Law is a system of rules and conducts with binding force and effect created and enforced through governmental and societal institutions to regulate behaviors with the intention of upholding justice and maintaining social order. Law is the bedrock of every society. It adapts to the changes that occurs in the society, build civilization, and has continuously remained relevant in many context such as healthcare, engineering, banking, sport, media, global crisis etc.
As a child, “I want to be a lawyer” was the answer I gave every single time the age old question “what will you like to be in future?” was asked due my penchant for arts related courses such as English, Literature-in-English etc, my fascination with the glamour, respect and prestige accorded to the legal profession, and the desire to someday wear the lawyers robe which I thought was cool at the time but as I grew older and became more aware of the society around me and the positive impact lawyers make in our society by resolving conflicts, bring justice to those in need, and generally improving the lives of others the idea of studying law became even more exciting.
My desire to study law was further fuelled after visiting my local magistrate court. I had the privilege of sitting in a court room to witness real life cases in progress and the impact a lawyer can have on the outcome of a case. In one of the cases before the court, counsel to the to the defendant accused the magistrate of being partial on the ground of conflict of interest claiming that the magistrate and the complainant are relatives and had been seen them together at a restaurant the previous day. The magistrate casually refuted the claims and proceeded with trial despite the evidence provided by the counsel to support his claims.
I first hand witnessed the shortcomings of the Nigerian judicial system, a system that ought to protect the rights of its citizens, prosecute those who err, and be a model for judging right and wrong is being characterised by injustice, abuse of office, and corruption from the point of arrest, investigation, arraignment, hearing, to judgment and execution.
The events of that day left an indelible mark in me and as I wondered why nothing was done to bring about change in our justice system as a whole and why there are not many people dedicated to help those truly in need, I saw an opportunity to be that someone that makes a change and so I began to read legal books, newspapers, articles as well as interacting with lawyers who were mostly family and friends in other to attain background knowledge of this field and an understanding of the extent I have to go in other to achieve my dreams and aspirations.
As I reflected on my dreams,I became motivated to study law because it affords me an opportunity to make a difference, serve, impact the society, and be part of the change the Nigerian legal system needs in other to meet the society’s expectation of an independent institution that enjoys the confidence of the people.

Securing admission into a reputable institution to study law was indeed challenging and competitive but I knew that the first step to achieve success was not giving up on my dreams and aspirations and so I persevered. This attitude helped me gain admission into Nnamdi Azikiwe University, an institution known for its dynamic lecture system, practical and personalised learning experience, efficient curriculum and committed lecturers.
First year in the university was challenging. The advanced system of learning adopted by higher institutions which differs from what I was used to in high school was overwhelming but I was determined to succeed and so I progressed gradually. I was exposed to theoretical and practical aspect of the law in courses such as criminal law, commercial law, land law, company law, law of evidence etc as well as basic knowledge in fields related to law such as psychology, and sociology. My passion for the law and the burning desire to make a change was reflected in my final year project where I took up the challenge to critically analyse “Corporal punishment and the framework for child’s right protection”, a research focused on corporal punishment, its extent and the protection of children who are one of the minority groups of our society.
My undergraduate study was profitable and fulfilling. I was an active student both in and out of the classroom engaging in extracurricular activities within the school such as being an active member of the organising committee for moot court trials, an activity law student engaging in to enable them possess real world application of the law, and a member of the law student association (LAWSA) electoral committee, a committee tasked with conducting free and fair election within the law faculty. Despite graduating with a CGPA of 3.35, the classroom knowledge I attained as well as those attained by engaging in extracurricular activities during my undergraduate studies which gave me a better understanding of virtues such as perseverance and patience have proved crucial in developing my abilities and preparing me for my career.
With the knowledge gained in my undergraduate study, I ventured to acquire hands on experience by gaining employment at a private law firm, Felix P.O. Nwadialo and Co, as a youth corper under the National Youth Service Corporation (NYSC) an organization set up by the Nigerian government to involve fresh graduate in the development of the country. During my time as a youth corper, I visited several local prisons and I was shocked to see that the flaws that trailed the Nigerian justice system has witnessed an increase in intensity despite having a government that campaigned for office with the slogan “change”. In a bid to make a difference and effect as much change as I could, I put together a small group of lawyers including myself to take up cases pro bono in other to help some of the prisoners failed by our system.
After completing my one year mandatory youth service programme, I was offered permanent employment as an associate of the firm due to my hard work, passion, and dedication. I was offered a chance to excel as part of the team and so was given tremendous responsibilities such as preparing court processes and representing clients in court, preparation of legal documents, negotiating and concluding contracts on behalf of clients, offering legal advice to clients etc which has in turn sharpened my analytical thinking, and communication skill.
As my career progresses, so have my interest to acquire advanced knowledge and skills required to achieve my dreams, and I am certain that the solid foundation laid by my academic experience, five (5) years professional experience and my unwavering passion will help me succeed in this program

There is always something new to learn, and room to expand our knowledge and skills and as such I have decided to pursue graduate studies at the University of Regina, a programme that offers theoretical and practical approaches as well as an understanding of the various aspect of justice such as criminal justice, social justice, restorative justice, dispute resolution, human rights and issues related to them which will help me meet the legal demand in our ever changing society, sharpen my analytical and problem solving skills as well as to remain relevant and competitive by applying modern techniques to meet the needs my society.
At the end of this programme, I hope to have enhanced my knowledge about just relations between individuals, the government and the larger society; criminal justice, understanding why crime is such a substantial part of our society, its causes and consequences and also to be able to use critical thinking to tackle issues related to the legal systems of various societies thereby providing lasting solutions.

As my interest in the study of law and its various aspects has continues to grow so does my interest to pursue graduate studies at a prestigious university like University of Regina. From my research and testimony of my older brother Kenechukwu Ginigeme, a student of faculty of graduate studies and research, department of industrial systems engineering, I am confident that University of Regina possesses one of the best research facilities which is home to hundreds of active researchers, rich course offerings, distinguished and supportive staff that are second to none, and ideal location that will not only equip me with the necessary resources required to be successful in masters in justice studies but also acquaint me with like-minded individuals from different backgrounds and cultures. The Justice Studies program at the University of Regina is second to none. It offers research opportunities in various areas such as criminal justice, social justice, human rights etc which is very exciting to me as a future student as it fits perfectly with my dreams and aspiration of bringing change to the Nigerian justice system especially in the area criminally justice by helping others seek and find justice in every sense of the word.