Well-grounded jurist

Editorial

 

It is interesting that Nigerian-born Professor Dapo Akande is United Kingdom’s candidate for the prestigious International Law Commission, in an election slated for November 2021. Professor Akande, a renowned Professor of International Law, is currently teaching at the University of Oxford, and is a visiting professor at several world-class institutions, including Harvard University. His candidacy has also been supported by Nigeria, with Japan, Kenya and Slovenia joining as co-sponsors.

In his own words, Professor Akande stated: “It is a true honour to be nominated by the UK, Nigeria, Japan, Kenya and Slovenia for the International Law Commission. Throughout my career, I have championed and promoted internationalism. If elected, I will strive to make a meaningful contribution to international law and international cooperation.” From his antecedents, we have no doubt that the distinguished international scholar will live up to expectation.

He has also promised the codification and progressive development of International Law, to strengthen the rules on which international cooperation is based, and help promote a just and peaceful system of international relations, if elected. While we congratulate Nigeria for joining to co-sponsor Professor Akande’s candidacy, we wonder whether Nigeria has tapped from his renowned expertise in International Law. For example, we believe he can be of help in scrutinising the several treaties and agreements that Nigeria entered into, many of which have been subject of disputes.

Indeed, Professor Akande’s biography is very rich, and one that every Nigerian should be proud of. He is an internationally recognised expert in Public International Law, with over 25 years’ experience at top academic institutions across the globe. He has appeared before the International Court of Justice, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the International Criminal Court and the European Court of Human Rights, amongst other global leading legal institutions.

An erudite scholar and prolific writer, Professor Akande is one of the authors of Oppenheim’s International Law: The United Nations (2017,OUP), one of the editors of The Practitioners Guide to the Application of Human Rights Law in Armed Conflict (106,OUP) and Human Rights and 21st Century Challenges: Poverty, Conflict and the Environment (2020,OUP). He has been appointed member of International Group of Experts by NATO, the American Law Institute, and has been an advisor to United Nation’s bodies, the African Union Commission, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the Association of South East Asian Nations.

While he has been making waves across the globe, his expertise has not been felt in his native country Nigeria, as much as it has in his adopted country, the United Kingdom and even beyond. Is it a case of a prophet not being recognised in his own home, even while he does outstanding things outside? Whatever may be the reason for the past neglect by Nigeria to exploit his expertise for the nation’s good, it is better late than never.

Despite Professor Akande’s wealth of teaching experience in world-class universities across the world, we doubt if any Nigerian university has benefited from this. Although the United Kingdom is his adopted country, we urge him to remember that Nigeria is his original country. As the saying goes, charity must begin at home, and Nigeria is that home. With the benefit of internet, universities in Nigeria can easily tap into his academic  brilliance without the trouble of bringing him home.

We join the rest of the world to wish Professor Akande success at the November election into the International Law Commission. Like the United Kingdom, which proudly supports his candidacy; we believe the world would benefit from his expertise in charting a better future for International Law.