The baton has been passed at The Initiative for Equal Rights from one Tutu Fellow to another. Retiring board chair Bibi Bakare-Yusuf - who chaired the organisation for ten years - was replaced by Chude Jideonwo, who was appointed in November 2023.
Bibi is the founder of publisher Cassava Press, and a 2008 Tutu Fellow. Chude is the Founder of Joy, Inc., and a Nigerian TV host, film maker and entrepreneur and a 2018 Tutu Fellow. TIERs is a courageous voice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Nigeria, who face severe challenges not experienced by normies. LGBT rights are frequently infringed upon and homosexual activity is illegal in Nigeria and punishable by up to 16 years of prison in the conventional court system.
The Initiative for Equal Rights - TIERs - is a Nigeria-based nonprofit organisation working to create a society where human rights are guaranteed regardless of status, identity, orientation and affiliation. It protects and promotes the rights and humanity of all Nigerians through advocacy, empowerment, education, and the provision of safe platforms of convergence. It was founded in 2005 as a response to the discrimination and marginalisation of sexual minorities in HIV prevention programming. It has since evolved and extended its activities to include human rights protection, advocacy, and mainstream human rights work.
TIERs is a courageous voice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Nigeria, who face severe challenges not experienced by normies. LGBT rights are frequently infringed upon and homosexual activity is illegal in Nigeria and punishable by up to 16 years of prison in the conventional court system.
TIERs said that under Bibi's leadership, TIERs achieved remarkable milestones, including winning landmark equality cases up to the Supreme Court and playing a pioneering role in mainstreaming cultural advocacy as a critical tool for social change around issues of sexuality and human rights. Chude fills the role bringing with him his track record as the director of #ChudeExplains, a series of films with a focus on social justice and culture.
You can read the announcement of Chude's appointment at the TIERs website.
Header image - From one of the resources for download from their site at infographics
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