Roland is an accomplished international law expert who has practiced in various international criminal justice institutions within the United Nations system for the last 20 years. He has taught international law in numerous universities in Africa, Europe, and North America. He left the United Nations Organisation in July 2009 following which he joined Arcadia University where he currently serves as the Academic Director of that institutions’ overseas post-graduate programme in law. He is also the Founding Partner of Études Vihodé, a leading law firm in the Republic of Benin which specialises in all aspects of international law. Études Vihodé formed an alliance with Charles Anthony LLP in 2009.

Appearing with Dr. Charles Adeogun-Phillips, Roland between 2011 and 2013, represented The Right Rev Christopher Mtikila, the outspoken Tanzanian opposition politician before the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, in a landmark and precedent-setting case against the United Republic of Tanzania, wherein the plaintiff successfully challenged the constitutional prohibition against independent candidature for election into public office, as a violation of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

Roland has vast experience in representing present and former Staff Members of the United Nations in challenging employment and administrative related decisions of the UN Secretary-General before the United Nations Dispute and Appeals Tribunals. Appearing with Dr. Charles Adeogun-Phillips, Roland between 2022 and 2023 represented the Appellant in the matter between AAE vs. Secretary-General of the United Nations (Case No; UNAT/2022/1695) before the United Nations Appeals Tribunal at New York. The Appellant was a high-level UN official who appealed against the majority decision of the United Nations Dispute Tribunal in Nairobi, upholding the disciplinary sanction of summary dismissal imposed on him on account of his alleged gross sexual misconduct between 2022 and 2023. Between 2020 and 2021, Roland had initially represented the same officials in their matters before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal in Nairobi Case No; UNDT/NBI/2020/033.

Roland and Dr. Charles Adeogun-Phillips represented UN staff-members, Michael Antoine, and Ray Steven Millan (UNAT/2022/1659/1662 & 1663) in their respective matters against the Secretary-General of the United Nations before the United Nations Appeals Tribunal, New York, and the United Nations Dispute Tribunal in Nairobi (UNDT/NBI/2020/052/053).

The two Applicants sought to challenge the disciplinary measures imposed on them following allegations of misconduct and engaging in acts of a sexual nature inside a moving UN vehicle in Tel Aviv, Israel in June 2020, having been caught on video by a member of the public (2020)

Roland has lectured on various aspects of public international law, including international criminal law, international human rights law, labour law, and International civil service law. He currently runs various research projects under the auspices of the African Foundation for International Law. For over a decade, Roland has served as the editorial assistant of the African Yearbook of International Law.

Education

Masters Degree in Public Law, France
Masters Degree in Political Science, France
Diploma in International Legal Studies, France
Post-Graduate Diploma in African Studies, option Political Science, France
Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Rights, France

Areas of Practice

Public International Law
International Criminal Law
International Human Rights