Nigerian Lawyer Wins International Bar Association’s Human Rights Award
declared winner of the International Bar Association’s Award for
Outstanding Contribution by a Legal Practitioner to Human Rights for 2018.
The prestigious award was presented to him at this year’s IBA Conference
in Rome, Italy. Mr. Oyinlade emerged winner ahead of other finalists from
many countries across the world.
Each year, the International Bar Association (IBA) presents the award to
an outstanding lawyer in the world of human rights law.
The IBA has a
membership of over more than 80,000 individual lawyers and 195 bar
associations and law societies spanning all continents across the world.
Mr. Oyinlade has distinguished himself through his courageous stand for
human rights and his pro-bono legal services to the poor in Nigeria.
As a lawyer advocating equitable, just and fair society over the years, he has
taken his human rights empowerment further by simplifying human rights
laws and safeguards to the understanding of ordinary people on the street
in English and major local languages including Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo and
Yoruba spoken by over 100 million people in Nigeria.
The IBA award winner pioneered human rights empowerment via mobile
technology when he created ‘Know Your Rights Nigeria’ app for millions of
android, iPhone and web users in Nigeria. The app and the web version of
his work simplify all human rights laws in force with safeguards in
English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba languages alongside platforms
where users engage him and his team of over 50 lawyers daily for free
legal support on human rights issues.
The lawyer and UN Peace Ambassador also created platforms on the app where
users report abuse anonymously, get safeguards on what steps to take in
the face of assaults, and get connected to security forces for help,
thereby pioneering the first ever human rights empowerment innovation with
mere push of buttons in the palms in English and major local languages in
the era of mobile technological advancement.
Since the human right lawyer unveiled the app and web version for human
rights empowerment, it has proved very effective for its free access,
speedy dissemination of human rights information and free legal advisory
with over 200 thousand people as beneficiaries. The rights empowerment app
in major local languages has made a real difference for the situation of
the defenseless and ordinary people on the street in Nigeria.
Earlier this year at the U.S Consulate in Lagos, the U.S Consul General
John Bray has commended and “acknowledge Mr. Adeola Oyinlade and the work
he has done to strengthen respect and support for the protection of human
rights in Nigeria’.
While asserting that the US Government have turned to Mr. Oyinlade for his
insights on the status of human rights in Nigeria, the Consul-General sees
his work in Nigeria very key as according to him, Nigeria is ‘one of the
most important countries on the continent, given its large population,
thriving commercial enterprises, and strategic geopolitical location
Nigeria is critical to Africa’s prosperity and stability”.
At the continental level, through advocacy, the Nigerian human rights and
international law expert has also proffered solutions to human rights
issues in Africa including the South Sudan Political Crisis, the Central
African Republic Crisis, the Congo Democratic Republic Armed conflict, and
the Libyan peace talks among others with relative impact.
He worked as a resource person to the African Union Commission on the
implementation of African Youth Charters and delivered papers on how AU
member states can reform local laws for the implementation of the charter.
At the presentation of the award at Roma Convention Center La Nuvola, the
conference venue on Friday 12 October, 2018, the IBA stated the
prestigious Award is for outstanding contribution by a Legal Practitioner
to Human Rights in which Mr. Oyinlade came top among lawyers across the
world.
The IBA Human Rights Award honoree, while giving his remark, thanked the
Global lawyers’ body for the award and said such recognition is a charge
to do more. “Recognition of this magnitude brings more responsibilities.
Since the task that follows such responsibilities will give birth to
deliverables and outcomes that will shape the world for better, I am
happier and fully ready to carry on”, Oyinlade said.
According to the IBA Human Rights honouree, “As it appears to me, we are
not short of preachers against human rights abuse or short of preaching
against serial violations of human rights. We are only short of compliance
with the rule of law. As the world is commemorating the 70th anniversary
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year, we all have more
work to do to make the world fair and just.
“The world is looking up to us (lawyers) to consistently use our legal
expertise as a tool of social engineering and problem-solving. I believe
and hope that we shall continue to apply our knowledge of law as a glue
that holds the society together”, he said, while calling on lawyers to
take the leading role in expanding the frontiers of human rights.
Mr. Oyinlade is the first Nigerian lawyer to have won the IBA award for
outstanding contribution by a legal practitioner to human rights and the
second from the continent of Africa after George Bizos from South Africa
who was recommended by many personalities including Nelson Mandela.