September 09, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
The United Kingdom National Group has announced its intention to nominate Professor Dapo Akande, a renowned expert of Yoruba origin, as a judge to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.
This historic nomination, set to take place in 2026, will mark a significant milestone as Professor Akande will be the first African to be nominated for this esteemed position.
According to His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Joanna Roper CMG, who made the announcement, said Professor Akande’s will be the first African to be nominated.
The Yoruba Times was also informed that Professor Dapo Akande is an exceptional international lawyer, poised to bring profound legal expertise and experience to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
His nomination embodies the United Kingdom’s steadfast commitment to upholding international justice, human rights, and the rule of law.
As the HM Ambassador to the Netherlands, Joanna Roper CMG represents the UK Government at various international organizations, including the ICJ.
Professor Akande is a distinguished British-Nigerian academic and lawyer, currently serving as the Chichele Professor of Public International Law at the University of Oxford. He is also a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and co-director of the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law, and Armed Conflict (ELAC).
Notably, Professor Akande was the first Black professor to be honored with a portrait at St Peter’s College, Oxford. He is also a founding editor of EJIL:Talk!, the scholarly blog of the European Journal of International Law.
Professor Akande’s academic credentials include a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Obafemi Awolowo University (1992), qualification as a barrister and solicitor from the Nigerian Law School (1993), a Master of Laws (LLM) from the London School of Economics and Political Science (1994), and a Master of Arts (MA) by resolution from the University of Oxford (2004).
