AWLA Nigeria Inaugurates Kogi Branch, Urges Stronger Advocacy for Women and Girls

The African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) Nigeria has inaugurated its Kogi State branch, charging the newly sworn-in executives to champion legal advocacy for the rights and protection of women and girls.

The hybrid ceremony, held recently, at the NBA House, Lokoja, drew dignitaries from the judiciary, legislature, security agencies, civil society, and faith-based organisations.

Declaring the event open, the Chief Judge of Kogi State, Hon. Justice J.J. Mejabi—represented by Hon. Justice Awulu—commended AWLA for extending its footprint to the state. He described the association as “a timely force in the fight for justice and protection of vulnerable persons, especially women and girls.”
Chairman of the occasion, Sam Ichado Akoji, Esq., lauded the initiative and urged the branch to work with institutions to strengthen access to justice for indigent women. Similarly, the outgoing Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lokoja Branch, said Kogi was in dire need of “structured legal interventions for women, widows, and girls facing abuse and discrimination.”

AWLA Nigeria President, Barr. Caroline Ibharuneafe, appointed the pioneer executives, who were sworn in by Hon. Justice Ojoma Rachael Haruna. The officers include:

Joy Oluwaseun Akinola, Esq. — State Coordinator
Juliana Enesi — Secretary
Funke Michael Sidi — Treasurer
Mercy Toyin Joshua— Public Relations Officer (PRO)

Administering the oath, Justice Haruna charged the officers to “uphold the dignity of the female gender and deploy the law fearlessly in defence of the voiceless.”

Also present were AWLA Vice President and North Central Regional Coordinator, Barr. Faozat Olanike Bakrin, who reminded the new executives that leadership is “a call to service, sacrifice and strategic advocacy.”

The inauguration was attended by a wide range of institutions, including the President of the Customary Court of Appeal, judges of the High Court, Sharia and Customary Courts of Appeal, the Deputy Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, representatives of key ministries, the Legal Aid Council, the Commissioner of Police, the National Human Rights Commission, as well as leaders of religious and civil society organisations.

In her acceptance speech, the State Coordinator, Barr. Joy Oluwaseun Akinola, pledged to build a strong network of female legal professionals dedicated to reforms, probono services, and mentorship of the next generation of lawyers.

The inauguration is seen as a milestone for gender justice in Kogi State, marking the beginning of intensified legal advocacy for the protection, empowerment, and inclusion of women and girls across communities.

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