Indigenous Legal Orders, Legal Pluralism, and the Coloniality of Method in Global Governance
June 1, 2026 | American Branch of the International Law Association (ABILA)

My contribution to this webinar was a presentation called, “Indigenous Peoples as Well as Local Communities’ Decolonial Struggle over Transplanted Western IP.” The webinar’s central question was: how do we rethink legal methods themselves in a plural and post-colonial global order? The presentations discussed cultural heritage, intellectual property, Indigenous knowledge systems, and global governance.

South Africa–Canada Indigenous Knowledge Systems Policy Dialogue
May 19, 2026 | Canada Research Coordinating Committee

In this virtual policy dialogue hosted by the South Africa-Canada Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Technical Group of the Canada Research Coordinating Committee, I gave a 15-minute presentation about supporting IKS in Canada and South Africa. My talk focused on thinking broadly and strategically around areas that can bring us together, while acknowledging the distinct approaches in our respective contexts. The policy dialogue brought policy practitioners and subject matter experts together to enable an exchange of perspectives on policies, frameworks, and initiatives that support IKS in Canada and South Africa.

Language as Knowledge: Preserving Indigenous Languages as Carriers of Ecological Wisdom
April 20, 2026 | University of Pretoria, South Africa

I delivered a talk in Pretoria, South Africa about the importance of Indigenous language preservation at the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Workshop. The theme of the workshop was “Learning from the Earth and Knowledge Holders: Indigenous Knowledge Systems for Sustainable Living.” It was hosted by the Centre for Environmental Justice in Africa (University of Pretoria Faculty of Law), in collaboration with Earthrise Collective, UN Human Rights, the South African Human Rights Commission, and the Centre for Human Rights.

Digital Sequencing Information and the World Intellectual Property Organization
April 16-17, 2026 | University of Liège, Belgium

In this international Digital Sequencing Information (DSI) Conference, I spoke about DSI at the World Intellectual Property Organization from the lens of the Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge Treaty. The “DSI at 10” conference, hosted by the University of Liège Faculty of Law, marked a decade of debate on DSI and brought scholars and practitioners together to reflect on DSI’s evolving governance.

Workshop on Developing Ethical Partnerships for Conservation Cryobanking with Indigenous Communities
December 2-4, 2025 | Toronto Zoo

I gave a presentation at a Toronto Zoo workshop on developing ethical partnerships for conservation cryobanking with Indigenous communities. For 40+ years, the Toronto Zoo has been a leader in conservation biology. Its cryobank, where living cells from endangered species are preserved for future reproductive use, is a crucial resource for global biodiversity. Read more here.

Panel: A Victory for Global Health? Interrogating the Promises of a Future Pandemic Treaty
November 14, 2025 | Canadian Council on International Law Conference

With my co-panelists Ana Ayala and Benjamin Mason Meier, I discussed Access and Benefit Sharing in relation to the WHO Pandemic Agreement’s promise of equity in pandemic preparedness at a Canadian Council on International Law Conference panel. The panel was moderated by Roojin Habibi and hosted in the John G Diefenbaker Building in Ottawa, ON.

Intellectual Property, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Challenges and Opportunities for Africa
April 18, 2024 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Read a detailed report of me and Dr. Boatema Boateng’s April 2024 lecture on “Indigenous Knowledge, Intellectual Property, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Challenges and Opportunities for Africa” at the Coffee, Tea, and IP event hosted by the Center for African Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

How Can Indigenous Knowledge Be More Fairly Included in International Law?
June 29, 2025 | Podcast

In Part Two of this podcast, Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with me about the critical intersections of intellectual property, Indigenous knowledge systems, and access to justice. Building on Part 1, this episode dives deep into the concept of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), its origins in the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the real-world implications of the Nagoya Protocol – or the lack thereof, particularly in Canada.

How Is Intellectual Property an Access to Justice Issue?
June 17, 2025 | Podcast

In Part One of this podcast, Dr. Miranda Melcher speaks with me about sustainable bio-innovation, Indigenous knowledge systems, and knowledge governance. I explore how intellectual property law is fundamentally an access to justice issue, drawing on my lived experience in rural Africa, legal career, and academic work across law, science, and ethics.

