28 Bayelsa Graduates Beg Dickson For N295,000 Each To Enrol In Law School

Twenty-Eight Law graduates in Bayelsa State have sent a
save-our-soul message to Seriake Dickson, Governor of Bayelsa
State, over the lack of funds to enroll into the Nigerian Law
School.

The group had sent a series of correspondence through the office
of the Chief of Staff and the office of the Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice, but nothing positive came of their
efforts.

They are appealing to the state governor to assist them
financially to enroll into the Nigerian Law School in the coming
academic year.

In a letter made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa
State capital, Aluzu Augustine, President of the Bayelsa State
Graduate Forum, said 28 of its members may miss out on their
admssion into the Nigerian Law School in the coming academic
session due to inability to afford the tuition fee.

He said: “The Nigerian Law School, which will resume academic
activities on 12 November, 2018 will run a compulsory one-year law
programme which will qualify successful students to be called into
the Nigerian Bar.

“The call is a last resort by the body as entreaties made to the
state government are yet to yield results.The Bayelsa State Law
Graduates Forum is calling on the state government and well-meaning
individuals to come to the financial aid of 28 of its indigent
members who have been shortlisted for a one-year compulsory
academic programme at the Nigerian Law School.

“The Forum is home to law graduates from Bayelsa State, with 67
of its members being enlisted for admission into the Nigerian Law
School. Some of our members risk losing out on their admission due
to inability to afford the school’s tuition fee this year. The
school fee is ₦295,000.00 per person.

“We have already written series of letters to the state
government appealing for subvention.The plea is for the government
of Bayelsa State to come to the financial aid of these graduates
who have currently lost so much due to the ravaging flood in
Bayelsa State by providing them with law school subvention. The
subvention will also ameliorate the financial difficulties of our
parents, who are mostly civil servants and pensioners in providing
for us throughout our undergraduate days in the university.

“The actual number of those affected by lack of funds were
thirty-three. However, it was Niger Delta University Alumni
Association which assisted five of our members in completing their
various tuition fees with a kind donation of ₦100,000.00. Having
raised part of the money, the rest of our members would have taken
advantage of the Bayelsa State students loan board, but to our
dismay, the board is yet to be fully inaugurated by His
Excellency.”

In his address, President of National Association of Bayelsa
State Law Students, Comrade Smith Livinus-Agala said his
association had taken steps to address the situation by writing to
the appropriate government quarters, but is yet to get any
favourable response.

He said the situation as urgent, owing to the financial
realities of the state, while noting that it would not be the first
time the government would provide subvention for students going to
Law school, as it last did so in 2010.

He said: “We are earnestly pleading with the state government to
provide subvention for Law school students of Bayelsa State
extraction.

“According to our records, 28 Law graduates may miss out on
their law school admission, if something urgent is not done to
provide them with subvention.”