The University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus has initiated the construction of an African Centre For Law and Good Governance, the Dean, Faculty of Law, Prof. Joy Ezeilo has said.
Ezeilo disclosed this on Saturday in Enugu during the inauguration of no fewer than 60 projects initiated and completed under her leadership in the faculty.
She said that the facility would be named after the first dean of the faculty, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN).
According to her, the gesture is one of the steps so far taken to reposition the faculty as the premier law faculty in the country.
The don said that apart from physical infrastructures, she had initiated major reforms that would transform the institution to a centre of excellence in law studies.
Ezeilo said that the faculty had entered into partnership with the Michigan State University (MSU) that resulted in the award of scholarships to law students of UNN in 2019.
“Furthermore, a staff of the faculty Dr. Helen Agu has embarked on a post -doctorate fellowship since September 2019 in MSU.
“Also another fellowship has been secured from the University of Cape Town, South Africa which will start in October 2020,” she said.
She said that the faculty had signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with University of Dundee, United Kingdom and University of Venda, South Africa.
Ezeilo, who is in the last days of her tenure, said that the MOU with University of Dundee would enable staff of the faculty to do Post Graduate course at a discount rate of 50 per cent.
She said that the faculty recorded the successes through the assistance of its former students.
Ezeilo said that she was motivated to embark on the projects and reforms by the desire to motivate students and lectures to learn and work in the best environment possible.
Responding, the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Charles Igwe, said it was gratifying that all the projects were initiated and completed by Ezeilo within her 18 months and with externally generated funds.
Igwe described the outgoing dean as a pace setteroal getter whom he said had taken the faculty from zero level to an enviable height and was now a reference point to other leaders.
“It is amazing that Ezeilo did all these projects without demanding for funds from the institution. I encourage other deans and heads of departments to take a tour of the law faculty and understudy the development strides of Ezeilo,” Igwe said.
Some of the projects inaugurated include fully equipped 510-seater ultra modern lecture theatre funded by the alumni class of 1990.
Other projects are faculty ICT library, lecturers offices and students Moot Court with complete modern courtroom fittings.
