By Ibironke Ariyo
The Founder and Executive Director of Hope Behind Bars Africa (HBBA), Mrs Funke Adeoye, has won the 2025 Outstanding Young Lawyer Award of the International Bar Association (IBA).
The organisation’s Communication Officer, Ms Ogechi Ogwuma, on Friday in Abuja, stated that Adeoye was selected from a global pool of nominees for her work in access to justice, human rights and legal technology.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the award, supported by LexisNexis, recognised young lawyers aged 35 and below who have shown professional excellence, ethical standards and commitment to advancing the rule of law and service to humanity.
The award was presented at the IBA Annual Conference in Toronto, Canada, where legal professionals gathered to discuss the future of the profession and celebrate excellence.
Ogwuma said that through the organisation, which she founded at age 26, Adeoye had led interventions that provided legal support to wrongfully incarcerated persons, promoted criminal justice reforms and strengthened civic engagement.
The communication officer said that Adeoye’s initiatives had enhanced access to justice and rehabilitation of inmates and contributed to reforms aimed at making the justice system more inclusive and efficient.
“Adeoye advocates for reforms that promote innovation, inclusion and the use of technology to make justice delivery more accessible and equitable.
“HBBA described this award as a milestone for Adeoye and for Africa’s growing community of young lawyers committed to using the law as a tool for social good,” she said.
Reacting, Adeoye said that she dedicated the award to young African lawyers and human rights defenders working to uphold justice in challenging environments.
“This recognition is not just about me. It represents every young lawyer who believes that despite the state of our world, the law remains a tool for social engineering and transformation.
“It reaffirms that the world is watching and that ethical, innovative and people-centred lawyering matters,” she added.
Adeoye obtained an LLB degree from the University of Benin in 2012 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2013.
She also holds a Master’s degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford, where she studied as a Commonwealth Scholar.
HBBA is a youth-led non-profit founded in 2018 to reform Africa’s criminal justice system, provides pro-bono legal aid to indigent pre-trial detainees, conducts research, and offers legal education.
The organisation also leverages technology, such as its “Connect Lawyer” app, to connect lawyers with those in need of legal services. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yakubu Uba
