A desire to see a change in the criminal landscape and reproductive rights of women drew me to undergo a master’s programme at Queen’s University. My background as a lawyer from West Africa has exposed me to the criminal legal landscape in Nigeria. Having studied law at the University of Benin located in Edo State, Nigeria. I was exposed to the criminal framework in Nigeria. The laws which protect women’s reproductive rights have been non-existent, which has driven me to conduct a research paper aimed at awarding me a master’s degree. Upon completion of my first degree, I proceeded to Nigerian Law School, Lagos campus, where I obtained my Call to Bar certificate. Thereafter, I worked as a legal counsel and volunteered at the Lagos food bank aimed at ending food insecurity. During this period, I established my law firm known as Quill’s and Seals, which provided services to clients in areas of compliance, business registration and advisory. This has informed my decision to pursue a master’s degree tailored towards reproductive rights, public health and the criminal landscape surrounding women’s right to choice. My experience as team lead in the non-financial department of FirstBank Nigeria has equally allowed me to gain experience in finance. This has helped me understand the link between financial inclusion and gender equality.
Supervisor: Lisa Kelly
Focus: Criminal Law and reproductive rights
Provisional Title of thesis: ‘A Comparative Analysis of the Nigerian Criminal Legal System on Abortion’