Charles Dadi Umeha Onyeama was the first Nigerian to serve as a Judge at the international court of justice, Hague.

little or nothing is known about this great Igbo man who played a key role in the development of Nigeria.

Charles Dadi Umeha Onyeama was born in August 1917, he was from Enugu state. He was initially taught at the Government School in Bonny and received his secondary education at King's College, Lagos. He later attended Achimota College in Ghana; University College, London; and Brasenose College, Oxford He became a member of Lincoln's Inn.

In 1944, he became an assistant district officer in Lagos, followed by serving on the Legislative Council from 1944 to 1946. After being appointed Chief Magistrate in 1952, he became a Judge of the High Council in 1957. Onyeama served as Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria from 1964 to 1967.

After a series of unpopular judgments of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1966, African countries demanded greater representation amongst their judges. The seat dedicated to the Commonwealth and taken by an Australian judge was then taken by Onyeama after getting elected in November 1966, raising the number of African judges on the ICJ to two. Onyeama served from 1967 to 1976 and was succeeded by Taslim Olawale Elias.

He was appointed as a judge for the 1971 Beagle Channel Arbitration.

From 1982 to 1990, he served as a judge at the World Bank Administrative Tribunal.

Nice

Igbo, how are they excellent?

Mtceeew