Oando Plc has convened law students from six Nigerian universities for its 2025 Legal Seminar, a 14-year initiative it described as one of its most consistent capacity-building platforms for emerging legal talent.
In a statement on Friday, Oando said the mentorship-driven forum brought together students from the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Lagos State University, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Rivers State University and Afe Babalola University, with a focus on equipping them with practical, market-relevant insights often absent from traditional legal curricula.
The seminar, themed ‘The 21st Century Lawyer: Keys to Building a Successful Legal Career’, featured contributions from senior practitioners in corporate law, private practice and technology law, with discussions centred on the intersection of law, business and industry.
Opening the session, Oando’s Chief Legal Officer, Efuntomi Akpeneye, said the company deliberately shifted the programme towards mentorship to bridge the gap between academia and commercial practice.
“We started this seminar to share practical knowledge across legal, energy, tax and finance. Today’s shift to mentorship for students is deliberate. Think like a business partner. Let the client’s pain be your pain. That is how you become indispensable,” she said.
Partner at Banwo & Ighodalo, Stella Duru, urged students to prioritise professionalism and discipline as key differentiators in the legal profession. “Law is a lifelong journey of learning and adaptation. Your network, professionalism and dedication will define how far you go,” she added.
Also speaking, Senior Associate at Aluko & Oyebode, Adeleresimi Adeleye, encouraged students to position themselves for a more globalised legal market, adding, “Specialised knowledge is no longer optional. If you want cross-border relevance, your skills, your language capability and your professional identity must reflect that ambition.”
From a corporate perspective, the Managing Director of Oando Energy Resources, Ainojie ‘Alex’ Irune, said legal training provides a strong advantage in commercial environments. “A law background gives you an undue advantage in commercial settings. The world is changing fast; the choices you make now will determine your relevance in the years ahead,” he noted.
The seminar also examined the growing impact of artificial intelligence and digital tools on legal practice. Leading a session on legal technology, Partner at BOC Legal, Rotimi Ogunyemi, said while AI would transform aspects of legal work, human judgement remained critical.
“AI will reshape research and drafting, but it cannot read a room or exercise ethical judgement. Human plus AI will always outperform human alone,” he submitted.
According to the statement, the event ended with a fireside chat involving Oando’s in-house counsel and internal business partners, including the Deputy Manager, Projects, Procurement and Operations, Aniekan Okon; Asset Manager, Oando Energy Resources, Oluwaseyi Fowora; and Non-Oil Commodities Lead, Oando Trading, Olusegun Oyewole. It was moderated by the Legal Advisor, Oando Trading, Isi Abulime.
The company said the seminar reinforced its commitment to talent development by bridging the gap between legal education and professional practice through mentorship, operational exposure and the transfer of institutional knowledge.
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