President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the historic appointment of Dr. Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote as the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School. In a State House press release issued by Bayo Onanuga on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, it was confirmed that Dr. Odusote will be the first woman to lead the 64-year-old institution since its inception in 1962. She is scheduled to succeed Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, whose eight-year tenure concludes on January 9. Her appointment is for an initial four-year term, marking a significant milestone for gender representation in Nigeria’s legal education hierarchy.
Dr. Odusote, 57, currently serves as the Deputy Director-General and Head of the Lagos Campus of the Nigerian Law School. An alumna of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), she was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988 and holds an LL.M from OAU as well as a PhD from the University of Surrey, UK. Her research has focused extensively on Public Law and the administration of justice. Since joining the Law School as a lecturer in 2001, she has risen through the ranks, serving as Head of Academics and a visiting scholar at Nottingham Trent University, establishing a reputation as a seasoned and disciplined legal academic.
In her new role, Dr. Odusote will oversee the academic leadership and strategic direction for all Nigerian Law School campuses nationwide. She will also act as the primary liaison between the institution and critical legal bodies, including the Council of Legal Education, the Body of Benchers, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Her appointment comes at a critical time as the institution faces pressure to reform its curriculum and manage the increasing number of law graduates seeking admission to the bar.
