In the second part of our exclusive interview, Kamo Sende, from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen talks about his research on small-scale farmers, the role networking plays in professional and research growth and the future of agricultural trade law and policies.
What challenges are you facing currently in your doctorate research, and what is your approach to overcoming those challenges?
In my doctorate research, I’m facing several significant challenges, primarily centred around the reliability and accessibility of data on small-scale farmers.
A major issue is the inconsistency in existing data. For instance, I’ve encountered three different datasets, all from the period between 2020 and now, that present wildly divergent figures on the percentage of Nigerians who are small-scale farmers.
One claims it’s 38%, another 17%, and yet another asserts it’s 51%. This lack of consistency makes it difficult to make definitive statements, often forcing me to use vague language like “a considerable percentage of Nigerians are small-scale farmers.”
The scarcity of accurate, reliable data is compounded by the fact that official statistics are frequently incomplete or outdated.
As my research relies heavily on pre-existing data, I’m finding it challenging to validate this information through direct interaction with small-scale farmers.
The farmers most impacted by the issues I’m studying are often located in remote areas, making them logistically difficult and time-consuming to reach. When I do manage to access farmers, they often don’t truly represent the issues faced by small-scale farmers in more isolated regions.
Language and cultural barriers present another hurdle in my research. As a Nigerian fluent in English and TIV, I struggle to effectively communicate with small-scale farmers in places like Mexico, some of whom don’t speak English.
This language gap significantly limits my ability to gather firsthand information from farmers most relevant to my research.
The diversity in farming practices adds another layer to my issues. Even within my home country, there are various farming methods.
The people in my home state of Benue have different practices from the farmers in the state of Zamfara for instance. Attempting to incorporate this diversity into my research sometimes feels like I’m forcing data or manufacturing evidence, as practices can vary so widely from one region to another.
Trust issues among farmers is another obstacle. Many are suspicious of researchers, often believing we might be government agents seeking to impose taxes.
I’ve experienced this firsthand when attempting to gather information from someone in my home state, who was reluctant to share details out of fear of government exploitation.
Lastly, as a student researcher, I’m constrained by limited resources. The financial demands of extensive field research or comprehensive data collection are for now beyond my means.
To scale challenges, I’m adopting various strategies. I’m cross-referencing multiple data sources and using qualitative descriptions where exact figures are unreliable. I’m also seeking collaborations with local agricultural extension officers and NGOs to reach more isolated farming communities.
In your journey, both as a lawyer and in your research, how has networking contributed to your professional and research growth? Can you give an example of a memorable experience that you have had, either from a conference you attended or one you organized?
Networking is a central part of research. It’s crucial – I’d say research is half knowledge exchange and half networking. It’s so essential, I’ll share how it relates to my experience.
When I started my research, my topic was more than 50 words long. I spoke to some people about it, including Dr. Titilayo Adebola, a lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, Prof Anne Saab and other researchers in Leicester.
Most communication was through emails, but Dr. Adebola graciously invited me to her office. We started networking because I was going to be a doctoral researcher. She noticed my interest in academia, and she was investigating something I found curious: law and food.
When I saw this, I thought, “People think I don’t understand what I’m saying when I tell them I’m researching law, climate change, and food security, but here’s someone with research in law and food.”
In her office, Dr. Adebola’s first question was, “Are you trying to discuss food security or food sovereignty?” That one question, followed by coffee and networking, changed the whole trajectory of my research.
When I looked up both concepts later and discussed them with my supervisory committee led by Dr. Uche Iloka, Prof Paul Arnell and Rebecca Cox, I realized food security wasn’t my core theme – it was about small-scale farmers in the global south.
I’d been focusing so much on food security that people thought I was discussing food sovereignty. That singular networking experience changed my research. We’ve kept in contact.
I recently presented at a conference in Belfast and got accepted to present at another in Tanzania (which I’m regrettably missing).
One of these opportunities came from Dr. Adebola simply sending me LinkedIn links and encouraging me to apply, saying they’re related to our research area – she now calls it our research area. The other came from Dr. Temitope Odusanya.
