CONCEPT OF FIT AND PROPER: A LITANY IN THE NIGERIAN LAW SCHOOL AND LEGAL PROFESSION.

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The core values of the Legal profession are honesty, integrity, and competence. Hence, the concept of Fit and Proper is commonly used to express an acceptable mode of behavior expected of any aspirant to the Nigerian Bar.

The "Fit and Proper" test is a requirement and screening in Nigerian Law School for a student to be qualified for a Call to the Bar. Therefore, for an aspirant to be called to the Bar he must be certified worthy both in character and learning. This is aimed to guarantee the sanctity and the reputation of the legal profession.

The Nigerian Law school is systematically organized to give the students practical training into the legal profession. The Law school inculcates values, ethics, and requisite fit and proper conduct befitting a legal practitioner.

Accordingly, the Council of Legal Education sets out a code of conduct, which an aspirant of the Bar must conform with before such an aspirant will be considered worthy to be called to the bar, and in some instances, this requirement is not defined in any particular code. Thus, a student who failed to conform to the requisite standard of behavior may be punished or disqualified from Call to the Nigerian Bar.

Notwithstanding the commendable disciplinary measures by the Nigerian Counsel of Legal Education to ensure that persons call to the Bar possessed the required moral standard befitting the legal profession. The infamous conduct of some lawyers churn out from Nigerian law school is eroding the values of the profession. 

Therefore, certain factors can be attributed to the steady decline in the standard of lawyers produce periodically and the nobility of the legal profession in Nigeria.

A cursory look at the system reveals that the Nigerian law school is no longer in tune with the modern teaching and learning standard; especially as regards to e-learning, modern lecture theatres, library and internet facilities amongst others. The system seems archaic.

The corrupt and sharp practices of some legal practitioners are not encouraging to the new wigs who look up to the senior colleagues as role models in the upholding the values of the profession.

It is imperative, therefore, that the Nigerian law school system should be revamped with conducive and modern facilities to meet up with the modern standard of teaching and learning.

The LEGAL Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) should intensify her regularization effort and get rid of legal practitioners that indulge in corrupt and sharp practices. By so doing, the core value of "Fit and Proper" mantra will be sustained.