Olisa Agbakoba
Encyclopedia
Olisa Agbakoba(SAN) born 29 May 1953, to Chief Justice Godfrey Ubaka and Mrs. Phina Agbakoba in Jos
and later moved to Onitsha
in 1965, two years before the Nigerian civil war
. He is a maritime lawyer
but more popularly known as a human rights activist in the Nigerian human rights movement from the early to late 90's.He is also a former President of Nigerian Bar Association
Agbakoba also attended College of Immaculate Conception, Enugu from 1970 to 1972; Government College, Ughelli; 1973, University of Nigeria Nsukka; 1973 1977, Nigerian Law School, Lagos, 1978; and London School of Economics & Political Science 1979 1980.
He holds an LLB (Hons) of the University of Nigeria, BL of the Nigerian Law School and LLM (1980) of the University of London.
Aside from human rights, his work in maritime law in Nigeria has been profound, he is the founder and first president of the Nigerian Shipping Chamber of Commerce (NCS).
from 2006–2008 and a founding partner of Olisa Agbakoba and Associates, a leading maritime specialist law firm in Lagos. He is also the founder of Nigeria's foremost human rights organization, the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO).He became known through his work in human rights and democracy movement in Nigeria
. He was also the founder of United Action for Democracy
and the Zambian pan-African human rights organization AfroNet. He was a defender for the Civil Rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa
who was executed and was arrested several times because of his pro - democratic activities.
and in 1996 he was given the Aachen Peace Award.
Other awards and honours include the receipt of the 15 Great Legal Practitioners of Distinction in Nigeria (1993), Vanguard's 40 Outstanding Young Nigerians Award (1993), Fellow and award recipient, Institute of Administrative Management of Nigeria, Co-director, British Council Conference on Managing Human Rights, Abuja, Nigeria, the International Human Rights Award of the American Bar Association, in recognition of extraordinary contributions to the causes of Human Rights, the Rule of Law and Promotion of Access to Justice (1996),Dr Kwame Nkrumah African Leadership awards in 2006 and FRA Williams Legal Practitioner of the year 2006 amongst others.
Olisa Agbakoba is married to Lilian Agbakoba , who is also a lawyer by profession, has three daughters and a grandson and lives in Lagos
.
Jos
Jos is a city in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.The city has a population of about 1.5 million residents. Popularly called "J-town" or "Jesus Our Saviour" by the residents, it is the administrative capital of Plateau State....
and later moved to Onitsha
Onitsha
Onitsha is a city, a commercial, educational, and religious center and river port on the eastern bank of the Niger river in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria....
in 1965, two years before the Nigerian civil war
Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
. He is a maritime lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
but more popularly known as a human rights activist in the Nigerian human rights movement from the early to late 90's.He is also a former President of Nigerian Bar Association
The early years
Olisa Agbakoba attended Government Primary School, Jos from 1959 to 1960, Hillcrest School, Jos; 1961, Government Primary School Jos, 1962 1963; Zixton Public School Ozubulu in 1964 and Christ the King College, Onitsha between 1966 and 1967.Agbakoba also attended College of Immaculate Conception, Enugu from 1970 to 1972; Government College, Ughelli; 1973, University of Nigeria Nsukka; 1973 1977, Nigerian Law School, Lagos, 1978; and London School of Economics & Political Science 1979 1980.
He holds an LLB (Hons) of the University of Nigeria, BL of the Nigerian Law School and LLM (1980) of the University of London.
Early professional career
Fresh out of law school, He served as a research fellow in the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs' (NIIA) Law and Intelligence Department. Agbakoba left NIIA after a year and formed his own law firm, Olisa Agbakoba and Associates, which specializes in commercial and maritime law. He has also been a key leader in the country's pro-democratic movement, and is the President of Afronet, an international NGO dedicated to furthering the human rights cause. He is also a Principal Partner and founder of Human Rights Law Services (HURILAWS) an NGO that specializes in advocacy and law.Aside from human rights, his work in maritime law in Nigeria has been profound, he is the founder and first president of the Nigerian Shipping Chamber of Commerce (NCS).
Achievements
Olisa Agbakoba, is the former president of the Nigerian Bar AssociationNigerian Bar Association
The Nigerian Bar Association is the umbrella body of all lawyers admitted to practice law in Nigeria.Any lawyer who satisfies the members of the Body of Benchers that they have good character and proficiency in the Bar Final Examination from the Nigerian Law School is automatically admitted.The...
from 2006–2008 and a founding partner of Olisa Agbakoba and Associates, a leading maritime specialist law firm in Lagos. He is also the founder of Nigeria's foremost human rights organization, the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO).He became known through his work in human rights and democracy movement in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. He was also the founder of United Action for Democracy
United Action for Democracy
The United Action for Democracy was an opposition group formed in Nigeria during the military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1997, bringing together human rights, environmental rights and smaller pro-democracy organizations....
and the Zambian pan-African human rights organization AfroNet. He was a defender for the Civil Rights activist, Ken Saro-Wiwa
Ken Saro-Wiwa
Kenule "Ken" Beeson Saro Wiwa was a Nigerian author, television producer, environmental activist, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize...
who was executed and was arrested several times because of his pro - democratic activities.
Honours
In 1990 he was honoured with Roger Baldwin Medal for Civil Liberties.Also in 1993, he was honoured with the Human Rights Award of the German Association of JudgesGerman Association of Judges
The German Association of Judges is the largest professional organization of judges and public prosecutors in Germany. It was founded in 1909...
and in 1996 he was given the Aachen Peace Award.
Other awards and honours include the receipt of the 15 Great Legal Practitioners of Distinction in Nigeria (1993), Vanguard's 40 Outstanding Young Nigerians Award (1993), Fellow and award recipient, Institute of Administrative Management of Nigeria, Co-director, British Council Conference on Managing Human Rights, Abuja, Nigeria, the International Human Rights Award of the American Bar Association, in recognition of extraordinary contributions to the causes of Human Rights, the Rule of Law and Promotion of Access to Justice (1996),Dr Kwame Nkrumah African Leadership awards in 2006 and FRA Williams Legal Practitioner of the year 2006 amongst others.
Publications
Amongst his major publications are Federal High Court Practice Manaul (published by Lexixnexis South Africa) Maritime Newsletter Volumes one and two; Manual on Election Petition in Nigeria; Maritime Cabotage in Nigeria; Bankruptcy Proceedings in Nigeria; Development Law Books (in three volumes; Towards A People Constitution in Nigeria; Transcending the Wall: A manual for Prisoners Reform. Others are: The Legal basis of the organization of African Unity Force in the Chad; Journal of International Law, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs 1981; Journal of Human Rights Law and Practice: Nigeria's State Security (detention of persons) Decree No 2 of 1984; Exposing the Myth of Judicial Impotence with Tunde Fagbohunlu (1991), Incursions into the Legal Profession, the way out speech given at the conference on the reform of civil adjudication, Lagos, December 1995; The Statute of Limitation in Admiralty Proceedings: A Case for Fresh Initiatives in Maritime Laws and Reforms in Marine Insurance Law, among many others.Olisa Agbakoba is married to Lilian Agbakoba , who is also a lawyer by profession, has three daughters and a grandson and lives in Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
.