At the Belfast conference, I met Beatrice Olivastri, CEO of Friends of the Earth, Canada. People in climate change would know her; Friends of the Earth are leading the conversation on climate change. We got acquainted and exchanged emails – that’s what networking does for you.
I got data that would have cost me a lot to gather myself. After her presentation, I emailed asking if she could send me the information, and she did – a whole document of data she’d presented. She’d spent a lot collecting this data from all over the world but just emailed it to me.
I always say the importance of networking can’t be overemphasized. It facilitates knowledge exchange, helps you collaborate on opportunities, gives you access to resources you can’t get otherwise, helps you stay current, and helps you get feedback on your research.
What legal strategies can help empower and protect vulnerable communities, and what would you advise communities with limited access to legal services?
In my current role at the Citizens Advice Bureau, where I volunteer most of my hours, I’ve observed that even in developed countries, legal services are often either too expensive for people to afford or simply inaccessible. I believe the main issue boils down to affordability.
In these situations, we strive to provide a certain level of assistance to those who can’t afford these services. We teach them how to navigate legal processes and guide them through their options. Our goal is to help them understand what choices are available to them.
My advice to vulnerable communities with limited access to legal services is to know your basic rights. People in these communities should be encouraged to seek help and advice when they encounter problems, rather than waiting for issues to escalate.
In Nigeria, for example, many people don’t take advantage of legal aid. If you can’t afford legal representation, you can walk into a legal aid office and present your case. If it’s something they can handle and you’re a low-income earner, they will often take on your case
How do you build and retain strong client relationships?
Building and retaining strong client relationships is crucial for any lawyer or law firm. As I experienced during my time practising in Kano and later at SBL Solicitors and Advocates, clients are indeed integral to a law firm’s success.
The primary way to retain clients is simply to get the job done effectively. When clients know they can rely on you and that you genuinely know what you’re doing, they’re much more likely to return. It’s about consistently demonstrating competence and reliability.
As a lawyer, you won’t always be successful in every case. However, if you can create trust and deliver to a level where clients have faith in your abilities even when the outcome isn’t favorable, they’ll continue to rely on you. They need to know that whatever you do is the best that can be done under the circumstances.
I often advise younger associates that the key to keeping clients (and keeping them paying) is to ensure that at no point are they in doubt about whether you’re giving your absolute best effort. There’s no need for unnecessary gestures or being a people-pleaser. You don’t need to make house calls or go to extreme lengths to serve them. The focus should be on doing your job exceptionally well.
There’s no magic formula to client retention. It’s not about superficial charm or excessive accommodations. It all comes down to competence, reliability, and consistent high-quality work. When you consistently deliver excellent service, clients will return because they trust you.
This approach builds a reputation for professionalism and expertise, which not only retains existing clients but also attracts new ones through word-of-mouth referrals. In the legal profession, your reputation for getting the job done effectively is your most valuable asset in building and maintaining strong client relationships.
Let’s talk about your time as an associate at Felix C. Eze & Co LP. How did your experience shape your career in corporate and contract law? What were those valuable lessons you learnt?
My time as an associate at Felix C. Eze & Co LP significantly shaped my career in law. I joined the firm as a youth corper, initially posted to the Ministry of Justice like most fresh law school graduates. However, I quickly realized that working as a state prosecutor wasn’t for me.
Fortunately, a classmate working at Felix C. Eze & Co LP, Cecilia Ogwuche, recommended me to Mr. Eze. He called me in for what I thought would be a formal interview, but it turned out to be a casual conversation about life, myself, and even football. To my surprise, he asked me to start on Monday.
Felix Eze showed immense trust in me from the beginning, assigning me significant responsibilities including court appearances. I’ll never forget when he sent me to the Court of Appeal. Despite my nervousness, he reassured me, saying, “These people aren’t going to eat you up. I’ve listened to you talk, so you can do it.” That experience was the true beginning of my legal practice.
