The Nigerian Law School has celebrated a new crop of extraordinary graduates whose exceptional scholastic efficiencies identified them during the 2026 Bar Part II assessments, with Israel Adekunle Adeniyi emerging as the General Best Graduating Student.
The awards formed among the highlights of the 2026 Call to Disallow ceremonies, held in between July 7 and July 10 at the Body of Benchers Complex in Abuja, where thousands of law graduates officially signed up with the legal profession after finishing the required occupation training required for admission to the Nigerian Bar.
Beyond marking the transition from law students to legal professionals, the yearly awards recognise candidates who demonstrated extraordinary mastery of the rigorous Bar curriculum, gratifying excellence throughout specific courses along with general scholastic performance.
Adeniyi’s emergence at the top of the graduating class has further cemented a track record for scholastic excellence that started throughout his undergraduate research studies. Before registering at the Nigerian Law School’s Lagos Campus, he graduated from the University of Ilorin as the best student in the Common Law program with an amazing cumulative grade point average of 4.83.
His latest achievement has actually also brought in national acknowledgment. Following the statement of the Bar assessment results, the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Structure presented him with a 2 million money award in acknowledgement of his remarkable academic achievements.
The 2026 honours also acknowledged other graduates who mastered the highly competitive expert assessments.
In general best finishing students
Israel Adekunle Adeniyi– General Finest Graduating Trainee
University of Ilorin (Common Law)
Nigerian Law School, Lagos School
Chiamaka Joy Modestus– Joint Female Best Finishing Trainee and Joint Second Overall
Igbinedion University, Okada
Adetutu Loren Gomez– Joint Female Best Finishing Student and Joint Second Overall
University of Lagos
Timilehin Adebayo– Joint Third Overall
Freedolyn Ani– Joint Third Overall
Obafemi Awolowo University
The strong showing by graduates from universities throughout the nation shows the competitiveness of this year’s Bar evaluations and highlights the quality of legal education being produced by Nigerian universities before students continue to the Nigerian Law School for expert training.
Excellence throughout core legal courses
In addition to the overall awards, the Nigerian Law School identified candidates who attained the highest ratings in the core professional courses that form the foundation of legal practice in Nigeria.
The course leaders for the 2026 Bar Part II examinations are:
Civil Litigation: Ifeoluwa Ajaiyeoba
Expert Principles: Ogechi C. Ifezie
Criminal Lawsuits: Timilehin Adebayo
Corporate Law: Emmanuel Oyelami
Property Law: Francis Obiahu Alu
These subjects make up the heart of the Nigerian Law School curriculum, gearing up ambitious lawyers with the practical knowledge and professional proficiencies required for legal practice. Unlike undergraduate legal education, which focuses largely on legal theory, the Bar programme locations higher focus on advocacy, principles, courtroom procedures, legal preparing and client representation.
Specific course reward winners
The Nigerian Law School also honoured the highest-performing students in each of the core Bar Part II courses.
Wrongdoer Lawsuits
First Reward
Timilehin Adebayo J.– Abuja School (University of Lagos)
Second Reward
Oluwatomisin Daniel P.– University of Ilorin
Third Prize
Chiamaka Joy Modestus– Port Harcourt School (Igbinedion University, Okada)
Corporate Law
First Prize
Emmanuel Oyelami T.– Abuja School (University of Ibadan)
Second Prize
Ndukwu Chibundom K.– Yenagoa Campus (Nnamdi Azikiwe University)
Third Reward
Israel Adekunle Adeniyi– Lagos Campus (University of Ilorin)
Residential Or Commercial Property Law
First Reward
Francis Obiahu Alu– Lagos Campus
2nd Prize
Victoria Sogade A.– Enugu School (University of Lagos)
Third Prize
Niniolaoluwa Ilori T.– Lagos Campus (Ajayi Crowther University)
Civil Litigation
First Prize
Ifeoluwa Ajaiyeoba F.– Abuja School (Afe Babalola University)
2nd Reward
Ivy-Mary Eweputanna A.– Lagos School (University of Nigeria, Nsukka)
Third Prize
Sandra Idoko E.– Lagos Campus (Dad Adasu University)
Professional Ethics
First Prize
Ogechi C. Ifezie– Lagos School (University of Nigeria, Nsukka)
Second Reward
Israel Adekunle Adeniyi– Lagos School (University of Ilorin)
Other outstanding entertainers
The Law School also recognised a number of graduates for remarkable efficiencies in various subject areas. They consist of:
Victoria Sogade
Niniolaoluwa Ilori
Ivy-Mary Eweputanna
Sandra Idoko
Oluwatomisin Daniel
Ndukwu Chibundom
Their recognition highlights the depth of skill within the 2026 graduating class, with lots of students earning distinctions throughout several categories.
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A requiring course to legal practice
The yearly Call to Bar is the culmination of years of academic and expert preparation. Before reaching this stage, every aspiring attorney should initially finish an undergraduate law degree from a recognized university before continuing to the Nigerian Law School, where they go through extensive trade training.
The Bar Part II programme exposes students to useful legal disciplines such as Criminal Litigation, Civil Litigation, Corporate Law, Home Law and Professional Ethics. The curriculum is developed to bridge the gap in between classroom learning and legal practice, preparing graduates for courtroom advocacy, legal preparing, advisory services and expert conduct.
Success in the program requires not only scholastic ability but likewise discipline, resilience and an extensive understanding of the ethical standards governing the legal occupation.
For much of this year’s award recipients, the honours represent the conclusion of years of consistent quality that started long before their admission into the Nigerian Law School. Several had actually differentiated themselves during their undergraduate studies and continued that trajectory through one of the nation’s most requiring professional training programmes.
As countless freshly certified attorneys officially got in the occupation during the 2026 Call to Disallow events, the outstanding graduates have set a high scholastic criteria for future Bar trainees. Their achievements strengthen the Nigerian Law School’s enduring custom of identifying benefit, fulfilling excellence and motivating the pursuit of the highest standards of legal education and professional competence.