The Catholic Herald Centenary Lecture and Awards Presentation ceremony, scheduled for October 5, 2024, will be chaired by Sen. George Akume, CON, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Federal Republic of Nigeria. NETA NWOSU reports
The lecture, which examines how the country can achieve the much-needed national cohesion to forge strong nationhood, titled, “The Nigerian State: Transcending Challenges: Attaining True Nationhood,” will be delivered by Most Rev. (Dr.) Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. Pertinent issues will be x-rayed by a panel of discussants consisting of eminent and erudite Nigerians with rich pedigrees of service to society.
Discussants:
Mr. Femi Falana: Foremost human rights lawyer
Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1982 after obtaining his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). He has been a leading advocate for human rights and international humanitarian law since his legal career commenced in the late 1970s. His practice includes a diverse range of legal matters that encompasses both civil and criminal cases. With his extensive experience in Nigerian courts and beyond, Falana is recognised as an expert in labour and workers’ rights and a fervent advocate for justice and human rights.
He has represented victims of human rights abuses at various international tribunals, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (The Gambia), the Community Court of Justice (Nigeria), the Special Court for Sierra Leone, and African Court on Human and Peoples Rights (Tanzania). His human rights activism is characterised by landmark victories, which include securing reprieve for 12 young Nigerians accused of armed robbery and sentenced to death by firing squad by the military tribunal in 1989; opposing the proscription of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the criminalisation of teacher strikes; and the abrogation of the practice of arrest and detention of family members in place of wanted criminal suspects, among others.
His tireless efforts have resulted in the release of hundreds of illegally detained people, the reinstatement of numerous dismissed students and staff from various tertiary institutions and reprieves for countless soldiers who were unjustly court-martialled. He was arrested and detained twice by military dictators because of his human rights activism.
He’s the author of numerous articles and publications on legal, political, and human rights issues in Nigeria. By and large, he has made significant contributions to the advancement of human rights and the expansion of democratic space in Africa. In addition to his distinguished service on the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association and the General Bar Council, Mr. Falana has held prominent leadership positions within various legal organisations, notably as President, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (1996-1998); Secretary-General, African Bar Association (2000-2002); and President, West African Bar Association (2004-2009).
He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Arbitrators of Nigeria, Institute of Chartered Public Administrators of Nigeria, Nigerian Bar Association, International Bar Association and Pan African Lawyers Union. Falana is a recipient of the prestigious Bernard Simons Award from the International Bar Association, one of only four African lawyers so honoured. He is currently the principal partner at Falana & Falana’s Chambers.
Prof. Mike Ozekhome: A constitutional law and pro-democracy juggernaut
Prof. Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), is a leading constitutional lawyer, human rights activist and pro-democracy campaigner. Ozekhome attended St. Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Iviukwe, St. Peter’s College, Agenebode, and Baptist Academy, Lagos. He studied law at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), graduated in 1980 at the age of 23 and was called to the bar in 1981.
Aside from his two Master’s degrees (LLM and M.Arts), he has a PhD in Constitutional Law from Alliance International University, Lusaka, Zambia. Ozekhome practiced at the chamber of Chief Gani Fawehinmi where he rose through the ranks from junior counsel to senior counsel and Deputy Head of Chambers by 1985. He founded the law firm of Mike Ozekhome’s Chambers in 1986, with offices in Lagos, Abuja, Benin City and Agenebode, his home town.
His law firm handles many probono cases. He has handled epochal cases that have broken new legal grounds in law and jurisprudence before appellate courts in Nigeria, thereby helping to enthrone the practice and sustenance of human rights, rule of law, democracy and good governance. His service to the country includes as a federal government delegate to all the national conferences of 2005, 2009 and 2014; a member of the Nigerian Customs Reform and Restructuring Panel in 1994; and chairman of the 2001 federal government panel that recalled lecturers and students who were victimised and rusticated during the military dictatorship. Prof. Ozekhome is known to speak truth to authority and challenge dictatorial government and anti-people decisions.
