LIFE IN NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL, ABUJA CAMPUS || 20 QUESTIONS WITH SMART UGOCHUKWU OKPRA.

Hello friends and welcome back to Part III of Life In Nigerian law School segment. I was supposed to have this post up yesterday but I was so busy that when I got back home, all I did was sleep. lol.

So, today is all about Abuja campus. I know a lot of you would be aiming for this particular campus as it is one of the most conducive and comfortable campus. I hope that as you read this interview/blog post, you would be able to come to a definitive conclusion.

Before we begin, lets get you all caught up. Click on the link below to read about Bayelsa and Kano campus.
1. LIFE IN NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL, BAYELSA CAMPUS || 20 QUESTIONS WITH AJENIFUJA AYOTOMIWA.

2. LIFE IN NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL, KANO CAMPUS || 20 QUESTIONS WITH UKANWOKE CHUKS AUSTIN (LOWKEY).

Now that we are all caught up, lets get right into today's post.

Ø  Hello, Please Introduce yourself to the readers   Hello, my name is Smart Ugochukwu Okpara, adult male, Christian. I come from Port   Harcourt City, Rivers State.    Ø  What university did you attend? I attended Rivers State University, Port Harcourt and graduated in July 2018.   Ø  How did you feel when you found out you were posted to Abuja Campus? I attended the Headquarter Campus of the Nigerian Law School at Bwari, Abuja. That had always been the campus I wanted for several reasons so when I checked my posting online and saw that I had been posted there I literally screamed and jumped in excitement. I was super excited and optimistic that I would be attending law school at a location which was comfortable and convenient for myself and my family.   Ø  Was it easy locating your campus? Locating the campus was not difficult. This was mostly because I had a relative who had also been posted to Abuja and who knew the location of the campus. Google map was also a good guide as the roads are often numerous and confusing in Bwari, Abuja.   Ø  How was your first week on campus, did you experience any difficulties? The first week of law school was quite awkward. I was a little overwhelmed at the size of the campus and the cultural and religious diversities among the students. I remember going to class so early and keeping to myself so as not to get noticed for the wrong reasons. I didn't contribute in class nor did I ask any questions. This was largely because I was scared of embarrassing myself before "the whole of Nigeria". I spent most of my time with colleagues and former classmates from my University. It wasn’t until the third week that I fully adjusted.   Ø  What is the most preferred means of transportation? What is the transport fare from the airport? I live in Port Harcourt so the most preferred means of getting to Abuja would naturally be by Air Transport. From the airport, taxis can be used to convey persons directly to the Nigerian Law School. The transport fare was quite high though reaching up to 12,000 Naira sometimes. Luckily for me, I had relatives in Abuja who always came to pick me up from the airport to school.   Ø  How was your registration process? The registration process was good. I spent a whole day on the process. We had to make numerous photocopies and submit several documents at different offices. I would have preferred if the registration process could have been done electronically to save time. At the end of the registration I was issued a medical card at the Hospital and allocated a hostel.   Ø  How were the hostels like in your campus? Were there different sizes of hostels? How many people in a room? The hostels in Abuja Campus are the best across all the campuses in Nigeria. The hostels had just two persons per room and two rooms to a bathroom and toilet. The hostels were very new, neat and serene. There were lots of cleaners and security constantly taking care of the hostels. We also had sufficient power supply with at least 20 hours electricity daily. The hostels were as comfortable as regular hotel rooms. Lol! Each student was allocated a personal bed with a wardrobe, reading table, chair and mosquito net. The cleaners came in at least once a week to clean the room, the bathroom and toilet. Living in the hostel was an incredibly relaxing and comforting experience. It almost felt like home especially as the hostels in my University were nothing close to their standard.   Ø  Did you bond with your roommates easily? My roommate was my cousin so bonding was not an issue. I however took a while to bond with my flatmates who both came from Nnamdi Azikwe University. We argued severally on a lot of issues but always settled afterwards.   Ø  Were contrabands allowed in the hostel? If yes, what kind of contraband? Contraband were not allowed. At registration, all students were given a copy of the Code of Conduct and Regulations which expressly stated items which were not allowed in the hostels including guns, knives, cigarettes, hard drugs, gas cookers, stoves etc. The punishments for contravention were very severe.   Ø  How were the lectures and lecturers in your campus? What time did lectures begin and end? Lectures on my campus were very apt, informative and concise. The classes were conducted with PowerPoint slides projected for the students and an efficient public address system. Our classes commenced daily at 9.00 am and ended at 1.30pm. We had a tea break from 11.00 - 11.30 am. The lecturers were patient, well read and brilliant with several years of experience under their belt. They taught with precision and accuracy. One thing I found exciting was the way and manner the lecturers spoke to us. We were treated like colleagues. Ending lectures early gave us more time to rest and read up what we had been taught.   Ø  In class, were people assigned individual seats or you can seat wherever you like? What is the repercussion of not seating on your assigned seat? Initially, the Director of Academics had instructed all the students to sit according to their groups. This directive proved however abortive. Thus, all students were at liberty to sit anywhere we pleased.   Ø  How was your reading pattern? Did you have any time to read after lectures each day? My reading pattern was quite flexible. I read every day till at least 1am. I visited the library regularly too and tried to make the best of my weekends. I studied most topics before the class and read the important cases promptly. I also had one study partner.   Ø  Let’s talk about the dress code, what was the dress code like in your campus? Were there any strict rule on dressing to class? The dress code was enforced fiercely. The marshals and security guards were stationed at the entrances every day to ensure that students who flouted the dress code were sent back to their hostels or issued queries by the Directorate of Students Affairs Office.   Ø  How was the food like in your campus? Were there varieties of food vendors on campus? Was food affordable or expensive? Getting good food was not so challenging. There were a lot of food vendors on campus cutting across different cultural backgrounds. The food was relatively affordable as well.   Ø  How was your social life while in NLS? Were they any fun hang out spots? I did my best to balance my life on campus. I made a lot of friends and regularly went out to the movies or for some drinks with the guys. I also visited the club outside school on Valentine's day. There are not many hangout spots in Bwari save a couple of hotels and lounges.  The Usuma Dam is also not far away. All the social activities helped me unwind and relax from all the stress that comes with law school.   Ø  Tell us about your externship? Did you enjoy your court and law office placement? The externship period was a wonderful one. I spent four weeks in court and six weeks in a law firm. I gained a lot of practical experience from live cases and was opportune to meet several Senior Advocates and Judges. The externship period also provided an opportunity to prepare for the bar final examination in August. I did my best to use my time wisely. It is an experience that I will not forget in a while.      Ø  How were your exams? My exams were wonderful. I had prepared so hard and tried my best to eat healthy, sleep well and avoid any emotional or mentally suppressing activity or individual. The questions were direct and easily understood. I did my best to manage my time well and I answered all questions to the best of my ability. I am very optimistic that my results will turn out very wonderfully.   Ø  What advice can you give to new NLS Students? My advice to future law school students are numerous. First of all, know yourself and know what works for you. Don't imitate anyone. Secondly, know God and ask Him to guide you all the way. Thirdly, start reading and preparing for the exams from the first class. Lastly, law school provides an opportunity to make necessary contacts and connections. Take advantage of the opportunity and interact with people.   Ø  Can the readers contact you for further information? If yes, how can they do it? Readers can contact me on: Phone No: +2348167794426 E-mail: Smartokpara511@gmail.com Instagram: dc_trams Facebook: Okpara Smart Jnr Thank you for the opportunity to share my experience. Kindest regards!!

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