From University of Lagos to Canadian Dean: Nigerian Scholar Appointed Law Dean at USask

Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu

From University of Lagos to Canadian Dean: Nigerian Scholar Appointed Law Dean at USask

The University of Saskatchewan College of Law in Canada has appointed Nigerian-born legal scholar Dr. Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu as its new dean for a five-year term beginning October 1, 2026. She succeeds Martin Phillipson, who completed two five-year terms as dean and began administrative leave on July 1, 2026. The appointment was announced by Patti McDougall, interim provost and vice-president, academic at the University of Saskatchewan, who also chaired the search committee for the new dean. McDougall praised Odumosu-Ayanu’s academic record and leadership qualities, stating: “Dr. Odumosu-Ayanu’s appointment as dean reflects a distinguished record of academic excellence, collaborative leadership, and dedication to advancing research and graduate education. Her work as dean will continue to build on the College of Law’s strong reputation for excellence in legal education and research, while strengthening its leadership in Indigenous legal scholarship and engagement with local and global communities”.

Odumosu-Ayanu grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where she developed an early interest in reading and writing. Although she initially considered pursuing communications, encouragement from her teachers and support from her parents led her towards law. By the end of secondary school, she had decided to study law and enrolled at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where she earned her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. She later moved to Canada to pursue a master’s degree at the University of Calgary, drawn by its research strengths in natural resources, energy and environmental law. She obtained her LLM from the University of Calgary in 2005. Reflecting on this decision, she noted: “Since I started law school, I always knew that I wanted to do a master’s and to do one abroad. But I always thought I would go to England”. Odumosu-Ayanu initially intended to return to Nigeria after completing her master’s degree and practise as a lawyer. However, she continued her academic journey by pursuing a PhD at the University of British Columbia, which she completed in 2010. She said a doctorate was not part of her original plan, but she eventually embraced the academic path.

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Odumosu-Ayanu joined the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Law in 2008 as an assistant professor and has been a member of the faculty since then. Before her appointment as dean, she served as associate dean for research and graduate studies at the college, a position she assumed on July 1, 2025. Prior to joining USask, she was a sessional lecturer at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law and at the Canadian Institute of Resources Law in Calgary. She is also a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Before Odumosu-Ayanu assumes office, Professor Doug Surtees, who has been serving as interim dean since July 1, 2026, will continue in the position until September 30. Surtees was appointed interim dean to provide stable leadership during the transition as the search for the next dean continued.

Odumosu-Ayanu is internationally recognised for her research focusing on business and human rights, as well as the intersections of natural resource development, international law on foreign investment, and socio-economic development. Her current research interests focus on local communities and Indigenous peoples and their interactions with legal systems. A recipient of several competitive research grants, including grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) , her research has been published in several leading international journals and books. She has coedited books and journal issues, including the 2025 volume Contested Consultations in the Extractive Industries: Rights, Processes and Tensions published by Routledge. She has spoken at numerous international conferences across several continents, delivered invited lectures at leading universities, and co-convened workshops and conferences with leading experts. Her recent publications include “Local Communities, Indigenous Peoples, and Reform/Re-Definition of International Investment Law” in the Journal of World Investment and Trade (2023) and contributions to the Oxford University Press volume Rethinking Investment Law: Perspectives and Prospects.

Beyond her research contributions, Odumosu-Ayanu has developed a strong record in teaching and mentorship, regularly supervising graduate students in law and interdisciplinary programmes. She teaches Contracts, Business Organizations I, Law Development and the International System, and Advanced Law Development and the International System. Her contributions to student support and teaching have earned her several recognitions, including the Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching in 2012 and the USask InterD Advisor Award in 2026. She is also a contributor to one of Canada’s leading contracts law casebooks.

Odumosu-Ayanu has been actively involved in academic and community organisations across Saskatchewan and Canada. She has served on the boards of professional associations, academic journals and community organisations, including the Saskatchewan Intercultural Association. She serves or has served on the editorial/advisory boards of the Business and Human Rights Journal, Law and Society Review, Journal of African Law, African Journal of International Economic Law, and the African Yearbook of International Law. She was co-chair of the Midwest Interest Group of the American Society of International Law and a vice president of the Canadian Law and Society Association. She has also served as a consultant for the United Nations University, chair of a SSHRC committee, and reviewer for granting agencies including SSHRC, as well as external examiner and reviewer for publishers, journals and universities including the University of Oxford and the University of Victoria. Her appointment adds her to the growing list of Nigerian academics who have risen to senior leadership positions within Canadian universities, building on an academic career that has spanned legal education and research in both Nigeria and Canada.