Olawale Fapohunda Helped Mediate Agreement Between Eritea and Ethiopia

Olawale Fapohunda, a prominent fixture in the African human rights movement, will discuss human rights abuses in Nigeria now and under the brutal regime of its late dictator, Sani Abacha, at 5:30 p.m., Nov. 13 in the DePaul Center, 1 E. Jackson Blvd., Room 8005. Fapohunda will be a guest of DePaul from Nov. 9 through Nov. 15.

The 31-year-old Fapohunda, who is a lawyer, served on a non-governmental mediation team engaged in shuttle diplomacy between the governments of Eritea and Ethiopia in an attempt to prevent a renewed war between the two nations. For the past five years, he has played a major role in the Nigerian delegation to the African Commission on Human Rights and has been an advocate for the establishment of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights. He regularly lectures on all aspects of human rights including the need to end impunity for human rights violations, female genital mutilation and forced child marriage.

"As the nations of the world move to establish a permanent international criminal court, the work of people like Olawale Fapohunda moves us light years toward understanding the need for such a court," said William Cartwright, acting director of DePaul’s International Human Rights Law Institute which is sponsoring the lecture. "By speaking out about the abuses in his country and beyond, Fapohunda may help countries like the United States that have not yet embraced the court, understand why it is so critical."

Fapohunda has jeopardized his safety and freedom in Nigeria while traveling around the world teaching the need for increased human rights in Africa. During Abacha’s reign, Fapohunda spoke freely about human rights abuses taking place in Africa, and was especially critical of the dictator, who died last June after five years of rule in Nigeria. Prior to Abacha’s death, Fapohunda faced the continual risk of arrest and imprisonment each time he traveled outside Nigeria and attempted to return.

Fapohunda’s entire career has been dedicated to human rights advocacy. In addition to his worldwide lectures, he writes for numerous human rights publications in Africa and other nations. He chairs or serves on the boards of an array of human rights organizations including, the Civil Liberties Organization, Nigeria; Inter-African Network for Human Rights and Development (AFRONET); and the Legal Defense Fund, Nigeria.

The DePaul College of Law established the International Human Rights Law Institute in 1990 to safeguard human rights and democracy by enhancing public and professional awareness of international human rights law, and to support the establishment of a permanent international criminal court. The institute supports academic research, provides training programs for hundreds of judges and lawyers from around the world, offers technical assistance to the United Nations and other international organizations and governments, and conducts field missions to observe trials, monitor elections, evaluate peace processes and promote human rights initiatives.

A reception immediately follows the lecture, which is free and open to the public. For more information call the institute at 312/362-5919.