My time at Felix C. Eze & Co LP was formative. I often say that most of my practical, non-academic legal knowledge came from Felix Eze himself and the firm. He even nominated me to act as Head of Chambers for a few weeks when our HOC left abruptly, an honor for such a young lawyer.
What truly defined my legal path was the exposure to corporate law. Felix Eze put me as a direct link between the firm and two international companies. Our firm was handling their secretarial duties, which meant I was working as a corporate lawyer once or twice a week. This experience sparked my interest in corporate law and set the direction for my career.
Can you tell us about a milestone or achievement you are most proud of? How did this achievement contribute to your professional development? Looking back on your career, is there anything you would have done differently, and what are your future aspirations in the field of corporate and contract law?
My greatest achievement or proudest moment is getting accepted into a PhD program. I try to be as modest as I can, but it was truly a top-tier moment for me. I got accepted after they listened to my research proposal and I was accepted into three Universities in 3 months. It was a big flex for me. I sat down one day, looked at myself, and thought, “Man, you did this thing!”
This proud moment is essentially tied to my story. As funny as it might sound, I’ve had a very turbulent academic journey. Contrary to what most people might think, I didn’t graduate strongly from university. I wasn’t the kind of guy who paid attention. But later, I realized that I needed to pick up my life and continue with it. Some days it felt like it was too late, but I persevered.
So if you ask me what I would go back in time and do differently, it’s this: I would live up to my full potential and graduate from undergraduate studies strong.
I also hope that other young people look at me and realize that you don’t need to have done everything right in life to get many other things right. You just need to decide that you want to pick yourself up.
If I hadn’t mentioned this, you wouldn’t know. You might think I was the best graduating student in my undergraduate program like I was in my LLM. It’s just about picking yourself up. Whilst I don’t share that story often, I hope young people find strength from it and pick themselves up. I hope they realize that at any time you can pick yourself back up and be anything.
My career aspirations are now in policy, not in corporate law, sadly. They’re in agricultural law. I’m very interested in agricultural law and its policies.
I don’t want my niche to be essentially tied to corporate and contract law, which most people in commercial law do. I want to be known in agricultural law, which is something I won’t just be professionally tied to, it’s something I’m personally meant to be doing and personally committed to.
For your final question, how do you see the future of trade law evolving in the next few years? What is your advice for those who want to go into corporate law, agricultural law, or doctoral research?
I believe the future of trade law, especially in agriculture, will evolve significantly in the next few years. Key areas likely to gain prominence, I think, are climate change adaptation and technology integration.
We’re already seeing discussions around agricultural tech advances and how trade laws need to adapt to address issues like data ownership and, more recently, the use of AI in agriculture. These areas are set to develop further in the coming years.
Food security will also be a major consideration, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact in 2020. The crisis highlighted the need for trade laws to ensure stable food supplies while protecting local agricultural sectors.
For those interested in pursuing law, particularly doctoral research, my advice is this: don’t be constrained by existing categories. My university doesn’t offer agricultural trade law and policy specifically, but that’s what I chose to pursue. Law offers enormous opportunities – you’re truly limitless as a Lawyer or Law researcher. You can be or do anything, especially in law, which I can speak to from experience.
Doctoral research isn’t easy, I won’t lie. But if you’re determined, it’s very doable. The key is to know your research area well. Don’t choose a topic just because it’s popular or trendy. Choose something you’re passionate about because you’ll be thinking about it every day. If it’s not something you truly love, you might find it depressing.
So, for those considering doctoral research, my advice is simple: love what you’re studying, plan properly, and go for it. Don’t be afraid to carve out your own niche or combine different areas of law in new ways.
For those interested in corporate or agricultural law, stay informed about emerging trends like sustainability, technology integration, and global trade dynamics. These areas are likely to shape the future of both corporate and agricultural law.
Remember, the legal field is vast and constantly evolving. Your unique perspective and interests can lead to innovative research or practice areas.
Whether it’s corporate law, agricultural law, or a combination of fields, there’s room for new ideas and approaches. The key is to stay curious, be open to interdisciplinary connections, and never stop learning.
