‘The Beautiful Thing about Law Today is that it is a Very Versatile Profession with Different Areas of Practice’
I am a Chevening Alumnus, gender advocate, human rights activist, a professional Mediator and Conciliator and a lawyer with over twenty years post-call experience in women’s rights advocacy, conflict resolution, social research and consultancy. I obtained my first degree from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Nigeria in 1991 and had my professional training at the Nigeria Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos. I was thereafter called to the Nigerian Bar in December, 1992. In 2006, I won the British Government Chevening Scholarship and proceeded to London where I trained and obtained a post-graduate law degree in Law and Development fraom the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of the University of London in 2007. I am a registered member of the International Bar Association, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, Nigerian Bar Association and a Life member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
I am the immediate Past National President of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA Nigeria), where I was responsible for providing leadership for the professional organisation which has 32 State branches spread all over Nigeria. FIDA is a voluntary not-for-profit organisation of women lawyers committed to the promotion, protection and preservation of women and children’s rights, through the provision of pro bono legal services. I was a nominated delegate to the Nigerian National Conference 2014 where I represented the Women Groups under the auspices of FIDA and participated in making recommendations that were expected to usher in a new Nigeria if implemented. I am a regular commentator and public affairs analyst in Nigeria. I have also been a recipient of several awards from different organisations and institutions.
I am also the Founding Partner of my law firm, H. E. Shekarau & Co. which is based in Abuja.
Have you had any challenges in your career as a lawyer and if so what were the main challenges?
Life generally is full of challenges. It is said that challenges are the spice of life. So I take the challenges that I encounter in my career with equanimity and always regard them as building blocks on my path to success. Having said that, one of the earliest challenges I faced in my career was with my gender as a female, and a married one at that; in a predominantly male profession seeking for employment in a private law firm in Jos. The general impression is that married women cannot withstand the rigors of private legal practice. So generally, Senior Lawyers shy away from engaging them. It was not long however before I eventually got hired. I really had to work hard to prove my mettle as a committed and dedicated lawyer who is as good as her male counterparts.
Another challenge was being able to achieve work/life balance as a professional career woman and my responsibilities at home.
What was your worst day as a lawyer? My worst day as a lawyer was the day my late husband was sacked from his work place on account of a professional brief I handled on behalf of a client. Unknown to me, the outcome of that professional brief was used to petition someone very close to his overall boss in the office. When it was traced to me as the Lawyer who carried out the assignment, his boss was furious. The next day when my husband resumed work, he met a sack letter waiting for him. This was sometime in 1997. What transpired thereafter is a story for another day. Suffice it to say that it was the worst day of my life as a lawyer and made me appreciate and come to terms with some of the risks inherent in our work as Legal Practitioners.
What was your most memorable experience?
My most memorable experience was the day I had the privilege of being received as a guest of the wife of the then President of the United States of America, Mrs. Laura Bush in 2006 at the White House. I was a part of 17 Women Leaders selected from different parts of the World as Pioneer Participants of the International Women Leaders Mentoring Program organised by Vital Voices International in conjunction with Fortune 500 Magazine with support from the US State Department then headed by Ms. Condoleezza Rice. It was indeed a glorious moment for me. I felt highly honored and privileged, being the only one from Nigeria.
Who has been most influential in your life?
My late mum was the most influential person in my life. She was such a dogged survivor. My father died in the year I left Secondary School. That was in 1985. He died leaving behind 9 children for my mum to take care of with practically nothing to fall back on. My mum never saw the four-corners of a school. What she did not have or lacked in western education, she had in faith, wisdom, strong will, commitment and industriousness in abundance.
Why did you become a lawyer? The truth is that I never knew I would be a lawyer. Growing up, all I wanted to be was a Newscaster like Siene Allwell-Brown, Lola Ogunbambi now Alakija, etc. Not until my Uncle came to visit me in school during my ‘A’ Levels and convinced me about the need to go for a Professional Course that would enable me to be gainfully self-employed without having to go around seeking for non-existent employment. He actually suggested I go for Law. I was a bit hesitant because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read law. At the end of the day, I made up my mind that my Uncle will not lead me astray. So I applied for law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The rest, as they say, is history! I sure am glad and always appreciative of my Uncle for the wise counsel he gave me.
What would your advice be to anyone wanting a career in law?
Go for it with all the passion in you. The beautiful thing about Law today is that it is a very versatile profession with different areas of practice. In this era of specialisation, you can concentrate on one aspect of law and carve a niche for yourself and excel to the zenith of your career. Indeed gone are the days when law practice was about being a ‘jack of all trade’ and ending up being a ‘master of none’.
If you had not become a lawyer, what would you have chosen?
I definitely would have been in the journalism world. I still love journalism and have quite a number of friends and networks amongst journalists.
Where do you see yourself in ten years? Ten years from now, I see myself bringing my years of experience in legal practice, civil society as well as human rights advocacy to bear by getting involved actively in bringing about good governance in Nigeria at a high level. I belong to the school of thought that believes that we have to be the change we want to see in our society. If we don’t want ‘charlatans’ running the affairs of governance in this country then we need credible and professional people to get involved in entrenching good governance in Nigeria. I also believe that in spite of what some people think, women in Nigeria have what it takes to bring Nigeria out of the woods because women are better managers of resources both human and material. Yes, it does take a woman to get the job done, well!