Rinu Oduala

Rinu Oduala is the executive project director of Connect Hub Nigeria, a platform that documents, defends and advocates against state violence and police brutality in Nigeria. Spurred by police brutality in Nigeria and beyond, Rinu has become a key player in the effort to confront the systems and structures that have led to mass incarceration and police killings of Nigerians. She is a Human Rights advocate, community organizer and influencer focused primarily on issues of equity, justice, humanity and community advancement.

Rinu has been on publications on national media outlets including the BBC, CNN, Quartz, Black Ballad, Devex, Bloomberg, Voice of America and Elle among many others. She has spoken at over 100 events globally and organizes one of the largest Twitter spaces in Africa on politics and advocacy. She frequently appears on national and international broadcasting stations and her opinions are featured in local newspapers.

She is the winner of the “Woman of the year in Advocacy and HerEconomy 2022” award and “Woman of the year in Advocacy and HerNetwork 2021” award and has been nominated for the “Future Awards Africa” and the “Prize for Advocacy and Activism”. She has been nominated for the LLA’s 2021 #100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria, and NBC Washington’s "31 Women creating a positive impact in Africa". She has also been nominated as one of the royal awardees of the “Royal African Young Leadership Award 2022”, one of 2020’s 100 most influential Nigerians and one of Africa’s 100 Most Influential People. According to BBC, she is one of the Leading Nigerian Women in the Fight for Change, and according to BBC Africa, one of Africa’s most influential women for 2020. She has been awarded the “CAHR Aminu Kano award for Leadership”, as well as NETNG’s “Most Searched Person Class of 2021”. Finally, she has been a United Nations ambassador for the promotion of Peace, Justice, and Dignity, one of YNaija’s “Most Influential Voices in Nigerian Politics”, SERAS’ “Africa’s Top Influencer for Social Good 2021”, a mentor at Dweebs Global, and a fellow at the ICFJ Knight Fellowship”.