A counsel at the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC), The Hague, Netherlands, he co-founded the Civil Liberties Organization on October 15, 1987, and a year later co-founded the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria, with the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi as the National Chairman. He founded the Universal Defenders of Democracy, the Democratic Rights Agenda, the Peace Initiative and the Mike Ozekhome Foundation (MOF), a charity organisation. He has over 400 awards and honours and is a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary International. He is a published author of at least 70 books and publications, some of which are seminal to the practice of law.
He is the founder and editor-in-chief of the Supreme Court of Nigerian Monthly Digest of Judgements, a Law Report Series from 1986 to 1988; founding assistant editor of the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports in 1985; and member of the editorial board of Times Law Reports (1986–1992). He was also on the editorial board of the University of Ife Law Reports from 1982 to 1983. Ozekhome has been cited and awarded medals of honour variously by the International Biographical Centre (IBC), Cambridge, England, as “One of the Great Minds of the 21st Century.”
He is also a recipient of 15 honorary doctorate degrees (honoris causa) from universities in Nigeria, USA, UK, Israel, Zambia, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Belize. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration (FCIArb) and at least 20 other professional institutes. He belongs to several legal bodies, such as the International Bar Association, Commonwealth Lawyers Association; African Bar Association, Pan African Lawyer Union; American Bar Association; and Nigerian Bar Association, among others. Prof. Ozekhome is a recipient of two Nigerian national honours: Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) and Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR). He is also a Catholic Knight of the Order of St. Mulumba (KSM).
Sir Chris Ogbechie: Doyen of corporate governance
Prof. Chris Ogbechie’s rich profile has many highlights, but for convenience, he can presently be summarised as Professor of Strategic Management and the Dean of Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University; visiting professor at Strathmore Business School, Nairobi, Kenya. However, there is much more depth and versatility to him. Prof. Ogbechie has a first-class honours degree in Mechanical Engineering from Manchester University, an MBA from Manchester Business School and a PhD in Business Administration from Brunel Business School, UK.
He became the fourth dean of Lagos Business School on January 1, 2021, where he has responsibility for setting the strategic direction for the school as well as overseeing all academic and administrative matters. He has vast experience in marketing, strategy and corporate governance derived from his work as Head of Marketing and Sales at Nestle Nigeria, and years of consulting for Nigerian, Ghanaian and Kenyan firms. At Nestle, he held international positions in Malaysia, Singapore and Switzerland. Today, Prof. Ogbechie teaches strategy, sustainability and corporate governance at the Lagos Business School and Strathmore Business in Nairobi, Kenya; he is also the founding director of the school’s Sustainability Centre. His research interests include strategy in turbulent environments, strategic leadership, board effectiveness, and corporate sustainability.
Professor Ogbechie has been involved with several start-ups. He was Chairman of Diamond Bank Plc and is on the board of several private and public companies, including Red Star Express Plc (FedEx), National Salt Company of Nigeria Plc. (NASCON), Health Partners and Palton Morgan Holdings. He has several publications in financial services marketing, strategic planning, corporate social responsibility and corporate governance. Some of his books include “Strategic Marketing of Financial Services in Nigeria” and “Re-engineering the Nigerian Society through Social Marketing.”
His writings on corporate governance have been published in several journals, including the International Journal of Business and General Management, the Journal of Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria and the Journal of Corporate Citizenship. His article “Board Characteristics and Involvement in Strategic Decision Making: The Nigerian Perspective” is included in Emerald’s peer-reviewed reading list of quality journal articles and book chapters. Besides teaching and researching, Prof. Ogbechie is involved in community service and philanthropy.
Hadiza Bala Usman: An epitome of excellence in service
Hadiza Bala Usman studied Business Administration at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, for her bachelor’s degree in 2000 and earned a postgraduate degree in Development Studies from the University of Leeds in 2009. Before she was appointed the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza spent many years serving her country in various public service roles.
