By Ali-Haidar Waziri Isa
Abuja – In a move that underscores Nigeria’s expertise in legislative drafting, the Parliament of the Kingdom of Lesotho has engaged Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, Executive Director of the Nigerian Law Society, to train its lawyers and staff.
Dr. Jaja, a Senior Research Fellow, was approached by Ms. Mpolokeng J. Makhema, Assistant Parliamentary Counsel in the Ministry of Justice, Kingdom of Lesotho, to provide the training. This engagement marks the second time a renowned legislative drafting expert has been engaged by the Ministry since 2014, following in the footsteps of late Professor Vincent Crabble, a former Judge of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
Dr. Jaja brings over 15 years of experience in legislative drafting, having started his career in 2006 with a Master of Law (LLM) degree in legislative drafting. He further solidified his expertise with a PhD in Legislative Drafting from the University of London’s Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in 2013.
His impressive track record includes working as a legislative drafting lawyer for the Attorney General of Oyo state and serving as the Lead Consultant for the review of Lagos state’s environmental laws. Dr. Jaja has also worked with various organizations and establishments in Nigeria and globally as a legislative drafting consultant and expert.
This appointment is a testament to Dr. Jaja’s exceptional expertise and dedication to the field, which has earned him international recognition. Recently, he won the 2022 Global Law Experts award in Legislative Drafting and Law Reforms.
Dr. Jaja’s achievement has brought great honor and pride to Nigeria, highlighting the country’s capacity to produce individuals of outstanding merit who contribute positively to global legislative practices.
In an interview with Education Monitor, Dr. Jaja expressed his gratitude to the Parliament of Lesotho for the opportunity, saying, “I am honored to share my expertise with the lawyers and staff of Lesotho’s Parliament. This engagement underscores the global recognition of Nigeria’s expertise in legislative drafting.”
Dr. Jaja was employed by the then Attorney General of Oyo state, Professor Oyewo Oyewo SAN, as a legislative drafting lawyer. Professor Oyewo appointed him the Lead Consultant for the review of the environmental laws of Lagos state.
Dr. Jaja has worked in different organizations and establishments in Nigeria and in different parts of the world as a legislative drafting consultant and expert. His expertise has been recognized globally, and his work has contributed significantly to the development of legislative processes both nationally and internationally.