President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote as the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, making history as the first woman to head the institution since its establishment in 1962.
The appointment takes effect from January 10, 2026, and is for a four-year term, according to a statement released on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
Dr Odusote, 57, currently serves as the Deputy Director-General and Head of the Lagos Campus of the Nigerian Law School. She will succeed Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, whose eight-year tenure as Director-General ends on January 9, 2026.
A seasoned legal academic and administrator, Dr Odusote obtained her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from Obafemi Awolowo University and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. She later earned a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from the same institution, specialising in company and commercial law. She proceeded to the United Kingdom, where she obtained a PhD in Law from the University of Surrey.
Her academic and research interests span public law and the administration of justice. Dr Odusote joined the Nigerian Law School in 2001 as a lecturer and has since occupied several strategic positions, including Head of the Academic Department, Director of Academics, and Head of Campus. She also served briefly as a visiting scholar at Nottingham Trent University in the UK.
Dr Odusote has published extensively in reputable local and international law journals and has presented papers at numerous legal education conferences. In addition, she has served on various committees of the Council of Legal Education and the Nigerian Bar Association.
As Director-General, she will be responsible for providing academic leadership, overseeing administrative management, and driving the strategic direction of the Nigerian Law School across its campuses nationwide.
She will also act as the principal liaison between the institution and key legal bodies, including the Council of Legal Education, the Body of Benchers, and the Nigerian Bar Association.
Her appointment has been widely welcomed within legal and academic circles, with many describing it as a significant milestone for gender inclusion and continuity in the leadership of legal education in Nigeria.
