During her fellowship, Abiola will work closely with HRIC directors, academic staff, and postgraduate researchers at the Law School and will participate in a range of academic activities, including lectures and seminars, drawing on her deep professional experience and academic expertise in the African human rights system.
Abiola Idowu-Ojo (nee Ayinla) is the Executive Secretary of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), where she leads the Secretariat staff at the Banjul-based principal human rights organ of the African Union. The Secretariat provides legal, technical, and administrative support for the ACHPR’s mandate to promote and protect human rights across Africa.
Before her current role, she served as Acting Deputy Executive Secretary and, prior to that, spent over a decade as a Senior Legal Officer at the Commission. In that capacity, she was the technical lead on various critical thematic areas, including Extractive Industries, Human Rights and the Environment in Africa; Women’s Rights; Human Rights and Peace and Security; Transitional Justice; Climate Change and Human Rights; Human Rights and Illicit Financial Flows; Health Rights and Discrimination, especially in relation to HIV/AIDS. Abiola also led key strategic and organisational matters, including the review of the Rules of Procedure and other institutional reforms; Case Management Coordination; Strategic Planning and Annual Work Planning; Monitoring and Evaluation; Project Planning, Management and Reporting; Stakeholder Management and Resource Mobilisation. Additionally, she frequently acted as the Officer-in-Charge of the Secretariat of the African Commission.
Prior to joining the ACHPR, Abiola worked as Senior Legal Counsel at ACAS-LAW (now known as Dentons ACAS-Law), a Nigerian law firm renowned for its excellent and creative legal solutions across sectors such as energy and natural resources, mining, electricity, and telecommunications. She has also served at the International Bar Association and the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
Beyond her impressive professional experience, she is also an accomplished multi-graduate. Abiola earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Lagos in Nigeria and holds two master’s degrees from Loyola University Chicago in the USA and the University of Pretoria in South Africa. She is also a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
The HRIC extends a very warm welcome to Abiola and looks forward to the expertise and perspective she will bring through her visit. Her fellowship also offers a valuable opportunity to deepen the longstanding relationship between the Centre and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.