Dapo Akande, a lawyer trained in Nigeria who is British, has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice, according to The Africa Report and Channels Television. The UK government also announced his appointment, describing the role as central to upholding international law.
The Africa Report published a list-style profile of Akande under the headline "10 things to know about Britain's Nigerian-born incoming ICJ judge." Punch Newspapers covered the same development with a profile of the "Nigerian-trained lawyer elected ICJ judge," while Channels Television reported his election to the court. The academic blog EJIL: Talk! posted a congratulatory note titled "Congratulations to Dapo (Final Instalment)."
The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, based in The Hague, and hears disputes between states. The reporting identifies Akande as the incoming British judge at the court, though the source material does not specify the date his term begins or whom he succeeds.
The UK government's announcement framed the appointment as a significant responsibility for maintaining international law, a point echoed in the coverage of his election.
What to watch next: further reporting on when Akande takes up his seat at The Hague and which cases he will first hear.
