Olufemi Elias is a Nigerian lawyer who served as Registrar of the United Nations

International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, also referred to as the IRMCT or the Mechanism, is an international court established by the United Nations Security Council in 2010 to perform the remaining functions of the Internati ...

(IRMCT) until 30 June 2020.

Early life and education

Elias studied at Corona School, and then

Igbobi College Igbobi College is a college established by the Methodist and Anglican Churches in 1932, in the Yaba suburb of Lagos, Lagos State, South-western Nigeria. It is still on its original site and most of the original buildings are intact. It is one ...

, Lagos, Nigeria before obtaining a law degree from the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

, a

Master of Laws A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject. In mos ...

from the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

and a doctorate from

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...

. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1988. His father, Justice

Taslim Olawale Elias Taslim Olawale Elias (11 November 1914 – 14 August 1991) was a Nigerian jurist who served as minister of Justice and attorney-general of Nigeria from 1960 to 1966, Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1972 to 1975 and president of the International ...

was the very first Attorney-General and Chief Justice of Nigeria and a judge and President of the

International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (ICJ; french: Cour internationale de justice, links=no; ), sometimes known as the World Court, is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN). It settles disputes between states in accordanc ...

Career

Elias has held several functions including being a Judge for Staff Appeals,

Special Tribunal for Lebanon The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), also referred to as the Lebanon Tribunal or the Hariri Tribunal, is a tribunal of international character applying Lebanese criminal law to carry out the investigation and prosecution of those responsib ...

(STL); Legal Adviser and Director,

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is an intergovernmental organisation and the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which entered into force on 29 April 1997. The OPCW, with its 193 member ...

(OPCW), The Hague; Executive Secretary (Registrar), World Bank Administrative Tribunal, Washington D.C.; Senior Legal Officer, OPCW; Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary,

United Nations Compensation Commission The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) was created in 1991 as a subsidiary organ of the United Nations Security Council. Its mandate is to process claims and pay compensation for losses and damage suffered as a direct result of Iraq's 19 ...

(UNCC), Geneva and Legal Adviser, Governing Council Secretariat, UNCC. Elias is a visiting professor at the Department of Law,

Queen Mary University of London , mottoeng = With united powers , established = 1785 – The London Hospital Medical College1843 – St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College1882 – Westfield College1887 – East London College/Queen Mary College , type = Public researc ...

and has taught at the

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...

and the

University of Buckingham , mottoeng = Flying on Our Own Wings , established = 1973; as university college1983; as university , type = Private , endowment = , administrative_staff = 97 academic, 103 support , chance ...

. He is also the author of several publications in the field of International Law and was awarded the Honorary Membership Award of the American Society of International Law (ASIL) in recognition of his contributions to international law. At the 2020 election, Elias joined the race to serve as a Judge of the International Court of Justice. He was not elected. In early 2022, Elias was appointed by the

International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster globa ...

to an external panel to strengthen institutional safeguards in the wake of a data scandal involving IMF Managing Director

Kristalina Georgieva Kristalina Ivanova Georgieva-Kinova ( bg, Кристалина Иванова Георгиева-Кинова; ; born 13 August 1953) is a Bulgarian economist serving as managing director of the International Monetary Fund since 2019. She was t ...

during her time at the World Bank.

Functions at the Mechanism

The Registrar
heads the Registry, which provides administrative, legal, policy and diplomatic support services to all organs of the Mechanism.

Statements and speeches

Other activities

Institut de Droit International The Institute of International Law ( French: Institut de Droit International) is an organization devoted to the study and development of international law, whose membership comprises the world's leading public international lawyers. The organizat ...

, Membre Associé *

American Society of International Law The American Society of International Law (ASIL), founded in 1906, was chartered by the United States Congress in 1950 to foster the study of international law, and to promote the establishment and maintenance of international relations on the ba ...

, Former Member of the Executive Council * '' International Arbitration Review'', Member of the Advisory Board * African Association of International Law, Former Secretary General * '' African Journal of International and Comparative Law'', Member of the Editorial Board *

International Gender Champions International Gender Champions (IGC) is a network of female and male leaders of member states, international organizations, and civil society working for gender equality. It is an initiative of Women@TheTable, and was founded in 2015 by Caitlin Kr ...

(IGC), MemberMembers

(IGC). *

International Law Association The International Law Association (ILA) is a non-profit organisation based in Great Britain that — according to its constitution — promotes "the study, clarification and development of international law" and "the furtherance of international ...

, Member * Nigerian Society of International Law, Life Member *Igbobi College Old Boy's Association Merit Award for Professional Achievement

References

Nigerian officials of the United Nations Alumni of the University of Cambridge Alumni of the University of Oxford Living people Academics of the University of Buckingham Academics of King's College London Academics of Queen Mary University of London Lawyers from Lagos Nigerian academics 20th-century Nigerian lawyers Igbobi College alumni Year of birth missing (living people) {{UN-bio-stub