As part of efforts to broaden the intellectual horizon of the students of its law department, the University of The Gambia (UTG), under the leadership of the vice chancellor, Professor Muhammadu Kah, last Thursday august 6th, organized a discussion between the students of the law department and a profound Gambian legal luminary, Assan Bubaccar Jallow.

The discussion was designed to give the students the opportunity to receive advice Jallow. Assan B Jallow is currently serving as the chief prosecutor at the United Nations Special Court for Rwanda in Arusa, Tanzania. Prior to that, he made a name for himself on The Gambia's legal scene as chief justice, solicitor general, attorney general and minister of justice.

Speaking at the Paradise Suites Hotel where the academic forum took place, Justice Jallow expressed profound appreciation to be associated with the law department of UTG. He noted that many Gambians like him got their law degrees outside the country and at times traveled far and wide to study to become legal practitioners. He expressed pleasure at the fact that these days, Gambians have the opportunity to study law at home. He commended those who took the bold initiative to establish the law department of the University of The Gambia, ranging from the government to other stakeholders.

"Since the time of independence, we have been relying heavily on outsiders to run the legal system of this country, but in the long run, we have to do the job ourselves. We cannot continue to depend on others for what we can actually do with a little bit of effort. The creation of the law school therefore opens up the potentials for us to build up the capacity to run our own legal system effectively and efficiently," he remarked.

Justice Jallow called on the students to ignore the monetary side of the law and start their legal career in the public service, noting that it is the place where they can broaden their knowledge on the legal process. He reminded them that as lawyers, they are not only trained to practice law but also to promote good behavior in society. "When you leave you can become business men, administrators, and people in government. This will help you to function efficiently and progressively," he stated.

Justice Jallow also challenged the university administration to ensure that the law school is managed and run efficiently, and said that it must not accepts standards which are below universal, as the students have to be trained to the highest professional standards. He also called on the students to read widely so that they can be equipped with not only the laws but also the cultural and social issues and also to ensure that they stand by their principal responsibility, which is to defend the rule of law and justice at all cost. The occasion was punctuated by questions and answers and was witnessed by several legal practitioners including the chief justice and a cross section of the community.