NAKLAS accuses unrecognized individuals of sabotaging law school scholarship procedure
The National Association of Kwara State Law Students (NAKLAS-NHQ) has raised alarm over an alleged attempt by unrecognized individuals to hijack the disbursement process of the state-sponsored Nigerian Law School scholarship, warning that such actions could sabotage the benefits for students, particularly those from the backlog category.
In a statement signed by its National President, AbdulRauf AbdulBasit, and other executive members, NAKLAS accused the imposters of falsely representing Kwara State law students at the Nigerian Law School and lobbying for selective disbursement of the scholarship, which has historically offered financial relief to deserving students.
NAKLAS, the only constitutionally recognized body representing Kwara law students, said it has been at the forefront of facilitating scholarships for over two decades, with notable alumni including Prof. A.T. Sheu and the NBA Ilorin Branch Chairman, Barr. Suleiman Kosemani. The association was revived in 2019 during the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and since then, scholarships have been consistently disbursed through strategic engagement between NAKLAS and government stakeholders.
The association disclosed that it has reliably engaged with the state government through formal channels. It recently visited the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, and was introduced by the Executive Director of the Scholarship Board, Mrs. Anyansola, who confirmed that the 2023/2024 Law School scholarship file was at the final stage, awaiting the Governor’s approval.
NAKLAS expressed concern that certain individuals, who were neither elected nor appointed by any recognized body across the seven Nigerian Law School campuses, are now seeking to influence the process. “They aim to prioritize only the ‘regular set’ while excluding backlog students, a move that could deny several students any benefit this year,” the statement said.
The association emphasized that it represents both undergraduate and law school students of Kwara origin, and that only final-year law students or Nigerian Law School students are eligible to contest for NAKLAS leadership. It also recalled its partnership with OMAPLEX Law Firm, headed by O.M. Atoyebi, SAN, which provided employment opportunities to outstanding Kwara law graduates between 2020 and 2021.
NAKLAS called on the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, the Kwara State Scholarship Board, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Students’ Matters, and the general public to disregard unauthorized actors and uphold the standard scholarship procedure through NAKLAS (NHQ).
“We remain committed to the welfare of all Kwara law students and urge all stakeholders to stand with us in protecting the integrity of student representation in the state,” the statement concluded.