Her work at the Bureau of Public Enterprises from 2000 to 2004 was so outstanding that UNDP later hired her for four years as Assistant to the Minister on project implementation for the Federal Capital Territory Administration. Her wide-ranging impact in these positions culminated in her appointment as the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kaduna State, the first female to be so appointed. Similarly, she became the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, the first female to occupy the position in the agency’s 63 years of existence.
As it was in the past, she brought her competence to bear on the job. As the Vice President of the African Region for the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), she pursued an aggressive 25-year port development plan that would prepare the NPA for the future of the global maritime industry. She is a recipient of many awards in the areas of governance, girl child education and women’s emancipation.
Notably, she is the co-convener of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, the famous global campaign for the rescue of the 279 Chibok girls abducted from their secondary school in Borno State on April 15, 2014. Among her many accolades, Hadiza Bala Usman was one of the Financial Times’ Most Influential Women of 2014 and was also among CNN’s Most Inspiring Women of 2014.
Fr. Raymond Anoliefo: An indefatigable priest and administrator
Father Raymond Anoliefo, ordained a Catholic priest on December 8, 2007, had his education in Catholic institutions at St. Theresa’s Minor Seminary, Oke-Are, Ibadan, St. John of the Cross (1998) and All Saints Major Seminary, Uhiele, Ekpoma. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Benin (2003), a Bachelor of Theology degree in Sacred Theology from Pontifical Urban University, Rome (2007), and a Masters in Research and Public Policy from the University of Lagos (2020).
He also attended several trainings that honed his expertise in project management and proposal writing and reporting. Fr. Anoliefo, who is a member of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, has certificates in International and Human Rights Law and Executive Strategic Leadership from the Jacobs Abbey Global Institute of Leadership, USA.
For more than a decade, he has been engaged in apostolic works, nurturing, pastoring, and coordinating the developmental and administrative activities of Catholic church parishes in Lagos. He has been a cog in the systematic coordination of Catholic organisations and associations in the Southwest of Nigeria. Fr. Anoliefo has served as Parish Priest at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Ibeju Lekki (2012-2014); St Stephen Catholic Church, Iwaya, Yaba (2014- 2020); and Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Sanya-Aguda, Surulere (2020to date).
Aside from priestly duties, he is also engaged with administrative duties, including serving as the Executive Director of Church and Society, Lagos Archdiocese, since 2014 and Director of Justice Development and Peace Centre, Lagos, since 2014. He also discharges chaplain duties at the National Association of Catholic Lawyers Lagos Archdiocese since 2014 and Catholic Action Nigeria, Lagos since 2021. Since 2023, he has been the Provincial Coordinator of Church, and Society, Lagos Ecclesiastical Province.
Moderator:
Liborous Oshoma: A brilliant public analyst lawyer
Liborous Oshoma has a tall reputation as a public interest and human rights lawyer in Nigeria. His various works as a publicist, law reporter, legal commentator, policy analyst and essayist marked him as an advocate of good governance.
Oshoma, who has been in private practice for more than 24 years, is currently the Head Attorney of Liborous Oshoma Chambers, and Vice Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of the African Bar Association. He has written several articles on law, human rights, democracy and development-related issues in various print media and is currently a regular contributor on the famous television programme, “The Advocate.”
He is also a fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants, a doctoral fellow of the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management and a fellow of the Prestigious African Institute of Public Administration. His legal expertise spans research, corporate law and litigation, employment law, and intellectual property, among others.
For over a decade now, he has been one of the most sought-after political analysts and social commentators in the country and is frequently featured on major Nigerian broadcast media such as Channels Television, AIT, TVC, Silverbird, WebTV and TV, among others. Oshoma belongs to several networks and groups like e-Legal, In-House Law Jobs, LegalTech and Innovation Network and Law Jobs Network.
- Neta Nwosu is the editor of The Catholic Herald weekly newspaper
