Biography

Profile

Muhammad Dele Belgore is the quintessence legal luminary, renowned Chartered Arbitrator and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). 

He is a founding member and partner in Sofunde, Osakwe, Ogundipe & Belgore (SOOB) a firm of Legal Practitioners.

He has close to four decades of legal practice experience.

In addition, Dele Belgore is an expert in the most vibrant trend in a legal practice referred to as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), especially Arbitration. In addition, he teaches and writes for journals and speaks at seminars on arbitration. He is an approved tutor of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators for training programmes at all levels, including training for Fellowship status.

As an active arbitrator, he is a founding and executive council member of the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria, member of the Editorial Committee of the Newsletter of the Nigeria branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and faculty member of Euromoney Legal Training which provided faculty in the Euromoney Training course on Mergers & Acquisitions held in November 2004 in Lagos, amongst others.

He became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) in March 1997, and a Chartered Arbitrator of the same Institute in 2004. He was the Chairman of the Nigeria Branch of the Institute between 2014 and 2017. He is an approved tutor of the Institute who lectures widely on arbitration at home and abroad. 

He was a member of the Executive Council of ICC Nigeria for several years until his resignation in June 2019.

He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2001 at the age of 40, one of a few to have been conferred with that coveted rank at that age. 

 

Education

Born on June 25, 1961, Muhammad Dele Belgore had his primary education at Capital School, Kaduna; attended Offa Grammar School for his secondary education; and went to Shoreham Grammar School in Sussex, England from where he proceeded to the University of Hull, England to read law.

After graduating with LLB (Hons) in 1983, he proceeded to the University of Bristol (England) to do his Masters in Law (LLM) in 1984. He then attended the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Bar in 1985.

 

Work Experience

Between 1985 and 1986, he was Legal Officer with the Nigerian Merchant Bank Limited from where he joined Chief Rotimi Williams’ Chambers, Lagos, Nigeria (1986 to 1989). Thereafter, he co-founded the law firm Sofunde, Osakwe, Ogundipe & Belgore, in May 1989.

 

Membership

Belgore is a member of the International Bar Association (IBA); Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb); London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA); International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria (MAAN); Nigeria Bar Association (NBA); Nigeria Insurance Law Association; Nigeria Maritime Law Association; and Institute of Directors (IOD).

 

Politics

Belgore’s sojourn into politics was preordained. With his antecedent as a legal practitioner of repute, innate sense of social justice and progressive-leaning, politics had a natural attraction as a platform to bring about change, improve the quality of life of citizens and move the society forward.

Belgore has successfully positioned himself as a bold challenger of the existing order, a harbinger of hope and a new dawn for social reformation.

Since he threw his hat in the political ring in 2011, brandishing a comprehensive manifesto that has the potential of ensuring the rapid development of Kwara State, Belgore has remained active in politics and remains- till date- the most eligible politician to change the fortune of a state. 

He is today an avid grass-root organiser, bridge-builder per excellence and committed policy development specialist. 

 

Philanthropy

 

Honours

 

Family

Muhammad Dele Belgore is married to Bola and they have three children.