Clement Nwankwo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Lawyer
- human rights activist
Clement Nwankwo | |
|---|---|
 Nwankwo in 2021 | |
| Born | 9 May 1962 |
| Alma mater | University of Nigeria, Nsukka |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Known for | Human rights lawyer |
| Awards | Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, he has also received awards from Human Rights Watch and the National Endowment for Democracy. |
Clement Okechukwu Nwankwo (born 9 May 1962) is a lawyer and human rights activist in Nigeria.[1][2] He is the Executive Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre and convener of Civil Society Situation Room (PLAC).[3][4][5][6] He is recognised as the first Nigerian to establish a human rights organisation.[6]
Nwankwo started democracy and good governance activism during the dark days of military dictatorship in Nigeria.[7] After the establishment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 1998, in preparation for conduct of elections to return Nigeria to civil rule, Nwankwo founded the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), a coalition of more than 50 organisations that worked for the return of civilian rule in Nigeria.[8][9]
Nwankwo was born in 1962 in Lagos, Nigeria, and received early education at Baptist Primary School, Apapa, Lagos, from 1970 to 1974. He left Lagos for the then Eastern Province and was enrolled in Methodist College, Uzuakoli, (now in Abia State), where he had his secondary education between 1974 and 1979. In 1980, Nwankwo was admitted to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and graduated in 1984 with a law degree. He proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, graduating in 1985 and was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar the same year.[1]
In 1979, Nwankwo served as a Clerical Officer at the Bank of Credit & Commerce International Limited (BCCI), Lagos, between 1979 and 1980. After his call to Bar in 1985, Nwankwo went on to take part in Nigeria's one year mandatory National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC) and was deployed to the Legal Aid Council as a Counsel, at Ijebu-Ode, Lagos (1985–1986).[2]
Nwankwo is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association. He was the Executive Director and founder of Constitutional Rights Project founded in 1990. He was a cofounder and first National Secretary/Executive Director of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) 1987–1990. Nwankwo was a member of the Academic Council on the United Nations Systems, International Board of Human Rights Internet, Canada, International NGO Advisory Committee and Harvard Institute for International Development, Harvard University, Boston, USA. He was also the Editor-in-Chief, Constitutional Rights Journal, from 1990. Nwankwo is a Fellow, Ashoka Innovators for the Public (1991). He is also a Fellow of the Centre for Democracy, Development and Rule of Law of Stanford University, California.[1][2]
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