•Ogebe Honoured At the Crime Scene
By Mike Odeh James
Abuja
Twenty-nine years after enduring torture at Nigeria’s Presidential Villa for challenging military tyranny, US-based international human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe returned to the scene of the crime —this time, to be honoured.
In 1996, during the dictatorship of General Sani Abacha, Emmanuel Ogebe, then a young lawyer, was disappeared for writing a letter concerning the assassination of Kudirat Abiola, wife of Chief Moshood Abiola, putative winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election.
For that act of defiance, Ogebe was abducted by state agents, detained without trial, and brutally tortured inside the Presidential Villa—an unusual venue for silencing dissent.
On July 26, 2025, nearly three decades later, Ogebe stood again on the same soil. But this time, he was not a prisoner. He returned as an honoured guest, receiving the National Diaspora Merit Award, Nigeria’s highest civilian honours for its citizens abroad.
The ceremony, held at the Presidential Villa and attended by diplomats, civil society leaders, and officials, was deeply symbolic—a testament to justice prevailing over repression.
Ambassador Bianca Onoh Ojukwu Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, presented the award to Ogebe on behalf of the Federal Government.
Why Barrister Emmanuel Ogebe Was Honoured
According to Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, the agency that organised the award, Ogebe was recognised for his unwavering commitment to human rights, humanitarian service, and transformative impact in Nigeria and abroad.
Hero of the Year – DWAG
In 2015, the Darfur Women Action Group (DWAG) named him Hero of the Year during its International Human Rights Day celebration, in recognition of his global advocacy for oppressed people.
Ogebe and team conducted over 2,000 surgeries and medical interventions in the North and South of Nigeria, a rare bi-regional spread for international medical teams because of logistic challenges and insecurity, delivering critical aid to underserved communities, IDP camps, and victims of terror last year.
Obama-Era Recognition
His prior efforts earned him the President’s Bronze Volunteer Service Award under the Barack Obama administration for pro bono legal services to NGOs in Nigeria.
Transforming Lives Across Nigeria
Beyond health interventions, Ogebe’s initiatives have provided education, shelter, relocation and hope.
Ogebe Reflects on the Journey
“It was nostalgic for me to set my foot on the ground where 29 years ago I was a prisoner in this Presidential Villa, and today I am here to receive an award for my human rights work. It is only God who made it possible,” Ogebe said. “I have been to the Villa multiple times before and after my detention and torture but coming here specifically for a national honor was surreal.”
Reflecting on the timing of the award, he noted:
“Two things I want to say: the ghost of the most recent administration that persecuted me essentially ended when the head of that regime—Gen Muhammadu Buhari—was put in the ground last week. The timing could not have been more perfect.
The second thing that was intriguing is that one of the many vulnerable girls that I sponsored to school in America last week became an American citizen. So, a lot of things are just being divinely falling in place.”
Dedication to Prof. Fola Soremekun
Ogebe dedicated the award to his late father-in-law, Professor Fola Soremekun, a trailblazing scholar and Pan-Africanist who championed African history and anti-apartheid activism.
“He has gone to be with the Lord, but we hope to continue with his works,” Ogebe said.
From Nigeria’s Courtroom to Global Advocacy
Early Life and Legal Foundation
1990 – Graduated from the University of Jos as Nigeria’s youngest LL.B. holder.
1993 – Served as Legal Adviser to Aba Local Government during NYSC in Abia State.
1994 – Founded one of Abuja’s first human rights organisations, interacting with the UN and diplomatic entities
1996 – Arrested and detained by Abacha’s regime for demanding justice over Kudirat Abiola’s killing.
Exile and International Influence
1997 – Forced into exile in the U.S., where he testified before New York’s City Council. His advocacy led to the naming of Kudirat Abiola Corner outside Nigeria’s consulate.
1998 – Engaged with the U.S. Congress and contributed to major legislation on Sudan, AGOA, and religious freedom.
He became a voice on CNN, BBC, and international media platforms advocating for Nigeria’s oppressed.
Pioneering Legal Pathways and Development
2003 – Became the first Nigerian admitted to the Washington DC Bar as a Special Legal Consultant.
2004 – Appointed as Nigeria Country Representative for the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF), coordinating U.S.–Nigeria projects in agriculture, MSMEs, flood recovery, and HIV/AIDS.
Humanitarian Work and Medical Aid
Over the years, Ogebe has overseen the donation of millions of dollars in medical equipment, consumables and medications to Nigeria, including a $400,000 shipment to Plateau State in 2024. His initiatives have built schools, homes, churches, and orphanages for survivors of terror.
He also facilitated grants for orphans and widows, working with faith-based U.S. organisations—including one funded by Hollywood actor Denzel Washington.
Advocacy for Terror Victims and Chibok Girls
Ogebe played a pivotal role in bringing international attention to the Chibok girls. In 2014, he arranged the largest U.S. airlift of Chibok escapees to access education abroad.
His work inspired the Broadway play “Eclipsed” by Hollywood star Danai Gurira, starring Lupita Nyong’o to dedicate its performance to each Chibok girl by name including Bono’s (U2) public support for the Chibok girls.
A brief scene in the Disney mega block buster Black Panther also memorialized the Chibok girls’ saga thanks to Ogebe.
Landmark Legal Victory in Indonesia
In 2023, after over 15 years of pro bono work that secured a historic ruling from the Indonesian Supreme Court, overturning the death sentence of a trafficked Nigerian, Ogebe repatriated him back to his family on Christmas Eve —the first such post-verdict reprieve ever achieved for a Nigerian in Indonesia.
Policy Reforms and Global Recognition
Ogebe was instrumental in:
Influencing President Jonathan’s establishment of the Victim Support Fund for terror survivors.
Obtaining the designation of Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. in 2013.
Prompting ICC investigations into crimes against humanity by Boko Haram in 2013 and 2020.
His advocacy has spanned the United Nations, World Bank, Geneva Summit, and national parliaments from Canada to the UK.
A Life Committed to Justice
Today, Emmanuel Ogebe continues to serve as Special Counsel for the Justice for Jos Project, offering legal aid, advocacy, and humanitarian support—entirely pro bono.
His numerous honours include:
The President Obama Bronze Volunteer Award
Hero of the Year Award by DWAG
Recognitions from Nigerian diaspora groups and U.S. state governments in Florida, Arkansas, and New Jersey
From suffering in the dungeons of a repressive regime to being honoured by the same nation, Emmanuel Ogebe’s life is a testament to courage, redemption, and the enduring power of justice.
Middle-Belt Times 