By Ghazali Ibrahim
Professor Dapo Akande’s election as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has brought renewed attention to Nigeria’s long-standing contribution to international law, with three Nigerian jurists having served on the court before his emergence.
Akande, a Nigerian-trained international law scholar and professor at the University of Oxford, was elected on November 3, 2026, following voting by the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.
His election makes him the latest Nigerian-connected legal scholar to join the prestigious international judicial institution, although he contested and won the position as the United Kingdom’s candidate.
The three Nigerians who previously served on the court were Justice Charles Dadi Onyeama, Professor Taslim Olawale Elias and Prince Bola Adesumbo Ajibola.
Charles Dadi Onyeama: First Nigerian at ICJ
Justice Charles Dadi Onyeama was the first Nigerian to serve as a judge of the International Court of Justice.
He was elected in November 1966 and served from 1967 to 1976, becoming one of the earliest African jurists to sit on the United Nations’ principal judicial organ.
His appointment established Nigeria’s presence in the international judicial institution and opened the way for other Nigerian legal personalities to contribute to international jurisprudence.
Taslim Olawale Elias: The first African ICJ president
Following Onyeama’s tenure, Professor Taslim Olawale Elias became the second Nigerian to serve on the court.
Elias served as an ICJ judge from 1976 to 1991, having previously held several prominent positions in Nigeria, including Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and Chief Justice of Nigeria.
His international judicial career reached a historic milestone when he became the first African to serve as president of the International Court of Justice.
He occupied the presidency from 1982 to 1985, having earlier served as vice-president between 1979 and 1982.
Elias remains one of Nigeria’s most prominent figures in international legal history.
Bola Ajibola: The third Nigerian
Prince Bola Adesumbo Ajibola became the third Nigerian to serve on the International Court of Justice.
A former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, Ajibola was elected on December 5, 1991, following the death of Elias.
He served on the court from 1991 to 1994, continuing Nigeria’s presence in the institution.
Ajibola was also recognised for his contributions to international legal practice and served in several other prominent legal and diplomatic capacities.
Dapo Akande: The latest Nigerian Scholar
More than three decades after Ajibola’s departure from the court, Professor Dapo Akande has emerged as the latest legal scholar with Nigerian roots to secure a place on the international bench.
Akande is the Chichele Professor of Public International Law at the University of Oxford and a fellow of All Souls College.
He qualified as a barrister and solicitor in Nigeria in 1993 after obtaining his law degree from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University.
He subsequently obtained a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and built an international career spanning legal practice, academic research and advisory work for governments and international organisations.
Before his election, Akande was also a member of the United Nations International Law Commission and had participated in legal proceedings before international courts and tribunals.
He secured 129 votes in the UN General Assembly and 11 votes in the Security Council during the November 3 election.
He is expected to begin his nine-year tenure on February 6, 2027.
Although Akande’s Nigerian background has attracted attention, his election does not mean Nigeria has secured a new seat at the International Court of Justice.
He was elected as the United Kingdom’s candidate, with the British government describing his emergence as a return of British representation to the court after almost nine years.
Under the ICJ’s rules, however, judges do not serve as representatives of their countries. They are expected to exercise their judicial responsibilities independently and impartially.
The International Court of Justice, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It has 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and Security Council for nine-year terms.
