A REPORT OF THE DEBATE COMPETITION BETWEEN 100 & 200LEVEL LAW STUDENTS, ORGANIZED BY THE ABSULAWCLINIC

DEBATE TOPIC; FREEDOM TO ACQUIRE INFORMATION IN NIGERIA IS PRACTICABLE. argue for or against.

The event was a success, as our guest judges, Barr Chizoba Okpara and Barr Kennedy Onyemere honoured our invitation with their presence.
   After a brief opening address by the Clinicians, our guest judges opened the competition proper, as the  contestants went in to the podium to battle it out intellectually.
    With the proposing side starting off their argument, and the opposing sides counter argument, then we entered into 5minutes of rebuttal.
  After which, the judges declared the winner to be 200Level Class ably represented by Obiwuma Blessing Chioma and Chukwu Joseph respectively. The runner up, 100Level Class was ably represented by Chiemela Gabriel Mba and Chibuike Eruka Nduri.

The Best Speaker went to Obiwuma Blessing Chioma, from 200L Class.
    Upon presentation of her prize, due to her stellar performance and exceptional poise, she was also made a Clinician for two academic days, automatically setting the record as the only clinician ever to come from a class below 400Level in the history of LawClinic in Nigeria.

  The guest judges were full of praise for the organizers; AbsuLawClinic and asked for more of this academic competitions  in the future.

   We want to say thank you to every Lawsanite that graced the event, and our teeming fans for their overflowing support  and encouragement.

Absu LawClinic

Re; THE 2nd LEG OF THE UMUAHIA PRISONS VISIT

Re; The Umuahia Prisons Department of the Absu LawClinic successfully went for the 2nd leg of their Prison Visit to Nigerian Prisons, Aba Road, Umuahia, Abia State on the 19th February, 2016.

    On the visit to the prisons, yesterday, we met with the prison authorities who ushered us in to the  Prison Hall, and gathered the inmates there to meet with us, after which we were asked to address them on our purpose for the visit.

   After this, we, a 21 man team, divided ourselves into 7 groups of 3 persons each. This was to enable us attend to as much inmates as we can within a short period of time the prison warders allotted to us for our purpose. 

   Using this method, we were able to interview a number of  45 inmates.

    Some cases we got were political, e.g a man arrested and charged for armed robbery due to and only because of his membership of I.P.O.B. some were highly delicate, e.g, a man who confessed to selling his one month old baby for #200,000 because he wanted to use #60,000 to pay for his wife's post natal complications, that we should help him. Majority of all other cases were cases of wrongful denial of bail against persons who could not afford a shortee with up to 3 years tax clearance, some other cases were cases of the famous holding charge syndrome; where persons would be deliberately charged to a court without jurisdiction to hear their matter, with the end result that the persons stay longer in detention waiting for a proper charge in the proper court, which most times takes an inordinately long time.

   A recurrent factor in all the cases we handled was that most inmates do not have a legal representative, they have never spoken to a lawyer before, but they have been charged to Magistrate Court, (a court without jurisdiction to try capital offences like armed robbery). Without persons speaking up for them.

 Also, At the prisons we saw Children of 9-12 years, young  persons of 15- 17 years, some in tears calling on us fervently to rescue them from the harsh realities they have been made to face in prison.

   As Final Year Law Students, primarily, this first hand experience of how the society is, was purely different from the laws we read in our textbooks, the various protection afforded to these persons by the law, and how things should be.

Amongst all these, The Absu LawClinic will start work immediately with all these cases at our disposal, working with all our sponsors to ensure we release as much pre-trial detainees as we can, within the bounds of the law.

Its our duty to the community.

Absulawclinic.

ABSULAWCLINIC DEBATE COMPETITION BETWEEN 100 & 200LEVEL LAW STUDENTS

The Absu LawClinic team will organise a debate competition on 16th February -18th February, 2016. Between the 100Level Students of our faculty and the 200Level Students.
   This is in line with our duty to inculcate advocacy skills and presentation skills in to our junior colleagues.
    The first stage of the competition which will hold today

16th February, 2016, will be a preliminary round from where 2 persons would be selected out of the two classes to represent the respective class at the finals which will hold on Thursday, 18th February 2016. At the Moot Court Hall, Faculty of Law Complex, Absu.
Time, 12:00pm.

There would be prizes for Best Team and Best Speaker.

Names of Participants include

100Level-
Onwuka Prince will Chimezie
Chibuike Eruka Nduri
Chiemela Gabriel Mba
Ibeh Favour Chinenye
Osueke Precious Chiamaka
Nwizu Ifeanyi Victor

200Level-
Blessing Obiwuma Chioma
Kennedy Amakolonwa
Joseph Chukwu
Thyword Nnadi
Okpara Curtis
Orji Ferdinand.



Guest judges for the finals would be, our student and Absulawclinic friendly lecturers, Barr Kennedy Onyemere,  Barr Chizoba Okpara and Barr Enwere Oguchinalu E.

Absu LawClinic

Absulawclinic Prison Visit

The Umuahia Prisons Department of the Absu LawClinic went for a prison visit  at the Nigerian Prisons Aba Road, Umuahia. (Abia State Capital) On Thursday, 11th February 2016,
    The purpose of this visit was to engineer the process of releasing pre-trial detainees. Especially persons whose cases have been looked in to but latter neglected in the long run due to one reason or another.
   The Absu LawClinic team met with the Deputy Comptroller of prisons Mr Obilor George for this reason. He welcomed the clinicians warmly and told them to come back on Friday, 19th February, 2016.
 
