JICAM – Centre for Arbitration & Mediation

Governing Council

CHAIRMAN GOVERNING COUNCIL

HON.JUSTICE IBRAHIM NDAHI AUTA , (Rtd) OFR

Chairman Governing Council Fmr. Chief Judge, Federal High Court of Nigeria

His lordship, Hon, Justice I.N. Auta was born in Jos, Plateau State on the 16th of September, 1952, into the family of late Madaki Auta Ndaahi, and Mrs.Yathlama Madaki Auta in the village of Marama, Hawul LGA of Borno State. He is the 4th child of his parent with 6 siblings worthy to note are Mrs. Darpi Peter Bwala, Mr.Wana Auta Ndahi, Mr.Musa Auta Ndahi, Mrs. Mary Hamman and Mrs.Saratu Joshua Nggada.

Hon. Justice Auta in his early days was made Chief Magistrate in Borno State judiciary from 1978- 1980.He was thereafter appointed as the principal state counsel of the State House, Ribadu, Lagos from 1980-1983.

His lordship returned to Borno State after his sojourn to Lagos and resumed his duties as Chief Magistrate. He served as Chief Magistrate from 1984-1988 until he was appointed Attorney-General of Borno state from 1988-1989.

Hon. Justice Auta served Borno state as the A.G. for a year and due to his excellent performance, brilliance and hard work, he was appointed a High Court judge in Borno State and he served from 1989- 1990.

His career at the bench truly kicked off when he moved from Borno State judiciary to the Federal High Court in 1990. He inched up the ladder leaving profound judgements and astounding precedents in his wake. My Lord is a living testimony that hard work, diligence and integrity pays. He has arrived at an honourable pedestal in this noble profession. In March 2011, he was appointed the acting chief judge of the federal high court and then confirmed as the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court on the 11th of May, 2011.

HON.JUSTICE IBRAHIM NDAHI AUTA, (Rtd) OFR

Chairman, Board of Trustees, JICAM

CHIEF JOE-KYARI GADZAMA

Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986 and enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria the same year, Chief J-K Gadzama, SAN was appointed Notary Public in June 1996 and elevated to the worthy rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1998. His professional experience spans a vast area of adjectival/procedural and substantive law. One of the Country’s highly regarded lawyers, he has for three decades been external solicitor to several Merchant, Commercial, Development and Industrial Banks; adviser to major multinational corporations, indigenous companies, organizations and a network of high net-worth individuals in Nigeria. He was the lead Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He is registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Abuja as a Capital Market Consultant and was a partner in the legal consortium of Legal Advisory Partnership (LAP), comprising foreign and indigenous lawyers charged with the responsibility of providing legal services to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), from April 2004 to July 2007. Aside this very important assignment, he is a Legal Consultant to Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the Secretariat of the National Council on Privatization (NCP) – chaired by the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

J-K’s expertise is also valued internationally. His expert opinion on the nature of damages recoverable under Nigerian Law was sought in Toulouse, France in a Litigation filed in 2015 involving one of the world’s largest Aircraft manufacturers. He has been recognized by the Intercontinental Finance Magazine (ICFM) in 2015 as one of the 500 leading lawyers in the world, and is also featured on “Who’s Who Legal” as an Arbitration Expert. He was appointed as Liquidator to wind up the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) PLC and to also provide Legal Advisory Services for the winding up process.

CHIEF JOE-KYARI GADZAMA

CHIEF JOE-KYARI GADZAMA SAN, OFR, MFR, SAN, FNIALS, FICMC, DipICArb, FCIArb. (UK), Chartered Arbitrator (Of Lincoln’s Inn, Barrister/Life Bencher/CEDR Accredited Mediator)
Board Member

MRS. DIANE OKOKO FCIArb (UK)

In the last several years, Diane has been a noteworthy talent in the Nigerian corporate law space. She is currently the Founding Partner of Marcus-Okoko & Co. a corporate law firm in Abuja Nigeria, but she can also be credited with her many contributions to a host of organisations such as the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) Nigeria Branch, the National Prosecutions Coordination Committee (NPCC), the Janada International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation, and many others.

Diane holds several degrees and professional qualifications including a Bachelor of laws (L.L.B Hons) from Ahmadu Bello University, a Masters in International law and Diplomacy (MALD) from the University of Jos, and is an alumnus of Wharton Executive Education Program of University of Pennsylvania, USA. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2001.

Amongst others;

  • She is on the Panel of Neutrals of the Cairo Regional Centre for International Arbitration (CRCICA), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the Dispute Resolution Centre of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI DRC), the Federal High Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre (FHC ADRC) as well as the Abuja Multi-Door Courthouse (AMDC) and the Lagos Court of Arbitration (LCA).
  • She is a Fellow and an approved Faculty member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) Nigeria Branch.
  • Fellow of the Institute of Construction Industry Arbitrators.
  • Member of the Governing Council of Janada International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation (JICAM).
  • Member of the National Prosecution Coordination Committee (NPCC).
  • Corporate Governance Practitioner and facilitator with vast expertise in Corporate and Company law and practice and managing board performances.
  • She is a registered Capital Market Solicitor.
  • Member of the Executive Committee of the Abuja Chapter of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Nigeria Branch.

