Adeola Austin Oyinlade

Adeola Austin Oyinlade is a Nigerian lawyer; human rights and International law expert, international speaker and United Nations’ Peace Ambassador. He is a consultant to the African Union Commission on the implementation of African Youth Charter. He has graced the United Nations, African Union and many international organizations’ speaking platforms across many countries of the world. He uses his legal expertise as a tool of social engineering and problem-solving in Nigeria and Africa at large. The social crusader's work has earned him national and international awards including the International Bar Association (IBA) Human Rights Award 2018 for outstanding contribution by a Legal Practitioner to Human Rights in Rome, Italy.

At the regional level, Adeola has worked with the issue of "alternative dispute resolution" and championed peace in the continent of Africa over the years. His main focus in the continent of Africa as a United Nations Peace Ambassador is to involve the parties in dialogue instead of continued conflict. He created a model that shows that reconciliation, settlement and peace-building in Africa is possible especially where large and fresh post conflict wounds still exist. His peace-building work is vital experiences and ideas of the great value for global peace. He has intervened in and proffered solutions to humanitarian crises and armed conflict issues in many African countries with relative impact. His non-violent campaigns include the Libya Peace Talks, Niger and Malian insurgency Crisis, South Sudan Crisis, Central African Republic’ Sectarian Violence, South Africa's xenophobic attacks, Migrant Crises among many others.

As a public speaker, Adeola has graced United Nations, African Union and other Intergovernmental and international organizations’ speaking platforms in many cities across Nigeria and around the world such as Abuja, Lagos, Addis Ababa, Paris, Nairobi, Baku, Azerbaijan, Rome, Frankfurt and Vienna etc.

Through his ‘Know Your Rights Nigeria’ initiative, Mr. Oyinlade gives Nigerians the legal knowledge to keep them fully abreast of the whole gamut of rights available to them, equip them with the information needed to stand and defend them against infraction.

Mr. Oyinlade's human rights work has been commended globally including the world lawyers body like International Bar Association (IBA), world leaders and governments. For example, the U.S Consul General F. John Bray while giving remarks at the U.S Consulate Lagos in April 2018 said "I want to acknowledge Mr. Adeola Austin Oyinlade and the work he has done to strengthen respect and support for the protection of human rights in Nigeria" The US Consul General sees his human rights work in Nigeria very key to the needed development in Africa. According to the U.S Envoy, Nigeria is "one of the most important countries on the continent, given its large population, thriving commercial enterprises, and strategic geopolitical location Nigeria is critical to Africa’s prosperity and stability ".

Adeola Oyinlade wins the International Bar Association (IBA) Human Rights Award 2018 in Rome, Italy

In April 2011, he addressed the plenary sessions of the African Union's African Youth Forum 2011 (Pre-AU Summit) on 'Readiness to reform National Laws and Legislation in compliance with the African Youth Charter' in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum Youth Voice for Change in Paris, France in 2011, on 'Youth-led social innovation in Africa '; the UNHABITAT and UNDP co-organized YOUTH 21 Forum 2012 in Nairobi, Kenya on 'Intergenerational Dialogue on Africa, Youth Socio-Economic and Political Participation; the Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA) Conference on 'Legal services and Human Rights Ideas'; the African Union's Youth Experts meetings on the promotion of African Youth Charter; the National Youth Conference on Constitution Review in Abuja in 2012 on 'Evolving a people's constitution: Issues and processes ’; He delivered a paper titled Freedom of Information in Nigeria; Challenges and way out at the University of Lagos and University of Oxford, UK 1st West African Regional Round of the Price Media Law Moot Court Competition Conference on 6 February 2017 at the Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of Lagos, Nigeria and many others.

In 2016, Oyinlade unveiled downloadable "Know Your Rights Nigeria" app (Android, iPhone) and the web version which simplify all human rights in force and constitutional safeguards in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba Languages. The first ever human rights empowerment app in Nigeria has platforms where users chat Mr. Oyinlade and his team of over 50 lawyers daily on human rights issues that arise without monetary charge. It also has platforms where users can share documentary evidence of abuse anonymously and where they can get connected to agencies, commissions, organizations for help if violated.

