Essex law graduate saving lives in Nigeria wins Study UK award

An Essex Law graduate who has successfully overturned a death sentence in Nigeria has been recognised for his achievements at the Study UK Alumni Awards.

Kola Alapinni, who graduated with an LLM in International Human Rights Law, won this year's Social Action Award in Nigeria for his life-saving contributions, which has also seen him save countless lives through his advocacy work.

The Study UK Alumni Awards, hosted by the British Council, celebrate international alumni who are using their UK education to make significant contributions to their communities, industries and countries.

Kola first qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria and said his early years of practice exposed him to the ‘brutal realities of mob justice and blasphemy accusations in northern Nigeria’.

Determined to strengthen his ability to fight these injustices, he chose to pursue a Masters at our Human Rights Centre.

He credits Essex’s ‘practical focus on advocacy’ that helped to equip him with strategies to defend freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) cases.

He said his time at Essex helped him “return home as a bridge between global standards and local realities, committed to pro bono work and fearless litigation.”

Since graduating, Kola has specialised in high-stake religious freedom cases, defending clients facing mob threats and providing legal support in blasphemy trials.

Among his landmark cases include that of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a singer sentenced to death for lyrics deemed blasphemous.

Kola challenged the constitutionality of the ruling and took the case to the Supreme Court in 2025, securing an appeal extension and exposing flaws in the Sharia Penal Code.

He also overturned the conviction of a 13-year-old boy sentenced without legal representation.

Through his work, Kola has saved dozens of people from death or imprisonment and his advocacy sees him protect millions more from the threat of persecution.

His impact has earned global recognition and, in January 2024, he received U.S. Secretary of State's International Religious Freedom Award for challenging blasphemy laws and defending FoRB in Nigeria.

In his speech after collecting the award, Kola said: "I thank those who said our arguments were too daring and that Nigeria was too complicated. Well, he who dares wins!

"And that is what I learnt from my journey at the University of Essex Human Rights Centre. I learnt from the best in the world at Essex.

"We freed Omar Farouq Bashir, the minor sent to jail for 10 years without legal representation. We got Yahaya Sharif-Aminus’ death sentence overturned. Our arguments paved the way for the Economic Community of West African States court to strike down the draconian blasphemy laws."