional commitment to the development of our region’s educational potential and human capacity development on a consistent basis,” Iyaye said on behalf of Ogbuku.
He added that legal education must evolve alongside modern global realities:
“Our legal educational curriculum in the region must dynamically adapt quickly and embrace the global shift and trend, so as to position and equip the future leaders of our region with the skill set to compete globally.”
Highlighting the strategic importance of the event, the Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Barrister Chiedu Ebie, stated that the board revived the competition to build confidence and refine advocacy skills among future legal practitioners in the region:
”The importance of moot court and mock trial competitions in the academic curriculum of law students and the strategic role they play in shaping and building the confidence of legal minds cannot be overemphasized. This competition was originally conceived as an annual program of the commission, but suffered setbacks for about eight years where it didn’t hold. However, since the inauguration of the current governing board, this is the third consecutive annual edition that this board has approved and organized, and this is a testament to the importance the board places on education,” Ebie said.
The event drew judges from the Rivers State High Court, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, legal practitioners, faculty advisors, and student advocates from universities across the Niger Delta region.
