The story of Vera Anyim, who shared her testimony at Pastor Dr. Paul Enenche’s Dunamis Church about graduating with a law degree from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has become well known. Following her testimony, Pastor Enenche criticized her, claiming the testimony was not genuine because she was unclear about the specifics of her law degree.
This incident led to criticism of Pastor Enenche for seemingly belittling the young woman during her moment of pride, for which he later issued an apology.
However, the real issue at hand, in my opinion, concerns Vera Anyim’s testimony and her apparent struggle with communicating fluently in English. Before you argue that English proficiency is not a measure of intelligence—and I agree it isn’t—it’s important to note that in the field of law, proficiency in the language in which the law is written is critical.
Consider this: if you are a Chinese lawyer with a strong command of Chinese, the language in which your country’s laws are written, your ability to articulate and argue cases effectively in court would mark you as highly competent. In contrast, in professions like medicine, perfect language skills are not as critical; a doctor might not speak perfect English but can still be regarded as highly intelligent if they excel at performing surgeries and saving lives.
However, the practice of law in Nigeria demands a high level of English proficiency, as it is the language in which our laws are framed.
I don’t hold Vera Anyim solely responsible; rather, I attribute significant blame to NOUN. It seems evident that during her academic tenure, it should have been recognized that her English proficiency was insufficient for the legal profession. Ideally, she should have been advised to consider a different career path, rather than pursuing a law degree that she might be unable to utilize effectively.
What is the value of a law degree if it cannot be practiced due to language barriers?
This situation underscores a deeper malaise within our educational system. It’s disheartening that the focus of public debate has been on Pastor Enenche’s reaction rather than on the alarming fact that a law graduate struggles with basic communication in English.
Yes English is not a measure of anyone’s intelligence normally unfortunately this isn’t true for all profession. English language mastery is a requirement for any country that their laws are written in English language
I believe it’s crucial to clarify some important points in this discussion. Vera Anyim has indeed completed her degree, but she has not yet qualified as a lawyer. Furthermore, she graduated with a third-class degree. While there is no explicit requirement in the admissions criteria that mandates higher grades for entry into law school, gaining admission into the Nigerian Law School could potentially be challenging for her. Additionally, she must pass the entrance examination to the Nigerian Law School before she can proceed with her legal education. Therefore, it’s important to note that Vera Anyim is not yet a lawyer, in case there is any misunderstanding about my previous statements.
Regarding the criticism directed at the pastor, I understand why people were upset. As a spiritual leader, he is not meant to act as judge and jury over his congregation. However, being human, he has acknowledged his mistake and offered an apology for his actions.
