Osai Ojigho (born 1976) is a Nigerian human rights expert, lawyer and gender equality advocate,[1] who as of 2021, is the Director of Amnesty International's national office in Nigeria. She serves on the Global Advisory Council of the Institute for African Women in Law (IAWL) and sits on the board of Alliances for Africa.[2][3][4]

Osai Ojigho
Born
Osai

1976 (age 47–48)
Lagos, Nigeria
EducationLLB University of Lagos
LLM University of Wolverhampton
Diploma in International Human Rights College of Law England and Wales.
Occupation(s)Country Director, Amnesty International Nigeria
Known forLaw, human rights, advocacy, gender equality
Parents
  • Chief Mark Obu (father)
  • Theresa (mother)
AwardsAfrican Feminist Forum

Early life and education

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Ojigho was born in Lagos State to the family of Chief Mark Obu and his wife Theresa.[1] She obtained her (LLB) law degree at University of Lagos and a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from the University of Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.[5][2] She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2000 and obtained a practice Diploma in International Human Rights from the College of Law of England and Wales in 2010.[6]

Career

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In 2017, Ojigho was appointed Country Director of Amnesty International in Nigeria,[7][8] where she has overseen and participated in advocacy and social change campaigns including the Bring Back Our Girls and End SARS[9][10][11] movement as well as lending the organisation's voice to various for human rights violations,[12][13] social injustice, housing rights, and gender based sexual violence.[14][15][16][17]

Awards

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In 2015, Ojigho was listed by the African Feminist Forum as one of 18 phenomenal African feminists to know and celebrate.[18]

References

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  1. ^ a b "An Aspiring Lawyer Has to Love Reading, Should Be Patient and Strive for Excellence". Retrieved 23 June 2020 – via PressReader.
  2. ^ a b "Nigeria: Osai Ojigho joins Amnesty International Nigeria as new Country Director". www.amnesty.org. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Osai Ojigho | The Mantle". www.themantle.com. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Boardmembers". AFA. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Amnesty appoints Osai Ojigho as Country Director for Nigeria". Financial Nigeria International Limited. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  6. ^ Woman.NG (27 April 2017). "Osai Ojigho Becomes Country Director Of Amnesty International In Nigeria". Woman.NG. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Amnesty International announces Osai Ojigho as new Country Director". P.M. News. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Ojigho joins Amnesty as Nigeria's Country Director". Punch Newspapers. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  9. ^ "Nigerian forces killed 12 peaceful protesters, Amnesty says". AP NEWS. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  10. ^ AfricaNews (22 October 2020). "#EndSARSNow: NGO Says Justice "Needs to Be Served" in Nigeria". Africanews. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  11. ^ Presse, AFP-Agence France. "Nigeria's Ban On Police Unit Is 'Lame': Amnesty". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  12. ^ "Amnesty Sets Agenda to Address Nigeria's Human Rights Violations". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Rights Group Calls for War Crimes Probe Against Nigeria's Military | Voice of America - English". www.voanews.com. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  14. ^ "Nigeria: 30K Evicted, Defying Court". hlrn.org. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  15. ^ ""They betrayed us" : Women who survived Boko Haram raped, starved and detained in Nigeria - Nigeria". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  16. ^ "The NBA should have a sexual harassment policy". Legal Business. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  17. ^ Services, Compiled from Wire (25 May 2018). "Boko Haram victims face abuse by Nigerian army". Daily Sabah. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  18. ^ "18 Phenomenal African Feminists to Know and Celebrate » African Feminist Forum". African Feminist Forum. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2020.