Giving a voice to displaced persons in Nigeria

Judith Ndaraku Obiekwe (26) grew up in Kaduna State, a region in northern Nigeria that has been severely affected by various crises and conflicts in recent years. Terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, civil wars caused by religious and ethnic conflicts, and poor governance have made the area unstable. ‘Where my family lives, it is relatively quiet, but less than an hour’s drive away, the situation is completely different,’ says Judith. ‘It is a difficult time. People have lost loved ones, suffered trauma and many have lost their homes.’

Making a real impact

After studying law at Afe Babalola University, Ndaraku Obiekwe first worked as a lawyer for the government and later in a general practice. ‘There, I dealt with a wide variety of cases and discovered that my heart lies in human rights and humanitarian law.

In my view, this is the area of law where I can really be of value and have an impact in my country. Because international experience is indispensable in this field, I came to Groningen. I am using this year to learn as much as possible: theoretically, but hopefully also practically by doing an internship alongside my studies.'

Millions of displaced people

In the future, she wants to work for the millions of displaced people in Nigeria, especially women and children. ‘They are the most vulnerable and have little access to healthcare, even though they need it so badly, both physically and psychologically. My dream is to work with an organisation that focuses specifically on this target group and gives displaced women and children a voice.

A taste of home

Ndaraku Obiekwe started her studies last September. And although everything is going well – she has found a nice room, made new friends and the lectures are interesting – it certainly takes some getting used to.

'The first few weeks were particularly difficult. I missed my boyfriend and my family. I had to find my way around Dutch traffic on my bike. Discover how the education system works. And I missed Nigerian food... But slowly, it's starting to feel more familiar here. I recently discovered an African supermarket with products and ingredients that taste like home!

Classmates from all corners of the world

Ndaraku Obiekwe really likes the programme. ‘It's intensive, but I've already gained so much new knowledge. My classmates come from all over the world, which brings a lot of different experiences and perspectives – the lecturers encourage us to share them, which I find very valuable.’

In the coming months, she would also like to get to know the Netherlands outside the university walls. She wants to explore the province, visit a number of cities and learn Dutch. And the Christmas holidays? “I would love to see snow and learn to ski. I have a friend in Switzerland – if everything goes well, I want to visit her.”

Background Eric Bleumink Fellowship

The Eric Bleumink Fellowship (EBF) is part of the Ubbo Emmius Fund and awards master's scholarships to exceptional talents from non-Western countries. Each year, a select group of students receives an individual scholarship of €15,000 for a Master's programme at the University of Groningen. The EBF encourages young people to pursue their ambitions and contributes to the internationally diverse community of the university. To date, more than 100 students from 30 countries have received a scholarship from the EBF.

Text: Kirsten Otten