Member’s Corner: Ikechukwu Uzoma
Member’s Corner takes a closer look at Dority International Alumni Association members. This month, February 2026, features Ikechukwu Uzoma from Class of 2007.
Ikechukwu is the Senior Staff Attorney for Africa at the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center, a Washington, DC–based organization advancing human rights and democracy globally.
He is an alumnus of Abia State University, NYU School of Law, and the Nigerian Law School (First Class), and previously worked with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Open Society Justice Initiative. He is a proud DISS alumnus and the DIAA Class Champion for his graduating set.
What inspired your decision to pursue a career in human rights law?
I often describe myself as an accidental human rights lawyer because my entry into the field was not intentional. In my final year at the university, I sought advice from my mentor on how to secure an A in my final-year essay.
He advised me to choose a fresh topic that had not been extensively researched, as that would increase my chances. I selected a topic on Nigeria’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Act as a safeguard against corruption.
While conducting my research, I reached out to the Open Society Justice Initiative (OSJI), and they provided all the materials I needed because they had participated in drafting the Act.
I completed the research, earned an A, and was subsequently hired by the Nigerian Federal House of Representatives, on the recommendation of OSJI, as a rapporteur for their FOI sensitization project. That marked the beginning of my human rights career.
After graduating from law school, I worked at a litigation firm and found myself consistently drawn to human rights cases. Even when I later joined a commercial law firm, that pull toward human rights work remained strong.
As a result, when I applied for my master’s degree, I chose to specialize in human rights, and after completing my studies, I formally embarked on a full-time human rights career.
This is why I consider myself an accidental human rights lawyer. However, with the benefit of hindsight, I have realized that I have always had a strong inclination toward public interest work, which explains why I am naturally drawn to human rights. I believe this is my life’s calling.
How did your time at Dority International shape your values or ambitions?
Dority International Secondary School (DISS) taught me that no goal is impossible and that I can achieve anything if I set my mind to it. Remember the mantra “I can do. I can do it. If I set my mind to it.”
I often tell people that I have never felt more alive or invincible than I did during my time at DISS. It was there that I discovered my interest in the liberal arts over the sciences. From that point, I decided that I would study law and eventually venture into politics.
When the prefectship election program was introduced at DISS, I saw it as an opportunity to prepare for the future I envisioned, so I committed myself fully to the elections and the process. Those experiences have stayed with me. For example, when the press club was introduced at DISS, I was not initially selected as a member.
I was determined to join because I believed it would give me the visibility needed to become a senior prefect. I volunteered for tasks, took initiative, and demonstrated my interest until I was eventually invited to join the club.
I later rose to become its president. I could go on, but DISS made me believe in my abilities and taught me the value of hard work in turning ambition into reality.
In addition, the strong emphasis on public speaking and interpersonal and networking skills helped me connect with mentors who have guided me from the time I graduated to the present day. Their mentorship has had the most significant impact on my life and career.
What has been the biggest challenge in your human rights work across Africa?
The greatest challenge to human rights work in Africa, as in other regions, is the attitude of government actors toward their human rights obligations. Governments, through agents such as the police and other security agencies, violate human rights.
When lawyers, journalists, or human rights organizations criticize these actions, governments often retaliate by arbitrarily detaining, torturing, or, in some cases, killing them.
Additionally, when citizens seek justice through the courts, judges are often intimidated or bribed to subvert justice. Even where judgments are delivered against governments, they are often ignored or only partially implemented.
These realities contribute to widespread apathy and desensitization among citizens, and an uninterested citizenry creates fertile ground for autocracy.
This is the broader context in which human rights work takes place in Africa. Beyond demanding accountability from state actors, we must also work to build awareness of human rights, explain the role of human rights mechanisms, and demonstrate why citizens must remain actively engaged.
Ultimately, the greatest challenge is the growing trend of autocracy and its corrosive effect on active citizenship.
In your current role, what approaches have proven most effective in advancing human rights?
Continuous capacity building at all levels, including through movement building and other forms of organizing, has proven to be the most effective and sustainable approach to advancing human rights.
A major focus of my work has been increasing awareness among young lawyers and law students about African human rights mechanisms and how to litigate before them.
I am also committed to developing non-legal arguments for why all Africans should be passionate about knowing and enforcing their rights.
For example, limited travel within Africa contributes significantly to economic challenges on the continent, yet governments have done very little to implement existing laws that remove barriers to the movement of goods and services across borders.
If enough people understand these laws and know how to pressure their governments to accept and implement them, the impact on African businesses would be substantial.
By gradually increasing awareness and building capacity, sustained pressure can be applied to governments and the African Union to address these issues. I do not see any other approach with the wide-ranging impact needed to unlock Africa’s full potential.
What is the core goal of the Arusha Initiative, and what progress has been made so far?
The core goal of the Arusha Initiative is to create a platform for citizen engagement in the nomination and selection of leaders of Africa’s human rights mechanisms.
There are three continental human rights mechanisms in Africa, each led by a group of eleven experts. These experts are elected by the African Union, serve for five to six years, and are eligible for one re-election.
These mechanisms are empowered to hold states accountable for human rights violations, such as the killing of protesters, election rigging, arbitrary arrests of opposition supporters, or internet shutdowns.
