IMSU Law Students Emerge Second Best At The Keenly Contested 2024 NDDC Moot And Mock Trial Competition

By Augustus Onyekachi Nwaozor, Anipr

A team of students from the Faculty of Law, Imo State University (IMSU), has emerged Second best at the keenly contested 2024 Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Moot and Mock Trial Competition.

The competition took place in  the River State Capital, between Monday, 5th and Thursday, 8th August, 2024, at  the Nigeria Law School, Port Harcourt campus, with about 14 universities from 9 States in the Niger Delta region that partook in the competition.

Speaking during the award presentation visit to the Vice-Chancellor of Imo State University, Professor Uchefula U. Chukwumaeze, SAN, FCArb, in his office at IMSU on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, the Law Students Association Staff Adviser, Associate Professor Onyema Otitodiri, revealed that the  IMSU Law Students team worked very hard for the competition to ensure that they made the University proud, and succeeded in doing just that.

Associate Professor Onyema added that the competition was in two parts. He stated that  in the first part, IMSU students performed exceptionally well by demonstrating high level of understanding of basic Legal principles which qualified them to the second and last stage of the competition where the students did much more better and became the overall second best in the competition.

The Staff Adviser announced that they came back with some awards, namely; a cash price of one million, five hundred thousand Naira (#1,500,000:00), Award of second best position in the competition, Award of participation, and a set of indexed Nigeria weekly law reports.

In his reaction, the Vice-Chancellor of  the University, Professor Uchefula U. Chukwumaeze, SAN, FCArb, thanked God who made it possible for the University's name to remain in the news since the past few years, for the good reasons.

Professor Chukwumaeze mentioned that recently, a team of students from the Engineering Faculty of the University, went for a similar competition in Lagos as the only university from  the South East region of Nigeria and the only State owned university and  competed with over 80 teams from different universities in Nigeria, and emerged the Second best.

Speaking further, he hinted that last year (2023), two IMSU Law Graduands made First Class at the Nigeria Law School, and the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, gave them automatic employment. Again, a few years ago, the IMSU Medical students equally went for a competition in South Africa, and emerged the best in the whole Africa. 

The Vice-Chancellor, however, assured that his administration will continue to provide an enabling environment for teaching and learning in the University, while the welfare of staff and students will remain his topmost priority.

The universities that participated in the 2024 NDDC Moot and Mock Trial competition were  Imo State University, University of Port Harcourt, Ambrose Ali University, River State University, Benson Idahosa University, Igbenedion University, Delta State University, University of Benin, Edwin Clark University, University of Uyo, Abia State University, Niger Delta University, Adekunle Ajasin University, and University of Calabar.

The Imo State University Law Students team was comprised of Madubuike Chisom D. (Team leader, 500 level), Ihesie Uzoma Paschal (500 level), Uzoagba Jennifer Chigoziri (400 level), Igwenyere Chisom Harrison (500 level), Onyewuchi Gift M. (500 level), Okwudirimba Jennifer (500 level), and Amaechi-Ndukwe Apostle Nkem (400 level).

Eminent personalities at the event were Rt. Hon. Dr. Henry Agbasonu, Imo State House of Assembly Member, representing Ezinihite Mbaise State Constituency and former House Committee Chairman on Education, Professor Jude Egwurugwu, Provost, Imo State University College of Medicine and Member, Imo State University Governing Council, Professor C. K. Okorie, SAN, Dean, Faculty of Law, IMSU, Professor G. O. C. Ihebom, Head, Department of Law, and Assoc Prof C. J. Amaechi, Esq,   Personal Assistant to IMSU Vice-Chancellor.

Augustus Onyekachi Nwaozor is

The Assistant Public Relations Officer

of Imo State University