President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote as the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, making history as the first woman to head the institution since its establishment in 1962.
The appointment, which takes effect from January 10, 2026, is for a four-year term, according to a statement issued from the State House and signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Dr Odusote, 54, is currently the Deputy Director-General and Head of the Lagos Campus of the Nigerian Law School. She will succeed the incumbent Director-General, Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, whose tenure expires on January 9, 2026, after eight years in office.
Announcing the appointment, the Presidency described Odusote as a seasoned legal academic and administrator with decades of experience in legal education and institutional leadership.
“She obtained her LL.B degree from Obafemi Awolowo University and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988,” Onanuga said. “She also earned an LL.M from the same university, specialising in company and commercial law, and later obtained a PhD in Law from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, with research interests in public law and the administration of justice.”
According to the statement, Odusote joined the Nigerian Law School in 2001 as a lecturer and has since served in several key capacities, including Head of the Academic Department, Director of Academics and Head of Campus.
“She was also a visiting scholar at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom for a brief period,” the statement added.
Onanuga noted that Odusote has published extensively in reputable local and international law journals and has presented scholarly papers at numerous legal education conferences.
“She has also served on committees of the Council of Legal Education and the Nigerian Bar Association, contributing significantly to the development of legal education and professional standards in Nigeria,” he said.
As Director-General, Odusote will oversee the Nigerian Law School’s academic leadership, administrative management and strategic direction across all its campuses nationwide.
“She will also serve as the principal liaison between the Law School, the Council of Legal Education, the Body of Benchers and the Nigerian Bar Association,” the statement said.
The Presidency described the appointment as a milestone in the history of legal education in Nigeria, reflecting the administration’s commitment to merit, professionalism and inclusive leadership.
