Rafiu tolani: Mr. Rauf Tolani, a unit head at the Lagos State Citizens Mediation Centre has been nominated for HEDA’s Gani Fawehinmi Outstanding Impact Award for diligently setting up information and communication channels for lawyers, particularly litigation lawyers to effectively communicate with the registry of the Lagos State High Courts. Mr. Tolani’s initiative is describe as being solving an almost intractable problem with the individual single-handedly fund the project with his resources when he could have easily exploited or squeezed funds from lawyers. Notably, the nominee has led several legal profession initiatives targeted at the efficiency and transparency of services provided by the judicial service. He has also demonstrated the highest form of integrity and honesty in the discharge of his duties at the Lagos State Citizens Mediation Centre. “Rafiu Tolani Kolawole is a unifier among lawyers being an admin of Lawyers Forum, a leading WhatsApp group for exclusive legal issues discussion. He has been able to bring to bar his intellectual dexterity in the management of a platform boasts of Life benchers, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, erudite Professors of Law and Legal Luminaries. “It probably would take only a Rafiu Tolani Kolawole to accommodate these Legal Luminaries in one group with such harmony and comradeship, without losing the essence of the group. Lawyers Forum is the only WhatsApp Group in Nigeria where THE ONLY THING DISCUSSED are legal issues.” In addition, through his singular effort and creative mind, Lawyers in Lagos and other states of the federation have been able to put to rest the vest issue of coming to court only to learn that the court will not sit as lawyers now have a platform from which they learn ahead of time whether a court will sit or not. Also, lawyers now have a platform where they discuss diverse legal issue and proffer solutions to legal matters.
Bar Douglas Ogbanka: An activist for Law Enforcement Justice, Bar Douglas Ogbanka has also been nominated for the prestigious Gani Fawehinmi Outstanding Impact award for pursuing the Independence of the Judiciary and providing relevant contacts (telephone lines) via What’s App platforms including registrars of all court, senior police officers nationwide for Lawyers to ease their profession. Ogbanka was one of team leads of the Nigeria Bar Association Benin Branch for Human Rights during the COVID-19 and the ENDSARS protests. He has also headed the NBA Benin Bar Police Monitoring Committee for two years intervening in many issues, his advocacy led to the EFCC changing their procedure for plea bargaining, making it compulsory for a Lawyer or family member to be part of the process. The human activist has written about novel areas of law and Law Enforcement Development in Nigeria. He is the Convener of the Intellectual Hub, Founder of the Benin Writers Society, Coalition for Law Enforcement Justice among many Advocacy Groups, News and Life Style Platforms. As a man with great sense of integrity and duty to the society, Douglas Ogbanka has help in ensuring that police impunity is put to check our society and also championing the fight against vote buying.
Chief Patrick Eholor: Another nominee is Patrick Eholor, a social crusader and activist who called for police reforms and started the campaign #StopPoliceBrutality which brought about police reforms. In 2021, Eholor secured the freedom of a young security guard at Banex plaza in the hands of czar of CCB, Umar Danladi and led the campaign for prosecution of #UmarDanladi up to the courts, national assembly and Senate of Nigeria. Eholor campaigned and through the legal representative of One Love Foundation secured the released of Glory Okolie after 245 days of illegal detention from the dungeon of IRT unit of Nigeria police. He also led campaigns, advocacy and steps that led to the girl’s freedom and many others in Nigeria. Patrick Eholor through his One Love Foundation secured the Nigeria social media space with his worldwide renowned judgement on press freedom by the judgement on twitter ban as the second applicant at Ecowas court against the federal government of Nigeria. Eholor filed through his lawyers, advocated and ensured that the #TwitterBan was later rescinded and annulled by the court. The list is endless but these are just few of his acts.
Abasibiangake Akpabio: He served as President of the Legal Aid Community Development Service group in Owerri, Imo State. He coordinated a team of nearly 40 NYSC Lawyers to provide legal services to indigent people and impact the community.
Pearl Demilade: A passionate volunteer and a founder of Pearls hub Africa. She carried out several projects to assist the needy with very little support and very accountable.
Inibehe Effiong: As a young lawyer who has courageously defended the rights of ordinary Nigerians from oppression. Effiong in the course of his human rights advocacy, he was jailed for contempt of court for speaking against abuse of court procedures, but he came out stronger and more determined.
Samuel Aku: Aku has impacted tremendously in peace and capacity building in his community by leading his community to peace accords with Irigwe and Fulani of Bassa LGA respectively. With the aid of Humanitarian Dialogue (HD).