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By Lukman Olabiyi
Former Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, and Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, Prof. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, has been honoured with Lifetime Achievement Awards by the International Law Association (ILA), Nigerian Branch.
The awards were presented at the President’s Dinner and Award Night, a highlight of the Association’s 9th Annual Law Conference held in Abuja.
The event attracted over 200 participants, including leading figures in international law, diplomacy, and governance.
Bensouda, currently The Gambia’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, was recognised for her trailblazing career in international criminal justice.
Bensouda made history as the first woman, first African, and first Muslim to serve as prosecutor of the ICC in The Hague.
Reflecting on her journey during a keynote conversation, Bensouda recounted how her passion for justice was ignited in childhood, often skipping school to observe court proceedings in The Gambia.
She said witnessing the plight of victims; particularly women shaped her lifelong commitment to justice and accountability.
She urged young lawyers to embrace integrity, diligence, and ethical conduct, while also calling for stronger support systems to enable more women to attain leadership roles in the legal profession.
In the academic category, Prof. Sulaiman was honoured for his distinguished contributions to international relations, public service, and legislative development.
As a former Minister for National Planning, he played a key role in formulating Nigeria’s National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan and developing a comprehensive Overseas Development Assistance policy.
Since assuming leadership of NILDS in 2019, Sulaiman has transformed the institute into a leading centre for legislative research and capacity building, training thousands of lawmakers across Nigeria and the West African sub-region, including members of the ECOWAS Parliament.
