ENHANCING LEGAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: REFLECTIONS ON COMPULSORY PARTICIPATION OF LAW TEACHERS IN STUDENT ADVOCACY PROGRAMMES AND THE IMPERATIVE FOR CURRICULUM INTEGRATION

Abstract Developing an integrated model that would make it compulsory for teachers to participate in law students’ moot court and other advocacy activities have become imperative due to growing need of active teacher supervision in students practical and mentoring. The challenge however has been the method of mainstreaming appropriate compensation for teachers as that will require extra workload. Drawing on the University of Abuja’s experiences in Clinical Legal Education (CLE), this paper argues that compulsory teacher participation in advocacy programmes is both an educational and professional necessity. It examines how CLE transforms legal educators into practitioner-mentors, enriches students’ practical learning, and enhances faculty development through global collaborations. Using the University of Abuja’s model, anchored on faculty ownership, curriculum integration, and experiential learning, the paper highlights how such reforms nurture competent, ethical, and globally competitive graduates. It concludes that while conservatism and institutional inertia still challenge Nigeria’s legal education, systemic curriculum redesign for knowledge, skills, and values remains the most sustainable route to transforming both the law teacher and the future of legal education in Nigeria.