International Legal Studies Week: Aminu Gamawa LLM ’10 Comments (19)

Aminu Gamawa is currently an LL.M. student at HLS.

Life Before HLS

Before coming to Harvard, I was actively involved in public interest lawyering and development work in Nigeria. My major areas of interest are human rights, access to justice, and dispute resolution. Because of my passion for social change and access to justice, I have opted to work in the public sector because it gives me satisfaction and I feel fulfilled when I make others happy through my work.

I worked first as a program officer to the Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) under an access to justice project for women and children, and then as a legal consultant to the German Technical Cooperation, (GTZ) Multisectoral Women Empowerment project. Under these projects, I had the opportunity to represent many indigent women and children in court and I was actively involved in the legislative advocacy for domestication of the Child’s Rights Convention and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. I later joined the Law faculty of Ebonyi State University as a clinical supervisor, where I was involved in supervising clinical projects and representing prisoners that have been held in detention without trial.

I was also actively involved in inter-faith and inter-ethnic conflict resolution in Nigeria. I worked with colleagues of different faiths to promote dialogue across religious and ethnic divides in Nigeria, with the goal of fostering peace, harmony, tolerance and democracy. I was awarded the U.S. State Department Dispute Resolution Fellowship to attend a summer program at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, in 2008. It was during this summer course that I had the privilege of visiting HLS. I was extremely attracted by the resources, opportunities and beautiful atmosphere at Harvard Law School. I made it my career goal to apply to the prestigious LL.M. program. After interacting with some alumni and professors, I was convinced that Harvard had everything that I needed to build a successful career.

Applying to Harvard
When I first applied to Harvard Law School, I wasn’t fully sure if I was going to make it. Although I was lucky to be at the top of my class throughout my primary education, I knew that Harvard was going to be different. Additionally, the tuition was prohibitively expensive for me. I asked myself: can a poor man like me afford such expensive tuition? I later realized that Harvard does not discriminate on the basis of economic means. I was not only admitted into the LL.M. class, but was also assisted with a scholarship that made it possible for me to be here. Without the support I received, I doubt a public interest lawyer like me could have made it to Harvard. So, my first advice to prospective applicants is: if you think you are qualified and you have met the requirements, just give it a try. Don’t be discouraged by your financial condition.

The next anxiety that followed my admission was the thought of living far away from my country and family for almost a year. Surely, my family would miss me much as I would miss them. My fear was that I would no longer be able to speak my local language, wear my local dress or eat my local food. But these concerns soon faded away. Harvard Law School took care of most of my worries even before my arrival. There are people ready to answer all your questions and to address your concerns.

Lastly, it is normally difficult to get a U.S. visa if you are from my country. But even the person interviewing for the visa at the U.S. consulate had a special respect for Harvard Law School and I didn’t have a problem securing a visa. And before I even arrived, the graduate program found a friend for me who volunteered to pick me up at the Airport and transport me to the Law School. That was a great help indeed. I started to feel like a king.

Life at Harvard

I had a very tough time choosing courses once I arrived at Harvard. There are so many courses within my field of studies and all the courses are relevant and interesting, but you can’t do everything. Whatever your focus is, the curriculum is so rich that it gives you many options to choose from. I finally decided to commit to the International Human Rights Concentration (a special offering for LL.M. students). This concentration has given me a rare opportunity to learn new issues in the field of human rights, to access incredible resources, and to meet scholars and practitioners from across the globe.

The opportunities provided by studying at HLS are not only in HLS. Being here has offered me the chance to attend different conferences, workshops and seminars in the neighboring Kennedy School, Business School and some other institutions within the Boston area. In less than a year, I am happy to have met and established friendships and a professional network with hundreds of colleagues working in my areas of interest, many of whom are working in Africa. I consider this a huge investment for my career, and for the development of my country. Many colleagues here have expressed interest in coming to work in Africa. The different academic forums here at HLS have given me the opportunity to share my research with other students.

There are always so many events happening at HLS. If you are like me — and believe in free lunch — you don’t have to buy lunch. Every day there is one important lecture or program that takes place within the HLS, mostly organized by vibrant student bodies and the HLS. They serve free lunch and the discussions are quite enriching. I used that as an opportunity to meet many international scholars and practitioners in the field of my study. I have joined the Africa Law Students Association and become secretary for the organization. This has given me the opportunity to participate in organizing academic and social activities within the law school that promote the understanding of Africa and its political and legal tradition.

The library provides me with an unparalleled opportunity to access resources that I have needed for my research. I have been surprised to discover that there is a plethora of literature on my country and other African countries, more than what I could have accessed back home. What I also find fascinating is that I have learned not just from my professors, but also from other students and visiting scholars. Everyone you meet here has accomplished great things in their respective fields and they are a tremendous resource that you can tap into whenever you need.

My Future

The enormous resources provided by Harvard for its students and alumni are quite remarkable. There are lots of fellowship opportunities, research grants and travel grants for students, both while studying and immediately after graduation. For example, I just won a $25,000 JAMS Foundation Weinstein International fellowship award to develop a project on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) while I am here in the U.S. so that I can implement it upon my return to Nigeria. I will be staying for six months after graduation to learn more about ADR in the U.S. and to develop a project that could help develop ADR and access to justice in Nigeria.

Finally, I plan to return to my country after my studies so that I can translate what I am learning here for the betterment of my country and humanity. I am confident that I am now more equipped and prepared to do my work. Studying here was quite transformational! I look forward to staying in touch with my friends and professors (especially, Dean Minow, Professor Alford, Professor Duncan, Professor Blum, Professor Halley, Jeanne Tai and many others who have been very supportive during my studies). To all friends, if you are planning to come to Nigeria, please let me know because I would be more than happy to reciprocate the hospitality!

– Aminu Gamawa LLM ’10