The Ogun State Chief Judge, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, has reaffirmed the pivotal role the tradition of Law Dinners has played in setting an admirable standard for aspiring lawyers, nurturing them towards excellence in the legal profession.

The Chief Judge, represented by Justice Adetokunbo Jibodu of the Ogun State High Court, was speaking at the Chrisland University College of Law 2025 Annual Law Dinner. She disclosed that legal training is not just about passing exams, noting that it is the bedrock that prepares one to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of a society governed by justice, fairness, and the rule of law.

She said, “To our dear students, let me remind you that you are being ushered into a world filled with intellectual rigour, personal growth, and immense opportunities. The legal profession is conservative in nature and demands the highest levels of discipline, diligence, and integrity. Studying law is indeed demanding, but it is also one of the most rewarding academic pursuits.”

The CJ urged the law undergraduates to embrace the challenges ahead with courage and commitment, stressing that they should seek support and guidance from their lecturers, mentors, and fellow students.

In his goodwill message, Justice Olugboyega Ogunfowora reminded the law students that the law, as they will come to know, is not just about rules and procedure but about the people, stressing that behind every case is a human story, which he said is often complex and difficult, urging the students to never allow the weight of doctrine to make them indifferent to the dignity of those they serve.

He added, “Too many people today live in the shadow of the law, intimidated by its complexity, silenced by cost, or simply ignored. Whether it’s the woman denied her inheritance, the man wrongly detained without counsel, or the child born into poverty without a birth certificate—our duty is to ensure that the promise of justice is not the preserve of the powerful, but the right of all.”

He, however, noted that the law profession does not begin when you wear a robe or sit behind a desk in chambers, but begins as students of the law, as well as with the kind of lawyers you choose to become.

He explained that ethics is not merely knowing what the rules say, but choosing what is right even when no one is watching. It is how we treat the indigent client, how we handle confidential information, how we respond to pressure, how we act when power meets vulnerability.

Justice Ogunfowora explained that the future of justice lies not only in law books or courtrooms, but in future lawyers’ hands, in the decisions they make, the clients they serve, and the values they defend.

He noted that the world is changing rapidly. Technology, internationalism, and new social movements are reshaping the legal landscape, noting that the law must not remain static.

Guest speaker, Mr. Yinka Kotoye, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), explained that the field of the legal profession has many branches that aspiring lawyers can venture into, noting that there are a lot of legal works for practitioners to engage in.

He noted that opportunities in legal practice now are more vast due to the advent of information technology, stressing that as a lawyer, the need for ethical conduct and a non-compromising nature must be followed.

In his keynote address, renowned legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Sola Ojutalayo, explained that in the legal profession, just like in any other, greatness is not achieved overnight but built through dedication, hard work, patience, as well as integrity.

He stressed that the study of law is more than an academic pursuit, saying that it is a call to serve, to take responsibility, and to make an impact.