Re-Thinking Large Scale Agricultural Land Acquisition Through a Contract Model

The triumph of capitalism and its impact, post-cold war, is manifest in diverse ways and sites in the global south, especially Africa. Perhaps the most prominent consequence of the post-cold war capitalist strangle-hold is the phenomenon of globalization. In its legal and economic gradient, globalization has yielded unprecedented spate of legal harmonization and capitalist structuring, opening up of markets under the trade liberalization mantra.

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Justice Oke’s Legacy Of Distinction

On June 10, 2019 the Honourable Chief Judge of Lagos State, Madame Justice Opeyemi Oke, would have attained mandatory retirement age of 65 years. She served in acting capacity from September 25, and was sworn in as Chief Judge on October 20, 2017. Her tenure is exactly 21 months which tallies with the tradition of an average of barely 12 months over a 10-year period for successive Chief Judges of Lagos State. For judiciary watchers and stakeholders in the administration of Justice, Oke’s tenure had no dull moment.

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Canada Steps Up at WIPO IGC, Links it with Reconciliation and Boosts Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Participation

The WIPO IGC is tasked with the mandate to engage in text-based negotiations for the effective protection of genetic resources (GRs), traditional knowledge (TK), and traditional cultural expressions (TCEs). The need for a special international regime of protection for TK/TCEs is based on many gaps in the global intellectual property and knowledge governance order.

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WIPO IGC 39: Unraveling the Tiered Approach to TK/TCEs

One of the major innovations of the IGC, in its long-running search for international legal instruments for the effective protection of TK/TCEs (Traditional Knowledge / Traditional Cultural Expressions), is the idea of tiered or differentiated approaches to TK/TCEs. The essence of looking at TK/TCEs on a tiered basis is the recognition that some TK/TCE categories are diffused to some degree.

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TK and TCEs Again Under Focus at 37th WIPO IGC

On August 27, 2018, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) reconvened in Geneva for its 37th session. The August 27-31 meeting is the third under the 2018-2019 biennium of the IGC and also the first opportunity for the experts to further advance negotiations on two texts for traditional knowledge (TK) and traditional cultural expressions (TCEs) under the current two-year program.

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Artistes Need Opt-Out Clauses in Contracts They Sign

Following recent spats between artistes and their record labels in the entertainment industry, a Professor of Intellectual Property and Innovation, University of Ottawa, Canada, Prof. Chidi Oguamanam, has advised musicians to ensure they have what he called opt-out clauses and flexible terms in their contracts with labels.

Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, he said that in every contract there should be a point indicating that the contract be revised if not working in favour of both parties.

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US Fails to Block Progress over Genetic Resources Text at WIPO-IGC 36

After six days of deliberations (June 24-29, 2018) to secure a mature text for the protection of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, delegates left the negotiations with mixed feeling while remaining resolute on the progress made. The mixed feeling arose from the decision of the United States and its ally, Japan, not to support the transmission of the resulting text of the negotiations: REV 2 to the 40th IGC as a consensus document pursuant to the ongoing mandate of the IGC for the current biennium.

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US Fails to Block Progress over Genetic Resources Text at WIPO-IGC 36

On June 26, 2018, the long running World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore (IGC) reconvened in Geneva for its 36th session. Since 2000, the IGC has had a mandate to negotiate text-based instrument(s) for the effective protection of genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore (alternatively known as traditional cultural expressions).

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