…Institution Strengthens Reputation for Legal Excellence and Advocacy Training
Caleb University has reinforced its reputation as a leading institution for legal education in Nigeria after its College of Law recorded an impressive performance at the recently concluded ACA/PILIWA Moot Court Competition for Nigerian University Law Students.
The prestigious competition, organised by the Advocate for Community Alternatives in partnership with the Public Interest Lawyering Initiative for West Africa, was hosted at Caleb University’s Magodo City Campus and attracted some of the best law faculties from universities across the South-West region.
The contest featured intense courtroom simulations that tested participants’ knowledge and advocacy skills in areas including international law, human rights, and environmental law. Competitors were assessed on legal research, analytical reasoning, oral advocacy, courtroom etiquette, and responsiveness to judicial questioning.
At the end of the competition, Lagos State University emerged overall winner with a score of 75.5 per cent, while Caleb University secured second place nationally with 75.0 per cent. Olabisi Onabanjo University finished third, ahead of Crescent University, University of Lagos and University of Ibadan.
The university’s performance was further highlighted by the outstanding achievement of Haliyah Baruwa, a 400-level law student, who was named Best Oralist of the Competition. She earned the recognition for her exceptional presentation skills, confidence, and mastery of legal arguments throughout the proceedings.
The final rounds were presided over by a distinguished panel comprising Justice Eniola Fabamwo, Adedeji Adekunle, Adekunle Ojo, and Akinola Akintayo.
The judges commended the participants for the high standard of advocacy displayed during the competition. Justice Fabamwo described the submissions as impressive and noted that many of the contestants exhibited qualities expected of future leaders of the legal profession.
Reacting to the achievement, the Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University, Olalekan Asikhia, attributed the success to the institution’s commitment to academic excellence and character development.
“This performance reflects our deliberate investment in academic rigour, character formation and global competitiveness. When excellence is institutionalised, success naturally follows. We are immensely proud of our College of Law,” he said.
The Dean of the College of Law, Olugbenga Asaaju, described the feat as the result of discipline, dedication and effective mentorship. According to him, the students demonstrated intellectual depth, poise and persuasive advocacy, further affirming the university’s commitment to producing outstanding legal professionals.
Also speaking, the Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, Gloria Aigbadon, commended ACA and PILIWA for sustaining a platform that promotes public-interest lawyering and practical legal training for students.
In a statement made available to journalists, the university’s Information, Media and Publication Specialist, Olawale Adekoya, praised the organisers for their vision and commitment to advancing legal education and advocacy across West Africa.
He noted that the initiative provides a valuable bridge between classroom learning and public-interest legal practice, helping to sharpen both the intellectual and ethical capacities of future lawyers.
The university’s strong performance, coupled with its successful hosting of the competition and the emergence of the Best Oralist, has further strengthened its growing profile as a centre for legal scholarship and professional development in Nigeria.
The achievement underscores Caleb University’s continued commitment to producing ethically grounded, globally competitive legal practitioners capable of making meaningful contributions to society and the justice sector.
