In a period where the global landscape for civil liberties is shifting under the weight of technological surveillance and economic hardship, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) convened its 2025 Annual General Conference (AGC) at the weekend. Held at the Maridom Palace Hotel in Ota, the gathering served as both a solemn remembrance of the struggle for dignity and a strategic launching pad for a new era of activism.
Under the resonant theme, “Human Rights as Our Everyday Essentials: Fundamental, Inviolable, Indiscriminate,” delegates from 27 states of the Federation gathered to deliberate on the state of the nation, elect a new National Executive Council (NEC), and reconstitute its Board of Trustees (BOT).
The keynote address, delivered by the distinguished Barrister Supo Ojo, challenged the conventional “top-down” approach of international bodies. Ojo offered a searing critique of the United Nations’ thematic choices for 2025, suggesting they often lean toward the “scholastic” rather than addressing the grit of African realities.
”I think it is high-time the African, ECOWAS, and Nigerian Human Rights Commissions begin to decide themes that will address issues peculiar and germane to our region,” Ojo stated. He argued that while the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) provides a foundation, the 77 years since its adoption have shown that rights, ranging from education to healthcare, are often sidelined by governments prioritizing religious monuments or political optics over human dignity.
Ojo warned of modern threats like “Cyber-rats”, state-sponsored actors used to stifle dissent online, and urged the CDHR to return to its roots of intensive grassroots education, reminiscent of its 1980s and 90s campaigns in motor parks, markets, and campuses.
In his presidential address, Comrade Debo Adeniran took a nostalgic yet instructive look back at the collaborative spirit that ended military rule. He recalled the formation of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), a powerhouse birthed by the alliance of seven pivotal organizations and spearheaded by titans of the struggle:
Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti (CDHR),
Fela Anikulapo Kuti (Movement Against Second Slavery), Prof. Oladipo Fashina (Committee for Unity and Progress)
Femi Falana, SAN (National Association of Democratic Lawyers), Opeyemi Bamidele (NANS), Ms. Gloria Kilanko (Women in Nigeria), Debo Adeniran (Gani Fawehinmi Solidarity Association).
This legacy of unity remains the CDHR’s greatest weapon. Adeniran emphasized that human rights are not “privileges to be enjoyed at the convenience of the powerful,” but necessities as vital as food and water.
Impact and Statistics: The Global and Local Fight.
Human rights organizations continue to be the thin line between order and autocracy. Globally, groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch track a staggering 150+ countries for violations annually. In Nigeria, the CDHR’s impact is felt in its legal aid and advocacy.
The organization has successfully moved to close administrative gaps, filing annual returns with the CAC that had been in deficit since 2018 and securing SCUML certifications to ensure institutional transparency.
Through the Citizens Accountability and Rights Forum (CARF), the CDHR has provided a platform for thousands of Nigerians to engage directly with authorities on corruption and service delivery.
A high point of the conference was the dissolution of the old leadership and the election of a fresh NEC to steer the ship for the coming term. The election, overseen by an electoral committee comprising Comrades Aihakwo, Alfred Olorunwo, and Abereoran, saw a blend of experience and new energy.
President: Debo Adeniran (Lagos)
Vice President: Godwin Anyebe (Benue)
General Secretary: Deji Adebowale (Lagos)
Assistant Secretary: Imrana Yahaya (Bauchi), Treasurer: Akinrinade Wahab (Osun), Legal Adviser: Naabulobari Nazingha-Lue (Rivers), Publicity Secretary: Onyibe Jeremiah (Ebonyi), Internal Auditor: Musa Gwani Turare (Katsina).
The Board of Trustees (BOT) was also reconstituted with five pillars of the movement: Olasupo Ojo, Debo Adeniran, Prof. Lucky Akarueze, Crd. Gbenga Awosode, and Femi Falana, SAN.
In his closing remarks, President Debo Adeniran struck a chord of unity, announcing a “policy of forgiveness” for estranged members. “A people united can never be defeated; conversely, a people divided can never win any battle,” he noted, urging the new NEC to be servants to their branches rather than superiors.
As the delegates depart Ota for their respective states, the message is clear: the struggle for human rights is not a sprint but a multi-generational relay. In an era of cyber-surveillance and economic hardship, the CDHR has re-energized its mandate to ensure that “fundamental” and “inviolable” are not just words in a charter, but lived realities for every Nigerian.
