With Her Hijab, Maryam Lawal Emerges Top Female at Call to Bar 2025

Clinches Second Overall Best with Eight Coveted Awards, Seven Years After Hijab Victory

By Abdullahi Yusuf

A devout Muslimah and trailblazing scholar, Maryam Abiodun Lawal, has emerged as one of the brightest stars at the 2025 Nigerian Law School Call to Bar ceremony, clinching the prestigious titles of Best Graduating Female Student and Second Overall Best Graduating Student amid thunderous applause.

The young legal luminary, an alumna of the Faculty of Law (Common and Islamic Law) at Lagos State University (LASU), also carted away the Best Student in Corporate Law Practice prize, bringing her total awards at the event to an impressive eight.

The grand ceremony, which held on Thursday, July 10, 2025, in Abuja, saw a record-breaking 5,734 candidates called to the Nigerian Bar by the Body of Benchers (BOB). Yet, among this historic cohort, it was Maryam’s brilliance and resilience that stood out, earning her national acclaim and positioning her as a proud ambassador for her alma mater and a symbol of Muslim women’s excellence in Nigeria’s legal space.

Speaking on her achievement, Maryam took to social media to express gratitude to Allah and reflect on her journey:

“I was officially called to the Nigerian Bar today. I emerged as the Best Female Student and the Second Best Graduating Student Overall in a cohort of 7,134 students. I was also awarded the prize for Best Student in Corporate Law Practice, receiving a total of eight awards. Alhamdulillah for this milestone.”

She recounted her intense journey at the Nigerian Law School which began in January 2024, after receiving the prestigious Keginald Aziza Leadership in Law Scholarship.

“It was a period defined by rigorous academic demands, a highly intensive curriculum, long study hours, moments of self-doubt, fatigue, and mental exhaustion. But it was also a journey of resilience, growth, and purpose, and I am thankful to God for seeing me through,” she said.

Representing LASU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, mni, NPOM, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Kareem Olatoye, described Maryam as “a true ambassador and a shining example for current and future law students of the university.”

“Her dedication, brilliance, and steadfast commitment to academic excellence have brought pride to LASU and underscored the university’s capacity to produce well-rounded lawyers equipped for Nigeria’s plural legal systems,” he said.

Maryam’s dual training in both Common and Islamic Law reflects LASU’s unique curriculum and growing reputation in legal education. Her story, as a Muslim woman excelling at the pinnacle of legal training while upholding her Islamic identity, stands as a powerful inspiration to young girls across Nigeria and beyond especially those striving to balance faith with career aspirations in highly competitive fields.

The university hailed her as “a shining embodiment of LASU’s motto: For Truth and Service.”

PEACE Magazine believes that her hijab is not merely a piece of clothing but a crown of honour that symbolizes strength, resilience, and faith.

We pray that Allah (SWT) continues to elevate Maryam Lawal in knowledge, wisdom, and integrity, making her a shining ambassador of Islam and professionalism in the legal world.

To all Muslim brothers and sisters called to the Nigerian Bar this year, we extend our heartfelt congratulations. May your legal careers bring justice, barakah, and service to humanity. May you remain true ambassadors of Islam in every court and community you serve.

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