MRS. DIANE OKOKO FCIArb (UK)

FCIArb (UK)
Board Member

PROFESSOR IKE EHIRIBE, FCIArb (UK)

BARRISTER

TAE Accreditations

  • Expert Witness
  • Mediator

Specialist Registers

  • BMF Mediation Scheme

Qualifications

  • LLB Hons Lagos (1981)
  • Barrister & Solicitor Nigeria (1982)
  • Barrister (1996)
  • Qualified Dispute Resolver (Mediator) QDR (1998)

Expert Witness Snapshot

  • 1981 Graduated (Honours) University of Lagos
  • 1982 Called to the Nigerian Bar
  • 1991 Notary Public for Nigeria
  • 1994 Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
  • 1996 Called to the English Bar by Lincoln’s Inn
  • 1998 QDR Academy of Experts
  • 2005 Fellow, Singapore Institute of Arbitrators
  • 2005 Fellow, Institute of Continuing Professional Development

PROFESSOR IKE EHIRIBE, FCIArb (UK)

FCIArb (UK) Chartered Arbitrator CEDR Accredited Mediator QDR
Board Member

PROFESSOR PAUL OBO IDORNIGIE

Professor Paul Obo Idornigie, a University Scholar, holds a doctorate degree in International Commercial Arbitration; and is aFellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (London); Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK); Chartered Arbitrator; Member, London Court of International Arbitration; Member, African Arbitration Association; Member, Lagos Court of Arbitration; Member, Nigerian Bar Association; Member, Nigerian Association of Law Teachers; Member, International Bar Association; and Commonwealth Lawyers Association.

He is on the Panel of: Neutrals at the Abuja and Asaba Multi-door Courthouses; Lagos Court of Arbitration; Arbitrators at the Lagos Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration, Lagos, Nigeria; Nigerian Communications Commission, Abuja, Nigeria and Member, Governing Board, Janada International Centre for Arbitration & Mediation, Abuja, Nigeria.

He is also a Faculty (Tutor), Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK; a former member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association; Chairman, Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja Branch; former Chairman, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Abuja Chapter and a Member of the Inter- Ministerial Committee on International Investment Agreements (IIAs, Nigeria). He is the Chairman, Arbitration and Dispute Resolution Working Group, National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable (NASSBER). Was involved in the setting up of the Abuja and Asaba Multidoor Courthouses. Practices Arbitration, Mediation, Conciliation and Negotiation.

He is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Notary Public for Nigeria and an Author.

PROFESSOR PAUL OBO IDORNIGIE

SAN, PhD, LLM, FCIS (London), FCIArb(UK), Chartered Arbitrator, Notary Public
Board Member

DR FIDELE MASENGO

Dr. Fidèle Masengo is a Secretary General of Kigali International Arbitration Centre (KIAC) and teaches International Economic Law; International Competition Law at Kigali Independent University (Masters Level). He also teaches International Arbitration Law at the Institute of Legal Practice and Development, a Post graduate Institute that trains judges and other legal practitioners.  He served on the First Board of Directors of KIAC since 2011 to 2007 for six Years. Before joining KIAC, he served as the Deputy Chief of Party and Senior Technical Adviser within USAID Chemonics International LAND Project (2012 to 2015).

Dr. Fidèle Masengo worked as the Director of Public Prosecution services (1999 to 2001) and Director of the Administration of Justice (2001 to 2004) with the Rwanda Ministry of Justice.  He holds a Master Degree in Economic law from the University of Louvain in Belgium in 2003, a PhD in Law from the University of Antwerp, a Doctorate in Theology from Life Pacific University of Canada. He is registered as an Advocate in Rwanda since 2006.  He has written articles, books, led Master thesis in law including arbitration law. He has attended many arbitration Conferences as key speaker. He has many certificates in arbitration.

DR FIDELE MASENGO

REGISTRAR

SAMUEL FAGADE

SAMUEL OLUWAKAYODE FAGADE is a Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators(UK) and Associate Mediator, Negotiation and Conciliation Monitoring Group, Lagos. He is the new General Manager, Janada International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation, Abuja and Registrar of the Governing Council, JICAM. He was called to the Nigerian bar in 2018 and graduated from the reputable Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State in 2017 where he studied law.

Samuel served during his NYSC year at the Nigerian Legal Aid Council, Lafia Nasarawa State where he conducted several client interview and counselling sessions at the Legal Aid Council, Lafia, Nasarawa State; facilitated the release of prison inmates with the option of fine; secured discharge and acquittal of prison inmates of Doma Prison, Nasarawa State in the High Court of Nasarawa State. He also served under Mr George Audu Anuga (SAN) and Olaolu Olugbogi & Co. respectively in 2020.

Samuel is also a young, talented, result-oriented, quality-driven educational consultant and elocution coach with an extensive 11-year experience in training organisations, corporate executives and even schools in Elocution and Public Speaking. He is a content developer and editor with vast experience in book editing, proofreading and even transcription. He has been engaged by Poise Nigeria under the auspices of Focs Coommunications Ltd in much paper work. Samuel is an avid researcher and a prolific author of three (3) booklets in the English Language subject.

SAMUEL FAGADE

MCIArb (UK)