Nigerian Professor Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu Appointed Dean of Canadian University’s College of Law

Dr. Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu, a Nigerian-born legal scholar and professor, has been appointed dean of the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.

She will begin a five-year term on October 1, 2026, succeeding Professor Martin Phillipson, who has completed two five-year terms in the position. Professor Doug Surtees, the current interim dean, will remain in office until September 30.

Odumosu-Ayanu joined the University of Saskatchewan College of Law in 2008 and has since taken on a series of academic responsibilities. She is currently a professor and associate dean for research and graduate studies, roles that have placed her at the centre of the college’s research and graduate education programmes.

Her academic foundation was laid in Nigeria, where she earned her LLB from the University of Lagos. She subsequently continued her studies in Canada, obtaining an LLM from the University of Calgary and a PhD from the University of British Columbia.

Her scholarship has earned international recognition, particularly in the field of business and human rights. She has also helped develop research collaborations involving scholars and academic institutions across different countries.

Teaching and mentorship have been another important part of her work. She regularly supervises graduate students in law and interdisciplinary programmes, contributions that have earned her recognition within the University of Saskatchewan. In 2012, she received the Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching, followed by the USask InterD Advisor Award in 2026.

Away from her academic work, Odumosu-Ayanu has contributed to professional and community life across Saskatchewan and Canada. Her service includes involvement with professional associations, academic journals and community organisations, among them the Saskatchewan Intercultural Association.

Patti McDougall, interim provost and vice-president, academic at the University of Saskatchewan and chair of the search committee, said the appointment reflects Odumosu-Ayanu’s record of academic excellence, collaborative leadership and commitment to research and graduate education.

McDougall said she would build on the College of Law’s established reputation in legal education and research while strengthening its leadership in Indigenous legal scholarship and its engagement with local and global communities.

For a Nigerian scholar who began her legal education at the University of Lagos, the appointment marks a significant rise to one of the senior leadership positions within Canada’s university system. It also places years of scholarship, teaching, mentorship and service behind a new responsibility: leading the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Law from October 1.

Odumosu-Ayanu’s achievement stands as another strong example of the depth of Nigerian talent making its mark in institutions far beyond the country’s borders.