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Dr Maryam Ogebe’s Story
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Mr. Ogebe holds the distinction of being the first Special Legal Consultant on Nigeria out of 100,000 lawyers admitted in the US capital. His consulting firm, the US Nigeria Law Group is located in Washington DC. He also doubles as Special Counsel for the Justice for Jos Project, a pro bono initiative of his firm, which has worked in the last half dozen years to document, litigate and garner international attention to the horrific crimes against humanity in northern Nigeria. He engages with the United Nations, The International Criminal Court, the EU and the US amongst others to advocate on behalf of the persecuted minorities. On November 13 2013, Mr. Ogebe testified before the US Congress’ Africa subcommittee and was credited by the Chairman of being helpful to the US Administration’s policy reversal in designating Nigerian terror group Boko Haram as a Foreign Terrorist Organization that day. Mr. Ogebe had submitted briefs to Secretaries Clinton and Kerry making a case for FTO designation.
His work helping victims included relocating Escaped Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted by Boko Haram in April 2014 to US schools as well as humanitarian aid and assistance to survivors, widows and orphans, refugees & IDPs.
Mr Ogebe is also a recipient of US President Obama’s Bronze Award for his pro bono work providing technical assistance to NGOs in northern Nigeria.
Mr. Ogebe was bestowed the “Hero of the Year” Award by the Darfur Women Action Group on International Human Rights Day in 2016 and the “Diaspora Person of the Year” Award by the Editorial Board of the Idoma Voice Newspaper.
Inspired by Emmanuel Ogebe’s work with the escaped Chibok girls, famous actress and playwright Danai Gurira who wrote the Broadway play Eclipsed about enslaved women in Liberia, dedicated each Broadway performance of her play with a reading of the names of the missing girls. Bono, the famous lead singer of U-2, appeared on stage with the Eclipsed cast to launch the remembrances.
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