Dapo Akande, a Nigerian-trained lawyer has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), marking a major career milestone in his career and a diplomatic win for the United Kingdom.
Akande, elected on Tuesday, will serve a nine-year term as one of the 15 judges of the United Nations’ principal judicial organ, making him the first UK judge to occupy a seat on the court in nine years.
Following his election, he expressed gratitude to the countries that supported his candidacy, pledging to serve with independence and to decide cases on the basis of a faithful and impartial application of the law.
“I am deeply honoured to be elected to the international court of justice. I am incredibly grateful to all the states that have put their faith in me,” he said.
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Akande, who has built an international career spanning nearly three decades in public international law, legal scholarship and international dispute settlement, said he looks forward to contributing to the ICJ’s vital work in helping to resolve disputes by peaceful means, alongside the other colleagues elected today
Akande’s legal journey
Akande began his legal career in Nigeria, where he obtained his initial professional qualification as a lawyer before building an international reputation in public international law.
His Nigerian legal background has remained an important part of his professional journey, which has taken him to some of the most prestigious legal and academic institutions in the world.
Akande is a professor of public international law at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and also a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, one of the university’s prestigious academic institutions.
Through his academic work, he has contributed to the study and development of international law, particularly the legal principles governing relations between countries.
Beyond his academic career, Akande is an elected member of the United Nations International Law Commission (ILC), the commission responsible for promoting the progressive development and codification of international law.
His membership reflects his standing as an international legal expert and his involvement in shaping discussions around the rules governing relations between states.
Akande has extensive experience advising and representing parties in disputes before international courts and tribunals.
He has served as counsel, adviser and expert in several international legal proceedings, including cases before the ICJ.
Akande’s election is also significant for the United Kingdom, which had been without a judge on the ICJ since 2017.
According to reports, that year, Christopher Greenwood, British judge, unexpectedly lost his bid for re-election to an Indian rival, marking the first time in the court’s 71-year history that Britain had no representative among its judges.
Akande’s election restores British representation on the 15-member court and is considered an important diplomatic achievement for the country.
Alex Norris, UK Lord Chancellor actively campaigned for his election, describing him as a candidate with the independence, legal rigour, judgment and breadth of perspective required by the court.
Juliet Onyema is a transport journalist who reports on Nigeria’s transport and automobile industry. She covers emerging Electric Vehicles (EVs), ranging from adoption to usage, automobile firms and transport policies which affect them, and also recurring trends affecting commuters’ mobility interstate and intrastate.
