DEPARTMENT OF JURISPRUDENCE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
1. INTRODUCTION
At the second coming of the Faculty of Law into the University of Ilorin, Department of
International Law was established with four other Departments. The Department later changed
its name to Department of Jurisprudence and International Law on the approval of the Senate to
properly capture the goals of the Department. The main focus of the Department is to ensure
that the students are exposed to the best in teaching and learning in terms of quality of course
content available in any part of the world. The core objective is to make students who passed
through the Department to be impacted with the most standard knowledge of the Law at both
theoretical and applied levels. The Department is effectively doing this as it is regarded as
primus inter pares in the Faculty. Till date, the Department remains the only one in the Faculty
that has organized Departmental Public Lectures, Departmental Seminars and effectively coordinated various Moot Court programmes on behalf of the Faculty at both national and
international competitions. It is also the only Department that has published a book while the
Departmental Journal is presently being resuscitated. WELCOME TO OUR WORLD.
2. LEADERSHIP OF THE DEPARTMENT
The Department is lucky to have dynamic people at the helm of affairs. To date, two Heads of
Department were appointed. Mr. Abdulmumini Adebayo Oba led the Department between
December, 1997 and August, 2002 when he laid the foundation for the proper take-off of the
Department and he handed over to Dr. Wahab Egbewole who has since been consolidating on
the achievements.
3. PROFILE OF THE DEPARTMENTAL STAFF
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT’S OFFICE
DR. W. O. EGBEWOLE – HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
T. A. OLAWALE (MRS.) - SECRETARY
O. Y. SANI – CLERICAL OFFICER
I. B. USMAN – MESSENGER
ACADEMIC STAFF
A. A. OBA
J. O. A. ADEDOYIN-RAJI
DR. J. O. OLATOKE
N. M. ABDULRAHEEM (MRS.)
M. A. ETUDAIYE
L. AYINLA
E. F. OWOLABI (MRS.)
4. COURSES OFFERED BY THE DEPARTMENT
UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
NIGERIAN LEGAL SYSTEM I & II (JIL 201 & JIL 202)

The idea of Legal System, Sources of Nigerian Law/Internal Conflicts, The role of the
Judiciary, The Nigerian Court System.
LEGAL METHOD I & II (JIL 101 & JIL 102)
 What is Law, Theories of Law, Natural Law School, Historical School, Positive school,
sociological school. Functions of Law, Law and order, Law and justice (formal and
substantive justice) law and freedom, law and state, law and legitimacy, law and
sovereignty. Types of Law, Eternal Law, Divine Law, Natural Law, Positive Law.
Classification of Law, common law and equity, public and private law, civil and criminal
law, substantive and adjectival (procedural law), written and unwritten law. Methods of
social control through law. The penal technique, the Grievance Remedial technique, the
private arranging Technique, the Constitute Technique Administrative Regulatory
Technique, the fiscal technique, the conferral or social benefit Technique. Legal
Reasoning and approach to problems, language of the law, methods of legal reasoning,
principles and rules, legal photonic, legal logic, legal reasoning and practical
reasoning/Legal reasoning in judicial process, shifting of fact and law in court, shifting of
fact in civil cases, shifting or fact in criminal cases, shifting of law, judicial precedent,
ratio Decidendi, obiter-dictum, per incur am, Distinguishing cases, Hierarchy of courts
and judicial precedent; supreme court, the court of Appeal, the Federal High Court,
state high courts, Shariah court of Appeal, customary court of Appeal. Legal Reasoning
in legislation, legislative proposal, Hints on Legislative Drafting, Ambiguity vagueness
and open texture, external structure and form of legislation, legislative process, types of
legislation semantic in law, construction of statutes. The internal rule, The Golden Rule,
the mischief Rule, other interpretation Aids. Codification. Sources of law, primary and
secondary legal research and use of source materials. Research, law library, role of
librarian. How to locate a book, law reports, periodicals etc. Legal Writing and
approaches in essay writing methods and approaches in essay writing, Hints on legal
writing, Division of Topic into chapters, section and sub-sections.