However, governments often secretly nominate individuals who are not the most qualified, ensuring that they are not held to high standards when violations occur.
This secrecy is enabled by the African Union’s failure to publicly announce vacancies or establish transparent nomination and selection processes.
The Arusha Initiative addresses this gap by raising awareness about the selection process and encouraging citizens to advocate for transparency and accountability.
Through social media engagement and online training programs, we are gradually changing how the selection process operates. To date, we have trained over 5,000 individuals, built a community of more than 1,000 members, and facilitated the nomination of over five candidates in the past two years.
Many stakeholders have acknowledged that the selection landscape has improved significantly since the Arusha Initiative was established.
Can you briefly share a challenging case that significantly shaped your perspective?
One of the most challenging cases I worked on was against Ethiopia, challenging human rights violations that occurred during their 2015 elections. The case was filed before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
While the case was still pending, the organization representing the Ethiopians ceased to exist and in fact became supportive of the new government in the country, leaving us with two options: either abandon the case or proceed as the main applicants.
Initially, there was disagreement among our team. Some colleagues, including myself, were concerned about the responsibility we had toward the clients and the fact that we should follow the lead of the clients.
However, one colleague insisted that we continue because the case was designed to benefit all Ethiopians. After discussing with the clients, they confirmed that while they were hesitant, they trusted us to proceed however we chose.
We decided to move forward, and ultimately, the Commission delivered a decision that significantly changed the understanding of the right to vote in Africa.
This case taught me that we should never back down, regardless of the challenges. Today, I approach even the most difficult cases with the mindset that if pursuing justice can make a meaningful difference, it is worth the effort.
What advice would you give Dority alumni interested in human rights or international law?
Start where you are and make the most of the opportunities available to you. Most careers in human rights begin with internships or fellowships, which provide essential practical experience and help you understand how human rights work functions in the real world.
If possible, consider pursuing a specialized graduate program in human rights to deepen your knowledge and gain credentials that can open doors internationally.
Look out for fellowships and programs with human rights organizations, as these often provide access to networks, mentorship, and hands-on experience.
Mentorship is particularly important, mentors help you understand the different aspects of human rights work that align with your interests, provide guidance on career paths, and often know about job opportunities before they are advertised. They can also write recommendation letters to strengthen your applications.
In addition, try to write about the issues you are learning about, whether through journals, blogs, or platforms like Medium. Publishing your work demonstrates expertise and helps you build a professional profile.
Maintain an active social media presence, particularly on LinkedIn, and consistently engage with people working in areas that interest you. Attend mixers, online events, and conferences to grow your network, stay in touch with contacts, and look for ways to contribute to their projects as well.
Finally, remember that human rights work is as much about relationships and practical experience as it is about theory. Be proactive, persistent, and intentional about building skills, visibility, and meaningful connections.
How did your studies in Nigeria and the U.S. prepare you for global advocacy work?
My education in Nigeria equipped me with a strong foundation in legal reasoning, litigation, and research, as well as a deep political awareness shaped by the country’s social and institutional realities.
This grounding was critical in developing my ability to analyze law not just in theory, but in practice, within complex governance environments.
My studies in the United States exposed me to the international dimensions of human rights law and provided opportunities to understand how human rights are practiced in the Americas and Europe.
This experience broadened my perspective and enabled me to approach my work from a comparative standpoint, drawing lessons across regions and applying them strategically to advance global and regional human rights.
Together, my education in both Nigeria and the U.S. provided me with the skills, knowledge, and analytical frameworks that have propelled my career.
The combination of rigorous legal training, practical litigation experience, political insight, and ]international exposure has allowed me to navigate complex human rights challenges and contribute effectively to advocacy, policy, and reform initiatives across Africa and beyond.
What gives you hope about the future of human rights in Africa?
The growing integration of technology into movement building and cross-border influence, powered largely by young people across Africa, gives me great hope.
The #EndSARS protests, as well as organizing around the Kenyan protests against the Finance Bill and the Ugandan protests against corruption, were all driven by young people who effectively used technology to coordinate, mobilize, and sustain collective action.
This increasing level of interest, innovation, and civic engagement among young Africans is a powerful and hopeful development for the future of the continent.
Beyond mobilization, technology has also enabled young people to shape narratives, document abuses in real time, and build solidarity across borders in ways that were previously impossible.
Digital tools have lowered the barriers to participation, allowing movements to grow organically and connect local struggles to continental and global conversations.
This combination of grassroots action and digital coordination is redefining civic engagement in Africa and strengthens my belief that a more accountable, rights-respecting future is achievable.
What achievement are you most proud of since graduating from DISS in 2007?
One of the achievements I am most proud of is earning a First-Class degree at the Nigerian law school in 2014.
I was one of only four law students out of over 6,000 students across Nigeria to graduate with a First Class that year, the only student to achieve a First Class from the Lagos campus, and the first graduate of Abia State University to earn a First Class at the Nigerian Law School.
This achievement was particularly significant to me because it reflected years of discipline, consistency, and perseverance in a highly competitive academic environment.
Building on this academic foundation, I went on to join the legal team that litigated the 2015 election petition of Governor Alex Otti, a case with national significance across Nigeria.
Though our team won the case at the court of appeal, we lost at the supreme court. However, he is by far the most impactful governor in Nigeria at the moment.
