If you are a 100 level law student at the University of Lagos, Law 111 is one of the first serious courses you will encounter. It sets the tone for everything that comes after it. The course introduces you to the Nigerian legal system, how laws are made, how courts work, and the basic principles that hold the entire legal framework together. It sounds straightforward but the exams can be tough if you are not well prepared. A smart way to get this done is to make us of learnXtra UNIAPP as your go-to platform for every past questions and answers.
What is the learnXtra Uniapp all about?
It's a digital library with well vetted lecture notes, real past questions and answers gather from Nigerian universities including university of Lagos.
That is why having access to past questions is so important. Past questions show you exactly how your lecturers think, what topics they love to test, and how to structure your answers in a way that earns you good marks. You can find Law 111 past questions and answers on the learnXtra Uniapp, a study app built specifically for university students in Nigeria. The app puts your course materials and past questions in one place so you are not wasting time searching for what to read.
What Law 111 Covers
Law 111 at UNILAG is typically titled Introduction to Nigerian Legal System or Legal Methods, depending on the semester. The course covers the following areas.
Sources of Nigerian Law. Students learn where Nigerian law comes from. This includes the Constitution, legislation passed by the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly, customary law, Islamic law, judicial precedent, and received English law. Understanding the sources of law is fundamental because every legal argument you will ever make traces back to one of these sources.
The Constitution. The Nigerian Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Law 111 teaches students how to read and interpret the constitution, what it says about fundamental rights, the separation of powers, and the structure of government. Questions on the constitution appear in almost every Law 111 exam.
The Court System. Students study the hierarchy of courts in Nigeria, from the Magistrate Courts and Customary Courts at the bottom, all the way up to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. You learn which court handles what type of case and how appeals move from one court to another.
Judicial Precedent. This is one of the most important topics in Law 111. The principle of stare decisis means that courts are bound to follow decisions made by higher courts in similar cases. Students learn how precedent works, when it can be departed from, and why it matters for consistency in the law.
Legislation and Interpretation. Students study how laws are passed, the difference between acts, decrees, edicts, and subsidiary legislation, and how courts interpret statutes when the language is unclear. Statutory interpretation is a topic that comes up in exams repeatedly.
Customary Law. Nigeria is a country with many ethnic groups and each has its own customary law. Law 111 introduces students to the role of customary law in the Nigerian legal system, how it is proved in court, and when it applies alongside or instead of general Nigerian law.
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Sample Past Questions and Answers on law 111-university of Lagos.
Question 1: What are the sources of Nigerian law? Discuss any three in detail.
Answer: The sources of Nigerian law include the Constitution, legislation, judicial precedent, customary law, Islamic law, and received English law. The Constitution is the supreme source of law in Nigeria. Any law that is inconsistent with the Constitution is void to the extent of its inconsistency. Legislation refers to laws made by the National Assembly at the federal level and State Houses of Assembly at the state level. These laws are formally enacted and published in the official gazette. Judicial precedent refers to the practice where courts follow decisions of higher courts in cases involving similar facts and legal issues. This principle ensures consistency and predictability in the legal system.
Question 2: Explain the doctrine of judicial precedent and its relevance in the Nigerian legal system.
Answer: The doctrine of judicial precedent, also known as stare decisis, requires courts to follow decisions made by courts of higher authority when dealing with cases that involve similar facts and legal questions. In Nigeria, the Supreme Court is the highest court and its decisions are binding on all other courts. The Court of Appeal is bound by Supreme Court decisions and its own previous decisions in most cases. The doctrine promotes consistency, fairness, and predictability in the law. However, courts can depart from precedent when a previous decision was made per incuriam, meaning in error, or when the facts of the current case are materially different.
Question 3: Describe the hierarchy of courts in Nigeria.
Answer: The Nigerian court system is arranged in a hierarchy. At the lowest level are the Customary Courts and Area Courts which handle minor civil and criminal matters at the local level. Above them are the Magistrate Courts which deal with criminal matters and civil disputes below a certain financial threshold. The High Courts of the States and the Federal Capital Territory handle more serious civil and criminal cases and also serve as appellate courts for lower court decisions. Above the High Courts is the Court of Appeal which hears appeals from High Courts and other specified tribunals. At the top of the hierarchy is the Supreme Court of Nigeria, whose decisions are final and binding on all other courts in the country.
Question 4: What is customary law and under what conditions will a Nigerian court apply it?
Answer: Customary law refers to the body of rules and practices that have been established over time within a particular community and are accepted by that community as binding. In Nigeria, customary law varies from one ethnic group to another. A Nigerian court will apply customary law if it is not repugnant to natural justice, equity, and good conscience, if it is not incompatible with any existing law, and if it has not been expressly excluded by statute. The party relying on customary law must prove its existence and content to the satisfaction of the court, usually through the testimony of expert witnesses familiar with the customs of the community in question.
Question 5: Distinguish between the Constitution and ordinary legislation.
Answer: The Constitution is the grundnorm or supreme law of Nigeria. It derives its authority from the people and sets out the fundamental structure of government, the distribution of powers between the federal and state governments, and the fundamental rights of citizens. Every other law in Nigeria must conform to the Constitution. Ordinary legislation on the other hand refers to laws passed by the National Assembly or State Houses of Assembly through the normal lawmaking process. These laws deal with specific areas of public life such as taxation, education, trade, and criminal offences. The key difference is that the Constitution takes supremacy over ordinary legislation. If any legislation conflicts with the Constitution, the courts will declare it unconstitutional and void.
How to Use Past Questions Effectively
Reading past questions is not enough on its own. The best approach is to read your course materials first, understand the key principles, and then use past questions to test yourself. When you practice answering questions, write out full answers the same way you would in an exam. This builds the habit of structuring legal arguments clearly and confidently.
You can access more Law 111 past questions, model answers, and lecture summaries on the learnXtra Uniapp. The app is free to download and is designed to help UNILAG students prepare properly for their exams without the stress of hunting for materials. If you are serious about passing Law 111 and building a strong foundation for your law degree, the learnXtra Uniapp is where you should start.