Copyright and the Public Interest: Africa and the Global South
February 2025 | University of Cape Town Library

I offer a perspective on Copyright and the Public Interest from Africa and the Global South at the February 2025 Conference on Copyright and the Public Interest: Africa and the Global South in Cape Town, South Africa.

AfCFTA Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights
October 31, 2024 | Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance and South African Research Chair

Listen to Dr. Fikremarkos Birhanu and I discuss matters of importance to Africa as the continent navigates trade under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Hosted by the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance and the South African Research Chair: Intellectual Property, Innovation and Development at their webinar on the AfCFTA Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights.

“Should Saskatchewan court ruling make you think twice before sending thumbs-up emoji?”

The thumbs up emoji and even hand clap endorsement emoji may have contractual consequences beyond informal electronic banter. Hear from the perspectives of three law professors, including myself, talk about Saskatchewan courts' decisions in Achter Land & Cattle Ltd. v South West Terminal Ltd. as we wonder whether the case will attract the Supreme Court of Canada's interest.

Faculti Media Ltd. Interview on "A Critical Examination of African Legal Framework for Indigenous Knowledge"

Listen to me discuss the significance of African Indigenous Knowledge Systems at the intersection of intellectual property for continental trade, for economic, cultural and technological integration as well as for continental science, technology and innovation policy, projecting the ramifications of Indigenous knowledge for the 4th and 5th Industrial Revolutions –and even for AI. Based on my recent study, A Critical Examination of African Legal Framework for Indigenous Knowledge (2023) 67:1 Journal of African Law 1-21.

Innovative Collaboration for Reconciliation: Current Issues in Intellectual Property
February 9-10, 2024 | Queen’s University

The fifth annual Queen's Conference on Indigenous Reconciliation (QCIR) was held on February 9-10, 2024 at Queen’s University. This year’s conference focused on the theme of “Innovative Collaboration,” facilitating discussion on new and radical ways to collaborate to foster reconciliation in business and law. I spoke on the “Current Issues in Intellectual Property” panel session.

Commemorating 75 Years of the UDHR: Advancing Health Justice in a Turbulent World Symposium
December 8, 2023 | University of Ottawa

The Advancing Health Justice in a Turbulent World Symposium took place at the University of Ottawa in honour of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This event featured experts from institutions worldwide to facilitate reflections and discussion on a revitalized approach to tackling interconnected global health challenges through rights-based approaches.I situated the advancement of global health justice alongside the evolution of human rights, especially those of marginalized groups.

Public Presentation of “A Benchmark on the Bench”
Book Launch Event for the Biography of Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke (Ret.), Chief Judge Emeritus of Lagos State
November 15, 2019 | Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos

Chairman: Hon. Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour (JSC, CFR), Justice of the Supreme Court
Chief Launcher: Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN, CFR), Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos
Book Reviewer: Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN), Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University

Chief Host: His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Executive Governor of Lagos State

The Walrus Talks Africa’s Next Generation
Africa’s Future Lies in Agriculture
September 26, 2017 | Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada

Africa’s future is at the intersection of strength and a ticking time bomb due to its youth majority. One essential solution is for Africa’s youth to come up with their own solutions for the agricultural system, without foreign interference.

This talk was part of “Mastercard Foundation presents The Walrus Talks Africa’s Next Generation.” Filmed in Ottawa on September 26 at the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada.

Canadian Association of African Studies (CAAS) Conference 2016
June 1-3, 2016 | University of Calgary

On behalf of the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law and the Open AIR (African Innovation Research) Steering Committee, I delivered a video message to the annual conference of the Canadian Association of African Studies (CAAS), hosted by the University of Calgary from June 1-3, 2016.

7th National Health Law Conference: The Future of Health Law
November 20, 2015 | University of Ottawa Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics

As part of a panel discussion at the 2015 National Health Law Conference, hosted by the Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics, I gave a speech (beginning at 23:28 in the linked video) addressing end-of-life care, recent developments in Canada and around the world, and inequalities which exist in palliative care across the globe.

Also included at the panel was a speech on International Law in Addressing Superbugs by Professor Steven Hoffman, also of the University of Ottawa.

Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Knowledge in the Politics of the Global Knowledge Economy
2011 | University of Haifa

In this speech, I talked about Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Knowledge in the Politics of the Global Knowledge Economy at the University of Haifa, Israel. This speech was accompanied by a live translation.