Nigerian human rights activist and academic Chidi Anselm Odinkalu has been honored as the 2026 Paddock Teaching Award recipient by The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Established in 1993 to memorialize Professor James Paddock, this prestigious award recognizes faculty members who exhibit exceptional teaching excellence, mastery of their subject matter, and a profound commitment to their students.
The Henry J. Leir Institute for Migration and Human Security further validated this achievement, highlighting Odinkalu’s deep engagement with the Fletcher community.
Odinkalu’s career is characterized by a blend of rigorous scholarship and fearless advocacy. Born in southeastern Nigeria in 1968, he earned his law degree from the University of Nigeria before obtaining advanced degrees, including a doctorate, from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
His professional background includes pivotal roles with Human Rights Watch, where he documented systemic abuses across Africa, and a transformative tenure as Chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) from 2012 to 2015. During his leadership at the NHRC, he asserted the commission's independence, investigated high-profile abuses, and maintained a steadfast insistence that national security and counter-terrorism efforts must not infringe upon civil liberties.