The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yakubu Maikyau, has addressed the recent controversy surrounding Vera Anyim’s testimony at the Dunamis Church in Abuja, where she claimed to be the sole graduate in her family, holding a B.Sc in Law from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
Pastor Enenche, who was present during the testimony, questioned the authenticity of Anyim’s claim, sparking a heated debate across the country.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, where the NBA unveiled its conference theme and speakers, Maikyau criticized Anyim for asserting an academic title that does not exist.
He emphasized that no Nigerian university offers a B.Sc in Law, and that Anyim’s claim was deceitful.
“I was privileged to have watched the video of a woman who stood up in church and, supposedly, was giving a testimony of how she went through challenges and now has graduated from an open university or so,” Maikyau said. “And the man of God sitting in that congregation himself sensed that there was something wrong with the supposed testimony.”
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Maikyau commended Pastor Enenche for his astuteness in cross-examination, highlighting the discrepancies in Anyim’s testimony.
“And what he said is also something that is complementary of the legal profession in a way,” Maikyau added. “Because he said, the way the person who was testifying spoke. The English that she spoke, bad as the situation, was reflective of an English spoken by a lawyer.”
The NBA President stressed that the legal profession does not recognize a B.Sc in Law, and that it is not the Council of Legal Education, the Body of Benchers, or the NBA that says so.
“The person who attempted to arrogate B.Sc law to herself was found to have lied. We should really be wasting time talking about someone who has lied,” Maikyau stated.
Maikyau further explained that the degree in law is never described as a B.Sc, and encouraged those interested in studying law to obtain a JAMB form and get admitted to a four or five-year training program to understand what the degree entails.
The NBA President’s statement has brought clarity to the controversy, affirming that Anyim’s claim of holding a B.Sc in Law is unfounded.
The incident has sparked discussions about the importance of honesty and the need for individuals to accurately represent their academic achievements.
