Michael Dibua is a dedicated Lawyer and Notary specializing in family law in Ontario, Canada. He was called to the Bar in Nigeria in 1999 and to the Ontario Bar in 2010, bringing over two decades of legal experience to his practice.

With a deep commitment to community development, Michael has actively contributed to various organizations and associations that serve both Canadian and Nigerian communities. He is passionate about promoting causes that foster unity, love, and kinship within the Nigerian and broader African communities.

In 2012, Michael played a pivotal role in founding the Canadian Association of Nigerian Lawyers, where he championed the vision that brought the organization to life. In 2019, he co-founded the IBWU Foundation – It Begins With U – a charitable initiative dedicated to empowering individuals and uplifting communities.

Michael is also a strong advocate for African culture and heritage. Since late 2022, he has led efforts to establish an African Heritage Centre in Ontario, Canada, aiming to create a space that celebrates and preserves African traditions, history, and contributions to the global community.

He shares his inspiring journey in this exclusive interview.

What inspired your transition from practicing law in Nigeria to building a career in family law in Ontario, Canada?

I left Nigeria for the United Kingdom to study and complete a Masters degree in Law in 2002 and then moved with my family to Canada in 2009. I was inspired by the desire for a better life for my family.

How has your dual-bar experience influenced your approach to serving diverse communities in family law?

I have always been motivated by the desire to serve, and this core value has significantly shaped my approach to the practice of law. My dual-bar experience, having worked in both Nigeria and Canada has broadened my perspective on legal systems and their cultural nuances. This has allowed me to adapt my practice to the specific needs of diverse communities, particularly in the area of family law.

Understanding the differences in legal frameworks, cultural norms, and family dynamics across borders has equipped me with the tools to offer tailored solutions. It also fosters empathy, enabling me to approach each case with sensitivity to the unique backgrounds and values of the individuals involved. I believe in bridging gaps and helping clients navigate complex legal processes while considering their cultural and emotional needs.

In family law, this dual-bar experience helps me communicate more effectively with clients from various walks of life, ensuring that they feel heard, understood, and supported throughout what can often be a difficult and personal journey.

What challenges did you face in establishing the Canadian Association of Nigerian Lawyers, and how has it impacted the Nigerian legal community in Canada?

Some of the challenges I faced included but were not limited to the following:

• There was no registry of Nigerian lawyers anywhere in the Province of Ontario when I began this journey, so started by using searching our names using unique alphabet combinations,  peculiar to Nigerian names, like Olu, Ade, Okoro, Gb, Ch, and something of those sorts,  which enabled me to find Nigeria lawyer through the law society of Ontario registry of lawyers.

• The 2nd challenge was a general apathy by some of those I contacted about being part of an Association of Nigerian Lawyers in Ontario. The Canadian Association of Nigerian Lawyers is now 12 years old and thriving and has played a leading role in providing a space for Nigerian lawyers to connect, provide mentorship to aspiring lawyers and qualified lawyers from Nigeria who were re-training in Canada, and build bridges among Nigerian Lawyers. Encourage and share best practices and so much more.

Can you share the mission of the IBWU Foundation and highlight some of its most impactful initiatives?

The mission and vision of IBWU Foundation -It Begins With U- Is to touch the lives of our communities especially the lives of people who have essentially nothing in Nigeria, through little acts of charities one step at a time.

Some of our IBWU’s biggest interventions in Nigeria include but are not limited to the following:

1. Providing food to over 1000 people across 8-10 States in Nigeria during the COVID outbreak

2. The construction of a community multiple-purpose sports centre in Awe, Oyo State, with the  Seyi Adisa Foundation.

3. Our various vision care outreaches across Nigeria, which provide glasses to more a 1000 Nigerians across Nigerian geopolitical zones

4. Our various Orphanage care interventions provided furnished libraries with books, clothes, food, computers, and sewing machines and constructed play areas for two  Orphanages in Lagos and Benin.

5. Our various women empowerment programs teach vocational skills again across the various geopolitical zones, an IDP camp in Benue State, which impacted more than 2000 women in Nigeria.

As Interim Board Chair, can you tell us about the upcoming event on the 14th for the African Heritage Centre and the impact you hope it will have on the Afro-Caribbean community?

Being our brothers and sisters’ keepers is something common to our DNA as People of African descent and the community is huge to us. Taking care of our parents, our siblings, our relatives, our kids and others in our community is something we embrace as People of African descent the world over.

Our December 14, Year End Community event, is motivated by the desire to celebrate each other, and thanksgiving for our lives and the achievements of the foregoing year, take stock of where we are with our vision, share this with our community, invite feedback and speak to our next steps as well as our programs and events for the coming year.

We want our guests and people from our community to enjoy an immersive experience, including a cultural extravaganza and go ahead with a little of what the African Heritage Centre will be like when it is constructed.

Our children will have fun, learn and play and meet others who look like them and begin to build connections for the future and an atmosphere they would want to be part of always. They will be spoilt with gifts as we People of African descent usually do at Christmas and our teenagers will have the opportunity to see and hear from leaders in the black community and see the potential for tomorrow, especially concerning what we can achieve when we work together.

What drives your vision for the African Heritage Centre, and what are your long-term hopes for its influence in Ontario?

We are more than a continent and our people are found in every part of the globe. We want a home in Ontario Canada and maybe in other major cities in the world, our own space, where we can challenge and stimulate each other, show the world the uniqueness of People of African descent in our food, music, culture, art, performances and bridge the gap among other People of African descent including the opportunity for ancestral DNA tracing, so they know their roots.

My long-term hope is that the African Heritage Centre would be the citadel for fostering a more intentional sense of unity among organizations representing People of African descent in Ontario and Canada, and strengthen our collective efforts to promote being part of governance and decision-making in our communities.

A hub for cultural heritage, arts and performances, for People of African descent. 

A Place for our seniors to have fun, an atmosphere encouraging and showcasing sporting experiences, hospitality, knowledge education, innovation and social development.

A place of inward tourism, a must-visit place in Ontario in the future, which will allow us to project our uniqueness to the world, while drawing us together to address the common challenges in our community here and in our various father/motherland.

How do you balance your legal practice with your leadership roles in community organizations?

I am motivated first and foremost to serve.  The gifts we are endowed with by our maker are to be used to impact our community. And God’s wisdom helps us with the balance because he rewards those who care about the things that concern Him as well. 

His wisdom provides the balance because He does not give us anything more than we can carry. This has been my journey and I give God glory.

 What advice would you give to African immigrants and young professionals looking to make meaningful contributions to their communities?

Start with having a clear vision of what you want to achieve and if it requires further education or qualification, including vocational education, go for it. Once you have the prerequisites, the opportunities are here in a country like Canada and you will get your break and when it comes take it.

As you succeed in your respective endeavours cast your eye around you and begin to be part of service in your community, volunteering, helping out here and there, sowing a seed here, uplifting people, showing kindness, and mentoring, as you do that you begin to make a difference and impact people around you.