JURISPRUDENCE AND LEGAL THEORY I & II (JIL 501 & JIL 502)
 The Purpose of the Study of law and jurisprudence; The Meaning and Function of Law;
the relation of law to: Justice, Morality, Religion, Law and Social change, Ethics.
Source of Law:
Legislation, Customs and Judicial Precedents; Nature, ascertainment, applicability and
the role of these sources in contemporary and early society/Theories of Law: Natural
Law School. Historical School, Positivist theory, Sociological theory, Pure theory of Law,
Marxist, theory of law, African Law: Principles and Practices, Maliki School and concepts
of customary Law. Analysis of Fundamental Legal Concepts Rights, Duties, Liability;
Ownership, possession; personality; liberty. Codification, restatement, adaptation and
unification of customary law
PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW I & II (JIL 503 & JIL 504)
 The place of International Law in the general scheme of legal studies; relation with other
disciplines. History of International law: Two possible approaches – International Law as
a legacy of Europe, and International as an institution, which appeared long before
European self-assertion/The State: Territory – acquisition and loss.
The State: Exceptions to Jurisdiction; the Law of International Law of War and
Neutrality.
HUMAN RIGHTS LAW I & II (JIL 403 & JIL 404)
 Historical background and Development of the concept of Human Rights; Revival of
Human Rights in the 20th century; the United Nations; African; European; Inter-American
protection of Human Rights and other Sub-regional arrangements; Enforcement
procedures. Specific concepts: Crimes against humanity; genocide; apartheid and
racism; The role of non-governmental agencies/Study of the Fundamental Rights
provisions in the current Nigerian Constitution with regular references to right to life;
Right to Dignity of the Human person; Right to Personal liberty; Right to fair hearing;
Right to private and family life; Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
CONFLICT OF LAW I & II (JIL 404 & JIL 402)
 Nature and scope of conflict of laws-internal and international conflicts; General
principles of conflict of laws; Jurisdiction and exemption from the jurisdiction of the
courts; Exclusion of foreign law/state laws; Characterization, Domicile and nationality,
Renoi/Conflict situations (internal and external) and choice of law in Law of Pension;
Status, Marriage and Marital Causes; Infants, Legitimacy and Legitimation and adoption,
lunatics, succession; Law of Obligations, particular contracts; Law of property, Movable
and Immovable; Recognition and Enforcement of foreign/state judgments; The need for
a uniform legal system.
LAW AND SOCIAL CHANGE (LAW 501)
 Theories of Law, Society and Law, Changes in Society and Legal Realities, Legal
Anthropology, Law and Progress, Elements of Comparative Law. *Course thought in
collaboration with highly esteemed practitioners and associate lecturers.
5. ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT
DEPARTMENTAL LECTURES
 1ST DEPARTMENTAL LECTURE DELIVERED BY PROF. M. AYO AJOMO, THE DOYEN OF
INTERNATIONAL LAW, TITLED “INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AND BAKASSI IMBROGLIO:
LESSONS FOR NIGERIA” DELIVERED AT THE ENGINEERING AUDITORIUM, UNIVERSITY OF
ILORIN ON JUNE 25, 2005 (SEE PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES NO. 1, 2003)
 2ND DEPARTMENTAL LECTURE DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PRINCE OLAGUNSOYE
OYINLOLA, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF OSUN STATE TITLED “NATIONAL SECURITY
AND NIGERIA’S INVOLVEMENT IN PEACE KEEPING OPERATIONS” DELIVERED AT THE
SCIENCE LECTURE THEATRE, UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN ON JUNE 7, 2005 (SEE PUBLIC
LECTURE SERIES NO. 2, 2005)
DEPARTMENTAL SEMINARS
 1ST DEPARTMENTAL SEMINAR DELIVERED BY DR. WAHAB O. EGBEWOLE TITLED
“GLOBALISATION: THEORY, PROSPECTS AND PROBLEMS” AT THE FACULTY OF LAW
MOOT COURT ROOM ON NOVEMBER 27, 2002. (PAPER AVAILABLE AT THE
DEPARTMENT)
 2ND DEPARTMENTAL SEMINAR DELIVERED BY J. O. ADEDOYIN-RAJI TITLED “TORTS
INVOLVING FOREIGN ELEMENTS: THE ATTITUDE OF NIGERIAN COURTS” AT THE FACULTY
OF LAW MOOT COURT ROOM ON DECEMBER 11, 2002. (PAPER AVAILABLE AT THE
DEPARTMENT)
 3RD DEPARTMENTAL SEMINAR DELIVERED BY DR. KAYODE OLATOKE TITLED “THE
GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE – ANTI-DUMPING LAW AND
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AT THE FACULTY OF LAW MOOT COURT ROOM ON JANUARY
7, 2003. (PAPER AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTMENT)
 4TH DEPARTMENTAL SEMINAR DELIVERED BY MR. ABDULMUMIN OBA TITLED “THE
SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL: THE CONTINUING CRISIS OF JURISDICTION” AT THE FACULTY
OF LAW MOOT COURT ROOM ON MAY 21, 2003. (PAPER AVAILABLE AT THE
DEPARTMENT)
 5TH DEPARTMENTAL SEMINAR DELIVERED BY MRS. N. M. ABDULRAHEEM TITLED
“GRUNDNORM: APPLICABILITY IN THE NIGERIAN SYSTEM” AT THE FACULTY OF LAW
MOOT COURT ROOM ON MAY 21, 2003. (PAPER AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTMENT)
 6TH DEPARTMENTAL SEMINAR DELIVERED BY MR. LUKMAN AYINLA TITLED “THE
NIGERIAN LIVING LAW AND ITS RELEGATION: THE SOCIOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE” AT THE FACULTY OF LAW MOOT COURT ROOM ON OCTOBER 14, 2003.
(PAPER AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTMENT)
 7TH DEPARTMENTAL SEMINAR DELIVERED BY MR. MUHTAR A. ETUDAIYE TITLED
“INTERNATIONAL LAW AND THE USE OF FORCE: LESSONS IN TERROR AND THE FUTURE
OF WORLD PEACE” AT THE FACULTY OF LAW MOOT COURT ROOM ON FEBRUARY 24,
2004. (PAPER AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTMENT)
6. DEPARTMENTAL PUBLICATIONS
 W. O. EGBEWOLE (ED.,), READINGS IN JURISPRUDENCE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
(ILORIN: DEPARTMENT OF JURISPRUDENCE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW, 2004).
 JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
7. MOOT COURT COMPETITIONS
THE DEPARTMENT HAS CO-ORDINATED SEVERAL MOOT COURT COMPETITIONS ON BEHALF OF
THE FACULTY ESPECIALLY IN ITS AREAS OF EXPERTISE INCLUDING IN THE SPHERE OF
INTERNATIONAL LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS LAW. THESE COMPETITIONS INCLUDE
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PHILIP C. JESSUP INTERNATIONAL LAW MOOT COURT COMPETITION ORGANIZED BY THE
INTERNATIONAL LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION AT WASHINGTON D.C., 2007
PHILIP C. JESSUP INTERNATIONAL LAW MOOT COURT COMPETITION ORGANIZED BY THE
INTERNATIONAL LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION AT WASHINGTON D.C., 2008
16TH AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS MOOT COMPETITION ORGANISED BY THE CENTRE FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA IN SENEGAL, 2007.
17TH AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS MOOT COMPETITION ORGANISED BY THE CENTRE FOR
HUMAN RIGHTS, UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA IN PRETORIA, 2008.
AND SEVERAL OTHER MOOT COURT COMPETITIONS WITHIN AND OUTSIDE NIGERIA