Meet Anu Adeyemi, an aspiring legal scholar
A qualified barrister in Nigeria, Anu chose to pursue postgraduate study to realise his dream career as a legal scholar. Photo: Tom Fearon/ANU
Studying law at The Australian National University (ANU) almost felt like destiny to Anu Adeyemi for a variety of reasons. Indeed, his father was a lawyer and he shares his name with the university’s acronym.
However, Anu believes his calling to law came while he was still a boy.
“When I was much younger, I used to argue a lot. I loved arguments, especially from a standpoint of logic and on behalf of people’s rights,” he recalls.
“Naturally, people said I should study law and I soon found I enjoyed it, especially research and legal writing. It really instilled in me a love for knowledge.”
A lawyer, researcher and aspiring academic, Anu is in the second year of his Master of International Law and Diplomacy, a joint degree offered by the ANU College of Law and College of Asia and the Pacific.
He completed his undergraduate law studies at the University of Abuja in his nation, Nigeria. It was there that he harnessed his lifelong passion for advocacy into mooting, where he won cases and competitions before graduating in 2015.
He then decided to pursue a different direction by going into business in the agricultural sector, igniting his interest in economics and entrepreneurship.
In 2019, he undertook practical legal training at the Nigerian Law School and qualified the following year as a barrister and solicitor of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Eager to continue broadening his academic and professional horizons, Anu turned his sights to international study.
With the help of an education agent and his siblings who pointed out that Canberra boasted a university with a familiar name, he discovered ANU – and never looked back.
As a budding legal scholar, Anu decided the best pathway lay in postgraduate study. His choice to study at ANU was further bolstered when he learned he had received the ANU Chancellor’s International Scholarship, which offers tuition waivers between 25 and 50 per cent for international postgraduate students.
“For me, the choice to study the Master of International Law and Diplomacy represented a combination of factors: coincidence and intention.
“I went online and researched courses (for the Master of International Law and Diplomacy), finding that the international law courses would give me insight into matters related to one of my main passions: international economic law,” he says.
“I thought to myself, ‘Yes, this is perfect.’ I’m very delighted I made this choice.”
In choosing to study international law and diplomacy, Anu acknowledges that there is no better place than Canberra as a hub for embassies and diplomatic missions, political and legal institutions, and much more.
“For me, studying international law and diplomacy here (in Canberra) was a strategic decision. When you look at opportunities like internships, this is the capital so it’s easy to gain experience here,” he says.
“Additionally, the environment and multiculturalism of Canberra are inclusive in the educational experience. ANU is located in the heart of the city, which affords me the opportunity to interact with the city – its culture, people and institutions. Beyond the academics, I’m also getting a qualitative education through the environment.”
There has never been a more important time to study international law and diplomacy amid current events in the world. Geopolitical tensions, populism and war have emerged as key flashpoints.
However, Anu remains optimistic that international law, as well as its norms and institutions, are robust enough to withstand current unrest.
“Diplomatic channels are very powerful at bringing to life international law,” he explains.
“There have been challenges in recent times where international law is concerned. If you have a thousand animals and a few stray off the track, it doesn’t mean the path is necessarily wrong. Overall, there is much more compliance than non-compliance with international law globally.”
When he isn’t applying his critical thinking and legal writing skills to his studies, Anu can often be spotted attending seminars and symposiums at the ANU College of Law. The lively program of academic events provides a window into the world he hopes to join in future.
“A Japanese proverb holds: ‘Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher’. That’s what I’ve found through the events I’ve attended, which have had a real-world impact on me,” he says.
“The events have been very educational. They draw on the expertise of the College and its academics, as well as its partners in the legal profession, politics and other sectors. Having access to this expertise is a reminder about the possibilities after graduation and the knowledge they bring is enriching.”
Ready to start your own postgraduate studies? Learn more about our Master of International Law and Diplomacy.
