Fundamentals of Nigerian law

This course gives a broad foundation in Nigerian law. It’s usually one of the first law courses students take. Think of it as the “map” before you dive into specific subjects like contract or constitutional law. 1. Nature and purpose of law * What law is and why societies need it * Law vs morality (they overlap, but not always) * Functions of law: * maintaining order * resolving disputes * protecting rights * Concepts like justice, equity, and fairness 2. Sources of Nigerian law This is a big one. Nigeria has a mixed legal system. * Constitution * The supreme law (everything else must follow it) * Legislation * Laws made by the National Assembly and State Houses * Judicial precedent * Past court decisions guide future cases * Customary law * Traditional rules followed by different ethnic groups * Islamic (Sharia) law * Applied mainly in some northern states * Received English law * Old British laws adopted during colonial rule 3. Structure of the Nigerian court system You learn how cases move through courts. * Hierarchy matters. Higher courts bind lower courts. * Key courts include: * Supreme Court (highest) * Court of Appeal * Federal and State High Courts * Magistrate and Customary courts Also covers: * jurisdiction (who can hear what) * civil vs criminal courts 4. Legal method and reasoning This part teaches how lawyers think. * How to read and interpret cases * Ratio decidendi vs obiter dicta (core decision vs side comments) * How to apply precedent to new cases * Basic legal research skills