Osinbajo Calls For Scrapping Of Law School

Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the immediate past Vice President of Nigeria, has called for a re-examination of the one-year law school programme, suggesting that it should be scrapped in favour of more investment in online learning and the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into legal education.

Speaking on Friday in Yenagoa as the keynote speaker at the 2025 Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa Branch, themed “Setting the Pace: Law, Leadership and Transformational Development”, Osinbajo argued that the current legal education system is outdated in a world increasingly shaped by technology.

“Our one-year Law School must be re-examined. The days of physical law school should be over. We must embrace online learning. We need to integrate AI into our curriculum. AI will soon take over many of our tasks as lawyers,” he said.

According to the former Vice President, the legal profession is undergoing a profound transformation driven by technological advances.

He noted that AI is already performing tasks such as legal research, drafting, and basic reasoning—areas once exclusive to human lawyers.

“Machines are now doing our work faster. Legal education must now embrace critical thinking. There is already an AI legal assistant helping lawyers. These systems are becoming more intelligent than you can imagine. They don’t get tired, don’t go on leave, and don’t ask for extra pay. These tools are becoming cheaper and more accessible,” Osinbajo noted.

He stressed the need to train lawyers in cross-disciplinary fields such as data science, legal technology, algorithmic bias, and ethical reasoning—areas machines cannot yet replicate.

“We are no longer the gatekeepers and custodians of legal knowledge or legal reasoning. We must now focus on what machines cannot do—ethical decision-making and client-centered interpretation. This is the true value human lawyers will bring in the AI era.”

He also decried the state of corruption in the legal profession, stating:
“The legal profession is crumbling under the weight of corruption, ethical violations, and declining standards. Stories of lawyers acting as conduits for bribing judicial officers are rife. This perception damages our justice system and undermines public confidence.”

Osinbajo stressed the need to uphold the integrity of the legal profession, noting that no investor wants to do business in a country with a compromised judiciary.

Also speaking at the event, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State acknowledged the threats posed by AI but described technological advancement as a necessary evolution for a dynamic society.

“If it continues like this, many of us will lose our jobs,” Diri said, adding that his government is committed to upholding the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary.

He credited the judiciary and legal practitioners for his emergence as governor:
“You all know the story. Every time they call me the ‘miracle governor,’ I tell them the miracle came through you—the judiciary and the lawyers. Without the courts and the rule of law, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Diri emphasized that his administration has never interfered with the judiciary and will continue to protect its independence.

Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the NBA Yenagoa Branch, Somina Johnbull, described the Law Week as part of a legacy of continuous leadership growth.

He thanked Osinbajo for honouring their invitation and announced that the association would establish a committee to study the judicial system in Bayelsa State.

“As I bow out next month, I am confident that the NBA Yenagoa Branch will remain in good shape,” Johnbull said.