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From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
After more than four decades of pursuing a lifelong ambition, businessman and entrepreneur Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa has finally realised his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer, following his call to the Nigerian Bar on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.
Ohuabunwa’s journey to the legal profession was marked by repeated disappointments, perseverance and faith after several unsuccessful attempts to gain admission to study Law in the 1980s.
The youngest of 12 children, Ohuabunwa had declared from an early age that he would become the lawyer in the family. His siblings consequently pursued careers in medicine, engineering, architecture, pharmacy, accounting, construction and business, leaving the legal profession to him.
After completing his secondary education, he sat for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination with the sole aim of studying Law. Despite scoring about 250, he was repeatedly offered admission to study English Language instead.
Determined to achieve his ambition, he spent four years seeking admission into Law, enrolling in the Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) programme and attending remedial studies in Yola before eventually gaining admission to the University of Maiduguri.
However, he was again unable to secure admission into the Faculty of Law due to the catchment system and was admitted to study English Language and Literature.
While studying English, Ohuabunwa took virtually every Law-related course available outside the faculty in the hope that his outstanding academic performance would earn him a transfer. Despite excelling academically, the transfer did not materialise.
He subsequently graduated with a degree in English Language and Literature and went on to establish himself as a successful businessman and entrepreneur while keeping alive his dream of becoming a lawyer.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ohuabunwa returned to the university to study Law. He graduated with outstanding results before proceeding to the Nigerian Law School. Although business commitments delayed his attendance, he later completed the programme and was successfully called to the Nigerian Bar.
Speaking with journalists,Ohuabunwa attributed his success to perseverance and God’s grace, noting that his decision to give his life to Christ in 1995 transformed his outlook on life and strengthened his resolve to pursue his goals.
He said his experience demonstrates that setbacks do not have to determine one’s future and encouraged young Nigerians not to abandon their dreams because of temporary disappointments.
Ohuabunwa, a Harvard alumnus, said his journey serves as a reminder that persistence, discipline and faith can make seemingly impossible dreams become reality, regardless of age or the passage of time.
