By joshua 
AWLA Nigeria Inaugurates Kogi State Branch, Charges Executives on Advocacy for Women and Girls
The African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) Nigeria formally inaugurated its Kogi State Branch on Wednesday, 24th September 2025 in a hybrid ceremony held at the NBA House, Lokoja, drawing an impressive array of dignitaries from the judiciary, legislature, security agencies, legal profession, civil society and faith-based organisations.
The event was declared open by the Honourable Chief Judge of Kogi State, Hon. Justice J.J. Mejabi, who was represented by Hon. Justice Awulu. In his goodwill message, the Chief Judge commended AWLA Nigeria for extending its footprint to Kogi State, describing 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., applauded the initiative, urging the new branch to collaborate with relevant institutions to strengthen access to justice for indigent women.
The Outgoing Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lokoja Branch, also lauded the move, noting that “Kogi State is in dire need of more structured legal interventions for women, widows, and girls facing abuse and discrimination”.
The AWLA President, Barr. Caroline Ibharuneafe, appointed the pioneer executives, who were formally sworn in by Hon. Justice Ojoma Rachael Haruna. Those inaugurated included:
* Joy Oluwaseun Akinola, Esq. — State Coordinator
* Juliana Enesi — Secretary
* Funke Michael Sidi — Treasurer
* Mercy Toyin Joshua — Public Relations Officer (PRO)
Administering the oath of office, Justice Haruna charged the officers to “uphold the dignity of the female gender and deploy the law fearlessly in defence of the voiceless.”
Prominent among attendees were the AWLA Nigeria Vice President and the North Central Regional Coordinator, Barr. Faozat Olanike Bakrin, both of whom admonished the new executives to see their positions as “a call to service, sacrifice and strategic advocacy for the rights of women and girls in Kogi State.”
The gathering witnessed wide institutional representation including:
* The President, Customary Court of Appeal, Kogi State
* Judges of the High Court, Customary Court of Appeal and the Khadis of Sharia Court of Appeal of Kogi State.
* The Deputy Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly.
* Representatives of the Commissioners for Justice, Agriculture, and Livestock Development.
* The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice
* The State Director, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria
* The Kogi State Commissioner of Police represented by the O/C Legal
* Representatives from the National Human Rights Commission
* The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Human Trafficking
* The Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Lokoja Metro Youth Wing
* The Chairperson, Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON), Lokoja
* Leaders of KONGONET, AONN, and members of the legal profession—both male and female.
In her acceptance speech, the State Coordinator, Barr. Joy Oluwaseun Akinola expressed gratitude to AWLA Nigeria National leadership and pledged to build a vibrant network of female legal professionals who will champion reforms, render probono services and mentor the next generation of socially responsible lawyers.
The inauguration marks a significant milestone in the quest for gender justice in Kogi State and signals the beginning of intensified legal advocacy for the protection, empowerment and inclusion of women and girls across communities.