‘Mentorship, Not First-Class, Defines Legal Success’, Ajulo, SAN

Stories by Steve Aya

A former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mentorship Committee and Attorney-General of Ondo State, Dr Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, has warned young Lawyers against what he describes as the “First-Class Trap”, arguing that academic brilliance alone is insufficient for lasting success in the legal profession.

 Dr Ajulo drew a sharp distinction between erudition and wisdom, insisting that while Universities and the Nigerian Law School reward mastery of doctrine, it is practical judgement, what he described in Aristotelian terms as phronesis, that sustains a meaningful legal career. According to him, many young Lawyers confuse academic distinction with professional readiness, only to confront harsh realities in practice.

 “Erudition may earn you a First-Class degree and admiration in academic circles”, he said, “but it is wisdom that enables one to grasp not just the letter of the law, but the essence of the client, the mood of the Judge, and the unspoken demands of justice”. He argued that the legal profession is relational, reputational and commercial terrains rarely tested in examination halls.

Dr Ajulo observed that while some First-Class graduates struggle to find their footing after Law School, others with modest academic records rise to become Senior Advocates of Nigeria and leaders of the Bar. He attributed this divergence not to intelligence gaps, but to exposure to mentorship and experiential learning. “The gap is not one of inherent ability”, he noted, “but of meaningful engagement with seasoned judgement”.

Describing the phenomenon as the “First-Class Trap,” the Senior Advocate said many top graduates enter practice believing that credentials will automatically attract clients and opportunities. Instead, they are confronted with unspoken professional demands securing retainers without family connections, building firm culture, navigating judicial temperament, and recovering from adverse judgments. These, he said, are lessons rarely taught in classrooms.

 For Ajulo, mentorship serves as the “eternal bridge” between scholarly achievement and professional excellence. He described it as the structured sharing of lived knowledge that cannot be replicated by textbooks. “Knowledge can be taught,” he said, “but wisdom is fostered through fellowship with those who have cultivated it.”

Reflecting on his own journey, Ajulorecounted observing some of Nigeria’s foremost legal icons during his undergraduate years at the University of Jos. He cited figures such as Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams, Lateef Fagbemi, Gani Fawehinmi, AfeBabalola, and Wole Olanipekun as formative influences, explaining that even distant observation of their advocacy and jurisprudence shaped his ambitions and professional outlook.

He recalled a pivotal encounter with Chief Williams at the Supreme Court during his time as State Counsel, describing it as a moment that “recalibrated” his path. “By standing upon the shoulders of giants,” Ajulosaid, “I gained a broader perspective.” He stressed that privilege of birth is not a prerequisite for advancement, maintaining that deliberate observation and disciplined engagement can substitute for personal access.

As part of efforts to institutionalize mentorship, Ajulo said the NBA Mentorship Committee has decentralized its “Project Unleash Real Mentorship” across branches nationwide. The committee is also planning a National Summit on Mentorship aimed at proposing a national policy framework, alongside capacity-building workshops for newly called lawyers and possible exchange programmes with counterparts in Canada.

In his closing remarks, Ajulo urged young lawyers to abandon passive expectations and actively seek guidance through NBA branches and sections, while calling on senior practitioners to view mentorship as a sacred professional obligation. “Your legacy remains unfinished until it serves as a foundation for others,” he said, adding that the future of the Nigerian Bar depends not merely on producing qualified practitioners, but on cultivating principled and transformative leaders through deliberate mentorship.