Heinz Fellow Spotlight: Nnenna Anozia
Interviewed by Susan Wiedel
 |
|
Nnenna Anozia |
Nnenna Anozia is a native of Nigeria. She graduated from the Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, and later received a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Benin, Benin City. Ms. Anozia earned the Barrister at Law degree from the Nigerian Law School, Bwari, Abuja. While a law student, she focused on various legal areas including her dissertation topic “Alternative Disputes Resolution as a Solution to Decongesting the Courts.” Subsequent to graduation from law school, Ms. Anozia worked for several law firms and was involved in the creation of an aptitude test to assist law firms in the ranking and selection of candidates for legal positions.
Ms. Anozia is currently pursuing a Master of Laws (LL.M.) at the School of Law. She is focusing her legal studies on maritime, tax, intellectual property, energy and natural resources, and patent and trademark related law. Additional academic areas of interest include alternative dispute resolution, American law, and legal analysis, research and writing. In terms of Ms. Anozia’s motivation for pursuing an LL.M. at Pitt, she stated her goal is “… to become a leader effective in implementing policies capable of … alleviating the problems not just of Nigerian society faces but also the world at large.”
Following is an interview with Ms. Anozia:
1.) How are you liking Pitt?
Nnenna: I did not know what to expect as I made my way to Pittsburgh. I had pondered on what living would be like at Pitt, and my relationship with the people: students and professors alike. Everyone is friendly. Professors are very approachable and everyone in general is very helpful when I have inquiries. I like it here so far but honestly I am not looking forward to the winter. I have heard that winters here are very harsh.
2.) As a university student in Nigeria, did you consider study at a foreign university as a potentially important aspect of your education? Why?
Nnenna: Yes, I had always considered studying abroad while I was in high school even before going to the university. This is because the Nigerian system is a very tough market and you need to do something extra or additional to set yourself apart from your peers. There is a high level of unemployment in Nigeria and most times professionals with foreign qualifications are favored for the best jobs; and jobs are generally given on a connection or "who you know" basis. This is because there is this notion in Nigeria that professionals who have been trained extensively abroad would have acquired a vast amount of knowledge, skills, and experience and would be able to contribute in any complex situation. I personally believe that the opportunity to study abroad would afford me a well-rounded educational experience. For me to succeed in this ever-increasing modern global economy, the benefits that can be gotten from understanding our diverse world cannot be over-emphasized. I know my experiences at Pitt would change my life and I would go back to my country as almost a new individual with a new way of thinking and approaching issues. I have been learning to handle a lot of challenges all at the same time.
3.) You have mentioned that you are a volunteer at the Tamar Global Aid Foundation. Tell me about your experiences there. What does the Foundation do? What kind of work do you do there? What are your motivations behind this volunteerism?
Nnenna: I started volunteering at Tamar Global Aid Foundation early in 2013. The Foundation is specifically set up to bring issues affecting women and children to light. Issues including domestic violence, women's psychological well-being, child poverty, and child abuse.
-Working at Tamar, I have seen a lot of disheartening cases. I will give a summary of issues that I have worked on. Cases like a 16-year-old girl who was raped and sent out of her house by her parents because they could not provide for the unborn child. There was a case involving a father who sold his baby to raise funds to process his documents to travel. There was another case in which a woman was abused by her husband and her relatives encouraged her to stay saying "Every man beats his wife." One of the incidents that affected me the most was a case where the owner of an orphanage raped all the little girls in his orphanage on countless occasions. How can an orphanage that is charged with the responsibility of taking care of children also be the one charged with this heinous crime?
-Working with other lawyers who are also passionate about the plight women and children face, we offer free legal advice to victims; educating them about their rights and letting them know that it is never acceptable under any circumstance to condone domestic violence. We also help the victims get medical assistance when needed, which we support through fundraising and counseling. We have been liaising with police authorities and working with legal counsel handling the matters to endeavor that the perpetrators face the wrath of the law.
- Abuse of women and children are issues very close to my heart. I want to be able to give back and make a difference, not just in my country but also across the globe. In Nigeria, everyone keeps complaining about the dilapidating state of the nation, complaining about our leaders; but what do we all do individually to make our country and the world at large a better place? If we want our world to change, change starts with every individual. We must all contribute our own quota for the betterment of our society.
4.) What do these women and children face that makes their present situation even more dire and in need of aid?
Nnenna: Women and children face a lot of discrimination and generally their voices are not heard. A lot of children in Nigeria are sexually abused and in most instances by a relative. Children are denied the rights to education, which is fundamental, and most of them become outcasts and are stigmatized as a result of them being violated. Women are always traumatized and are terrified of their abusers. They are psychologically demoralized and the apparent danger of being harmed is still very present in their lives. These women are always afraid to come out and speak about the injustice done to them because there is also the possibility that they would be blamed for the incident, possibly because of the way they dress or encouraging the situation.
5.) How has this experience affected you, your goals, your career aspirations?
Nnenna: My experiences working with Tamar have not just exposed me but have really opened my eyes to the plights of women and children. It is very disheartening to see what these victims have to go through daily and what constitutes part of their daily living. I would want to do more to help alleviate the sufferings that are being inflicted on them daily. My goals in life remain unaffected because helping women and children has always been on my agenda. I still hope in the near future to own an orphanage to help children who have been abandoned. It is my goal to become a leader with the potential to impact the lives of people all around as I attain the pinnacle of my career.
6.) How does the LLM program fit into your plans?
Nnenna: Pitt offers a general LL.M program giving us the flexibility to choose a variety of courses in our interest areas. I am taking more tax related courses because we do not have a lot of tax lawyers in Nigeria. And I want to do something that I would be able to stand out. Being a human rights lawyer is who I am and nothing is going to change my ability to be able to do my own part to draw attention to the less privileged and endeavor that their voices are being heard.
7.) What do you hope others will learn from your story?
Nnenna: I hope everyone can be sympathetic to the plights women and children face and other areas where injustice to citizens is committed. I hope people can come out to help the less privileged and know that giving back to the community is not a burden but only helps in enabling a better environment in which we can all cohabit harmoniously. I hope a lot of awareness is created about the ills of domestic violence, child poverty, and abuse. I hope people learn to speak up and help is disseminated accordingly.