When screened for an application to a an institution or school, a letter of recommendation (also known a a reference letter or letter of attestation) is requested as part of the application.
A letter of recommendation is a letter written by somebody with knowledge of an applicant(aspirant), reaffirming the applicant’s qualities, behavior ,characteristics and capabilities.
Recommendation letters are not limited to instution/school applications alone, they can also be requested for application to jobs,scholarship applications …

For purposes of institution aplications, it is preferred that it should be written by profiled individuals who have been associate with you for a considerable period of time.

Examples include:
◆ lecturers,
◆ traditional rulers,
◆ university mentors,
◆ previous employers and distinguished individuals in the society.

Recommendation letters shouldn’t neccessary be written by relative as they are considered biased.

Always use a letter headed paper of the referee’s place of work for a reference letter.It is a must.

Obtaining a letter of recommendation is usually an easy and straightforward process, unless you had disciplinary/ behavioural problems. However, a prospective referee may have busy schedule; therefore, it’s important to contact them well in advance to ensure the letter is received before the application deadline.