DEVELOPMENT
President Tinubu Appoints Dr. Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote as Director-General of Nigerian Law School, Making History as First Female Head in 63 Years
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, marking a historic milestone in the institution’s over six-decade existence.
The appointment, which takes effect from January 10, 2026, is for a four-year tenure. With this development, Dr. Odusote becomes the first woman to lead the Nigerian Law School since its establishment in 1962, a significant breakthrough in the nation’s legal education landscape.
Dr. Odusote, 54, is currently the Deputy Director-General and Head of the Lagos Campus of the Law School. She will take over from Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, whose eight-year tenure as Director-General comes to an end on January 9, 2026.
A seasoned legal academic and administrator, Dr. Odusote earned her Bachelor of Laws degree from Obafemi Awolowo University and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. She also obtained a Master of Laws degree from the same institution, with specialization in company and commercial law, before proceeding to the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, where she earned a PhD in Law. Her research interests span Public Law and the administration of justice.
She joined the Nigerian Law School in 2001 as a lecturer and steadily rose through the ranks, serving in several strategic roles, including Head of the Academic Department, Director of Academics, and Head of Campus. Her academic exposure also includes a stint as a visiting scholar at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Odusote has an impressive scholarly profile, with extensive publications in reputable local and international law journals. She has also presented papers at numerous legal education and professional conferences, contributing to discourse on legal training and justice administration.
Beyond academia, she has served on several committees of the Council of Legal Education and the Nigerian Bar Association, further underscoring her deep involvement in the development of the legal profession in Nigeria.
As Director-General, Dr. Odusote will oversee the Nigerian Law School’s academic leadership, administrative management, and strategic direction across all its campuses nationwide. She will also act as the key link between the institution and major stakeholders, including the Council of Legal Education, the Body of Benchers, and the Nigerian Bar Association, at a time when reforms in legal education remain a national priority.