President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Olugbemisola Odusote as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, marking a historic moment for the institution.
The announcement was made on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the appointment takes effect from January 10, 2026, and is for a single four-year term. “As Director-General, Odusote will be responsible for the institution’s overall academic leadership, administrative management, and strategic direction across all campuses,” the statement said.
It further noted that “She will also serve as the primary liaison between the school, the Council of Legal Education, the Body of Benchers, and the Nigerian Bar Association.”
Odusote will take over from Isa Chiroma, whose tenure as Director-General comes to an end on January 9, 2026, after completing eight years in office. She is currently the deputy director-general of the Nigerian Law School and heads the Lagos campus. With this appointment, she becomes the first woman to lead the institution since it was established in 1962.
Aged 57, Odusote is an accomplished legal scholar with a strong academic background. She earned her law degree from Obafemi Awolowo University and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988.
She also obtained a master’s degree from the same institution, where she specialised in company and commercial law, before proceeding to the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom to earn a doctorate in law, with her research centred on public law and the administration of justice.
Her career at the Nigerian Law School began in 2001 when she joined as a lecturer. Over the years, she steadily advanced through various academic and administrative positions, including serving as head of an academic department, director of academics and campus head, roles that have prepared her for the top leadership position she is set to assume.
What you should know
The appointment of Olugbemisola Odusote as Director-General of the Nigerian Law School is significant because it breaks a long-standing gender barrier at one of Nigeria’s most important legal institutions.
Her elevation reflects decades of experience within the Law School system and signals continuity in academic and administrative leadership. Taking over from Isa Chiroma after his eight-year tenure, Odusote is expected to shape legal education policy, strengthen institutional governance and deepen collaboration with key legal bodies.
Her leadership comes at a time when legal training and professional standards remain critical to Nigeria’s justice system.