   The team hopes to interview and counsel this inmates, to know the main reasons for their detention, sadly, from the cases we have handled in the past, we have come to realise that most of the inmates do not even know why they are in detention, because they were just arrested without been told the offence (s) they  were arrested for, they have never been served any court papers nor have they been represented or queried by a legal practitioner.
   We hope to process their individual cases with a view to facilitate their prompt release from detention.

It's our duty to the community.

Absulawclinic

WORKSHOP ON FREEDOM OF INFORMATION FOR B.A.N.A SECONDARY SCHOOL, OKIGWE, IMO STATE

           The workshop was organized to enlighten secondary school staff and students on the existence,provisions and benefits of the Freedom of Information Act 2011. The workshop was held on the 26th day of June 2015 at the Bishop Alfred Nwaizuzu Anglican Secondary School (BANASS) Okigwe, Imo State.

 

 Clinicians from ABSU Law Clinic interacted with SS1 and SS2 students, as well as the staff of the school.

The subject matters that were discussed includes: The meaning of FOI and FOIA; Reasons for the enactment of the FOIA; Benefits of the FOIA; Exemptions to the right to access information under the Act; Mode of application under the Act, Mode of enforcement in event of denial of information requested., et cetera.

The workshop was a success.There was proper time management and general coordination.Students asked questions and were given answers.

The Principal Mr. Orji Kalu was impressed with the awareness program and stated that the school is open to the Law Clinic for further educative workshops.He requested that copies of the FOIA and other relevant materials be made available to the school for reference purposes.The students likewise expressed their joy over the enlightenment program.

Facilitators of the Workshop:
1) Barr. Emeka Okoroafor (Staff Clinician)
2) Erugoh Desiree (Head Clinician).

Participants:
Nkem Diala Caren
Udenze Hilda
Obairi Doreen
Agbara Ekeoma
Esther Onuoha
Balogu Henrietta

A REPORT ON UTURU COMMUNITY OUTREACH

The outreach was held on the 27th of March 2015.

We arrived at Uturu at exactly 9:15am. On arrival at the venue, the village square was already arranged for the outreach by the youths who were  aware of our visit.

However, we were faced with the challenge of gathering the villagers to the square for the outreach which was later resolved. A great number

of them finally came out and the students quickly started with the items on the programme after the opening prayer. There was an educating drama

display by the law students which also served as a mode of sensitizing the villagers about the freedom of Information Act.
Also, a brief speech was made by the 1st speaker for the outreach group in the person of Eke Nneka Anaga, who enlightened the villagers on the objectives of the FOI Act. Another speech was made by the 2nd speaker

in the person of Igboanugwo Valentine who discussed the procedures for enforcement of the right guaranteed under the FOI Act and lastly the 3rd speakers

Erondu Olanma enlightened them on the role of the Abia State University Law Clinic.
Our own co-ordinator

Barr. Emeka Okoroafor threw more light on what the speakers had said and also entertained some questions

from the villagers.
Some of the villagers asked questions based on the issue of security. They wanted to know how secured they were from the police and other law enforcement agencies in asking various questions. Barr. Emeka ensured them of their safety in respect of their rights in asking for information.
In terms of our achievements we were able to educate a great number of people on the provisions of the FOI Act and its objectives, as well as the role of the ABSU law clinic in helping get access to justice.
The students also interviewed some members of the community and finally a closing prayer was said by Obike Chinyere Peace. 
The outreach to Uturu community was organized by the following clinicians of Abia State law faculty Igwe Sandra, Abia Humphrey, Enyeazu Victor, Odiba Chidiebere, Erugo Desiree and our very own coordinators Dr. Sam Erugo and Barr. Emeka Okoroafor.
   In Attendance were:
The 5th year clinicians
The 4th year clinicians
The Clinic Staff/Supervisor: Barr. Emeka Okoroafor.

 

A REPORT ON OVIM FOI COMMUNITY OUTREACH

On Tuesday, the 24th day of March, 2015, the Abia State University Law clinicians paid a visit to Ovim community in Isuikwuato Local Government Area, Abia State

 in a bid to sensitize them on their Freedom of Information. (FOI).
Arrival to Ovim community was at about 8:30am; when we arrived, large members of the community were already gathered and seated

with their Eze and Chiefs who were also present to welcome us.

The Clinic Staff, Barr Emeka Okoroafor made our presence known to them by giving a brief introduction of who we were, where we came from, what we intended to do and achieve at the end of that day.
After that, the final year clinicians played out an Igbo drama

which was an eye opener for them on their right to request for information from the government and get adequate answers there from.
While the drama played out, the members of the community watched with keen interest, awe and approval; their excitement and applause was evident.
After the drama, an introductory speech was given by

Ezutah Lekwa Agbogho (1st speaker) who spoke in Igbo language on the meaning and use of the FOI Act; the 2nd speaker

Enyinnanya Nwagbai spoke on the procedures necessary in the use of the FOI Act; the 3rd speaker Nworie Genevieve concluded while the Clinic Staff, Barr. Emeka Okoroafor gave the summary speech and encouraged the community members not to hesitate to call us for help or visit our law clinic anytime they needed our help.
The community members were given the FOI Act and flyers which contained all they need to know about FOI.

The Eze and few members of the community thanked us for coming to enlighten them on their right and on the need of the use of the FOI Act.
On behalf of the ABSU Law Clinic the Clinic Staff,  Barr. Emeka Okoroafor thanked the members of the community for coming and giving us their time, he also thanked them for welcoming us. We left the community at about 11:00am.
In Attendance were:
The 5th year clinicians
The 4th year clinicians
The Clinic Staff/Supervisor:
Barr. Emeka Okoroafor.