Chidi Anselm Odinkalu (born June 12, 1968) is a Nigerian human rights advocate, lawyer, academic, and author. He previously served as the Chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission and most recently held the position of Senior Team Manager for the Africa Program at the Open Society Justice Initiative.
CHIDI ODINKALU PROFILE
| Name | Chidi Odinkalu |
| Real Name | Chidi Anslem Odinkalu |
| Date Of Birth | 12 June 1968 |
| Age | 57 Years |
| State Of Origin | Imo State |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Occupation | Activist, Lawyer and Writer |
| Religion | Christian |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Net Worth | N/A |
| Copied From | Contents101.com |
CHIDI ODINKALU BIOGRAPHY
Chidi Anselm Odinkalu was born on June 12, 1968, in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. His family hails from Orsu Local Government Area in Imo State. Born into a family of ten children, with both parents working as teachers, Odinkalu grew up during a period of post-civil-war reconstruction in Nigeria’s South-East.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
- Odinkalu earned his LL.B (Hons) from the School of Legal Studies, Imo State University (Uturu) in 1987, graduating as the top student in his class.
- He was called to the Nigerian Bar in November 1988 after completing his BL at the Nigerian Law School.
- He obtained an LL.M from the University of Lagos in 1990.
- He completed a Ph.D. in Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 2007.
CAREER
Odinkalu has had a distinguished career in law, human rights activism, and academia:
- Early in his career, he worked as an assistant lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan (1988–1989).
- He served as Director of Projects and Planning at the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) during Nigeria’s military era.
- He worked internationally as Legal Officer for Africa & Middle East at INTERIGHTS in the UK (1998–2003) and later as Senior Legal Officer – Africa at the Open Society Justice Initiative.
- In Nigeria, he was Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) from 2011 to 2015.
- In August 2021, he joined the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, as Professor of Practice in International Human Rights Law.
- He currently chairs the Truth, Justice & Peace Commission for South-East Nigeria, focusing on transitional justice and reconciliation.
CONTROVERSIES
Odinkalu’s outspoken activism has occasionally led to controversy:
- In 2019, he was charged by Kaduna State authorities with incitement, injurious falsehood, public nuisance, and providing false information after commenting on violence in Southern Kaduna.
- Earlier, in 2005, his office and staff were reportedly harassed by Nigeria’s State Security Service due to his human rights work.
Despite these challenges, he remains a leading voice in Nigerian and African human rights advocacy.
CHIDI ODINKALU SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLE
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/chidi-anselm-odinkalu-22583621a
PERSONAL LIFE
Odinkalu maintains a private personal life. He is married and has children. He emphasizes trust and discretion in relationships and has stated that he does not intend to pursue partisan politics, instead focusing on advocacy, scholarship, and public intellectual work.
CHIDI ODINKALU NET WORTH
There is no publicly verified information regarding Chidi Odinkalu’s net worth.