Dr. Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu, a Nigerian-born legal scholar and lecturer, has been appointed dean of the University of Saskatchewan College of Law in Canada, effective from October 1, 2026. Her appointment will succeed Martin Phillipson who had completed two five-year terms in the position.

Before the appointment, she served as a professor and associate dean for research and graduate studies at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law, where she has been a member of the faculty since 2008.

The appointment was announced by Patti McDougall, interim provost and vice-president, academic at the University of Saskatchewan and chair of the search committee for the new dean.

“Dr. Odumosu-Ayanu’s appointment as dean reflects a distinguished record of academic excellence, collaborative leadership, and dedication to advancing research and graduate education,” McDougall said.

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 has an academic background spanning both Nigeria and Canada. She obtained her LLB from the University of Lagos in Nigeria before earning an LLM from the University of Calgary and a PhD from the University of British Columbia.

She is internationally recognised for her research in business and human rights. Her appointment makes her the latest Nigerian academic to attain a senior leadership position within a Canadian university, building on an academic career that has spanned legal education and research in both Nigeria and Canada.

Author

Paul Olayioye