Oyinlade completed his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree at the University of Lagos. He proceeded to the Nigerian Law School and was called into the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He completed his Master of Laws (LL.M) in Human Rights, Laws of International Institutions, Constitutional Law and Administrative Law at the University of Lagos in 2014.

Adeola is also a co-founder of the African Network of Youth Policy Experts launched in Baku, Azerbaijan in October 2014. The international organisation is working on youth policy issues in Africa. His passion for national and international development has brought him under the same roof with many national and international leaders such as the then UN Secretary General; Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, Mr. Thabo Mbeki among other dignitaries.

He was also appointed by the African Union Commission in 2012 as a consultant to Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Secretariat on youth development data covering 14 West African countries in compliance with the implementation of the African Union Youth Decade Plan of Action.

In 2011, Adeola brought legal luminaries together for a two-day Human Rights International Conference in March at the University of Lagos. The ECOWAS Community court of Justice Chief Registrar, Mr. Tony Anene-Maidoh; Mr. Femi Falana SAN were among resource persons who empowered about 2,000 participants at the conference which was also aired live to millions of radio listeners in Lagos on UNILAG FM. The annual human rights conference has taken place at the Nigeria Institute of Foreign Affairs and also hosted at the U.S Consulate, Lagos, Nigeria.

Adeola speaking at the 7th UNESCO Youth Forum 2011 in Paris, France in 2011.

He has also taken the human right empowerment initiative to the streets of Lagos where over ten thousand people have been empowered with the knowledge of law where he alongside his team of lawyers demonstrated the relevance of the constitutional provisions to people everyday lives. In 2010, Adeola gave out ten thousand (10,000) copies of the Nigeria's Constitution to people including; the Police, transporters, market women, farmers, artisans among others.

The generality of Nigerians dread any form of contact with law enforcement agents. This is largely borne out of ignorance of their rights under the law. Such ignorance is often exploited by police officers and others to intimidate and harass innocent persons. In taking up the challenge of educating Nigerians on their basic rights and providing legal support, Adeola started 'Know Your Constitution' now "Know Your Rights Nigeria" initiative on radio (UNILAG103.1FM) in 2008. In 2012, he founded 'Constitutional Rights Awareness and Liberty Initiative; a Non-Governmental organization with immense contribution to expanding the frontiers of Human Rights, Democracy to the happiness of people in Nigeria.

His contribution and 'interest in and support of the United Nations' was acknowledged and commended by Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, United Nations Secretary General. His UN-recognized commitment to the development of the then Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through his writings include; 'Millennium Development Goals; obstacles and ways of tackling them' in 2007, 'Contribution of Higher Institutions to achieving the Millennium Development Goals' in 2008 and 'importance and benefits of promoting MDGs through football tournaments' in 2009 with a minute video linking the MDGs with the spirit of football where goals count and a call on everyone to score those goals.

His radio talent was discovered by the duo of Ayo Omotosho and Ige Jongbo who were ace broadcasters in Akure, Ondo state. He was recommended as a radio presenter to OSRC 96.5FM Akure, in 2001 after passing an auditioning test. After about six years of working on radio (O.S.R.C 96.5 FM and FRCN Positive 102.5 FM both in Akure) between 2001 and 2006, he moved to UNILAG 103.1 FM in Lagos Nigeria after gaining admission to study law at the University of Lagos, where he produced and presented many radio programmes and the award-winning 'Know Your Constitution' later named "Know Your Rights Nigeria’ he designed to simplify laws in force in Nigeria to the understanding of the ordinary people on the street of Lagos and empower them on their rights.

While writing his secondary school certificate examination in 1998 at Akure Secondary Commercial School in Akure, he lost his dad, the bread winner of his family.

Adeola Austin Oyinlade completed his Primary school Leaving Certificate at Irotitun Community Primary School, Akure, Ondo state in 1992. He proceeded to C.A.C Adu Memorial High School and Akure Secondary Commercial School, Akure for his Senior Secondary School Education between 1993 and 1998. He sat for the first ever National Examination Council (NECO) in 2000 at the Community High School, Isharun, Ondo state.

Adeola Austin Oyinlade was born on 6 August 1981 in Akure, Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State, Nigeria to the family of Elder and Mrs Oyinlade. Adeola was raised at his father's house at Oke-Aro area of Akure, in Ondo state.