Date: 2015-03-01

One of the hallmarks of a genuine leadership is the willingness and ability to keep to its words. It is this and many other features that distinguish a sincere government from the pool of dishonest administrations. It is in this light that we are compelled to express our deep disappointment towards the attitude of the dear Kwara State government over its failure to redeem its pledge to the 2012/2013 Law School set. More saddening and disturbing are the reports about the government readiness to give scholarship to the 2013/2014 Law School set while abandoning the 2012/2013 set that has been pending more than one year ago.

It is instructive to state at this point that the Senior Special Assistant (media and communication) to the Governor of Kwara State, Dr Muyideen Akorede had in a news article published in Nigerian Tribune newspaper on the 31st of March, 2014 assured the 2012/2013 set of the government readiness to pay all eligible students once the 2014 budget is signed into law. The budget had since been signed into law and in fact we are now in another fiscal year, and up to this moment the 2012/2013 set have not been paid, and so we ask: What is actually happening? Is there something the State government is not telling us? We deserve to know.

It is not fair for the Kwara State government to jettison the 2012/2013 set while graciously according eminence to the 2013/2014 set. We are all Kwara State indigenes and we deserve to be treated on the platform of equity. As we have maintained in our previous correspondence to the State government, the law school fee as constituted a barrier to the dreams of many would-be-lawyers in the State. Many of us underwent a very harrowing and excruciating experience in our effort to conclude the Law school programme. Some sold their belongings others had to resort to loans from financial institutions in the hope that the government, in its usual practice, would provide some palliative measures to augment the little they gathered. This unfortunate development has become an albatross in the neck of many Law students as they continue to wallow under the burden of indebtedness.

The government had promised to give scholarship to the successful students from Law school of 2012/2013 set and we submit that that declaration from the government has constituted an offer to the whole world and since 2012/2013 set have emerged successful from Law School and duly called to the Nigerian Bar, a contract has been created between the government and the successful Law students. The government, by its failure to honour its words, has continued to breach this sacred agreement, and the 2012/2013 law school set are not happy with this development. We do not intend to press legal action or activate other lawful means to press home our demand, given the tensed political atmosphere of our dear State but the continue silence of Kwara State government has left us with no other choices. A stitch in time, they say,  saves nine. As we have maintained earlier, Kwara State is the only State in entire North-Central States of Nigeria that has refused and/or neglected to give scholarship to its 2012/2013 Law school indigenes despite repeated promises. This is not an achievement. Flowing from the above, we therefore make the following demands:

a. That the Kwara State government should sustain the policy of giving scholarship law students; and

b. That the State government Should immediately and without any further delay ensure that scholarships are given to 2012/2013 Law school set as promised by the government.

We humbly submit that the decision of the government to introduce the policy of providing scholarships to law students has in no small measure assisted many indigent law students to achieve their dreams of becoming legal practitioners, we therefore urge the government to sustain the policy because it is well-intended and same targeted at people in dire need of it. We acknowledge the efforts of our amiable Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed as he strives to take education in Kwara State to greater height. We therefore appeal to Kwara State government to as a matter of urgency fulfil its promise by giving scholarships to 2012/2013 law school set. We would appreciate this.

Alatise Taofeeq Esq., Bakare Idris Esq., Iyanda Ismail Esq. and Lawal Raflaw Esq. write from Lagos (alatise.taofeeq@yahoo.com)