As reward for excellence, two teams of students from the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, have been received by the University Management for engraving the institution’s name in gold with their remarkable feats in two prestigious international Moot competitions.
The teams participated in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and the 31st Edition of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot 2024 respectively.
Led by the Dean of Law, Professor Ige Bolodeoku to the reception, the two victorious teams were received with pomp by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, OON, FAS and her team on Monday, July 29, 2024 at the 10th Floor of the Senate House.
Sharing their experience with the Management, the Team Lead and President of The Mooting Society, Oreoluwa Adejumo disclosed that they competed at the final rounds against over 150 universities across the world, after surmounting the challenges of a keenly contested pool of over 700 universities that featured at the group stages.
She expressed appreciation to the University Management for its support for their participation at the national and global level. According to her, “the competitions afforded us the opportunity to show our strength and academic prowess, consequently emerging winner of ” The King and Spalding Spirit of Jessup Award”.
Adejumo revealed that organisers of the prestigious competitions commended the Nigerian representatives for exemplifying the values of camaraderie, academic excellence, and outstanding professional conduct throughout their participation.”.
With utmost delight, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ogunsola praised the students for their exemplary performance. She described their success as fruits of their diligence in studies, and a reflection of the quality of teaching they have received from the UNILAG Law Faculty.
“We are immensely proud of your remarkable performances in these prestigious international competitions. Your triumphs are a testament to the Faculty’s dedication to your academic excellence and to your own hard work and determination. Keep it up!”
The students who represented UNILAG at the Phillip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court competition are: Adejumo Oreoluwa, Anyama Chimdumebi Henry, Okoli Chukwudifu Jason, Adegunju Oluwatomilade, and Adedayo Michael Alex. They are all members of the University’s Mooting Society.
They had earlier in the year emerged winners of the National Round for Nigeria, beating 6 other universities to get the chance to represent Nigeria at the White and Case International Rounds in Washington D. C, United States of America, which held from May 30 to April 7, 2024. The team was awarded the sum of 1,000USD and the ‘Flag of Flag’, “a symbol of the true spirit of Jessup.
Chidera Okoro, Betty Elikwu, Gloria Alonge, Ifeoluwa Aruwajoye, Oluwatoyin Salami, and Susana Oladejo drawn from various levels of the Faculty of Law, UNILAG represented Nigeria at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot 2024. The students who are all members of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Society, UNILAG were coached by Okikenna Osele, Adedoyin Adepetu, Moyinoluwa Adewale and Muhammad Hayat Faisal.
The 31st Edition of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot 2024 competition began in September, 2023 with a Memorial Writing stage. At this stage, participating teams wrote and submitted Claimant and Respondent Memorials in line with the moot problem released by the competition organisers.
The UNILAG representatives claimed the coveted price as champions of the 3rd East African Vis Pre-moot which was held from February 20 – 25, 2024 in Nairobi Kenya in an exciting final after defeaing Strathmore University.
Their participation at the global equivalent which held from March 21 – 29, 2024 in Vienna, Austria, saw them scale the hurdle to reach the Round of 64 thus becoming the first ever West African team to do so.
Report: Bayo Salau
Photographs: Ayo Oloyede
