Overcoming Barriers: A Woman’s Law Career Story

The legal profession in Nigeria, like many others, is often dominated by men, and women in law face unique challenges as they navigate their careers. From systemic barriers to everyday misogyny, the journey of a woman in law school and beyond is fraught with obstacles. Yet, many continue to push forward, driven by passion, resilience, and a commitment to justice.

In this exclusive interview, we speak with Sarah, the Content Team Lead at Herbode, who shares her experiences, inspirations, and the realities of being a woman in law school. She sheds light on the hurdles she has faced, the changes she hopes to see in the legal system, and her advice for young girls aspiring to pursue a career in law.

INTERVIEW WITH SARAH, CONTENT TEAM LEAD

Q- What inspired you to pursue a career in law?

A- Well, the earliest memory I have of wanting to study law was sometime in JSS1. I can’t exactly remember what the inspiration was, but I know I wanted to do something to help people fight for their rights, women especially. I remember returning from Sunday school with my sister, and she asked why I was so deep in thought. I just said, “I can’t wait to be a lawyer so I can help all those women take back their property.” This was me referring to widows whose property was forcefully taken away. So for me, it’s always been about being in a position to do something to help.

Q- Was there a specific moment or person that influenced your decision to study law?

A- Not really. I don’t have a memory of wanting to be anything else other than a lawyer. At a point, I wanted to be a writer, but it wasn’t a “this or that” situation, it was a “can I combine this with law?” situation. But I remember my dad always talking about this man who would sometimes come to this meeting they had occasionally with his daughter, who was a lawyer. He would talk about how the man was so proud of his daughter and narrate things the girl told them or advised them on. I knew I wanted that to be me and him someday, and somehow it’s always been at the back of my mind, even though he’s not here anymore.

Q- What area of law are you most passionate about, and why?

A- Definitely human rights. However, over the years, my interest has somehow grown to include corporate law. But while human rights still remain my passion, I live in a country where I am forced to consider other options because they’re more lucrative.

Q- What changes would you love to see in the Nigerian legal system, especially concerning women’s rights?

A- I definitely would love to see some changes made in the penal code, which somehow authorizes some barbaric acts like husbands being allowed to chastise their wives—that is, he’s allowed to physically assault her by virtue of their marriage. There’s also the issue of child marriage and how the bills to protect these girls against child marriage have been constantly shut down, merely to satisfy a few grey-haired men who are pedophiles. I can go on and on because our system needs a total reform, but I’ll just end by saying that this is 2025, and it’s still very appalling that there is no provision in Nigerian law making it unlawful for men to rape their wives. Our laws do not recognize marital rape, and it just goes to show that Nigerian laws do not care about the protection of women or girls.

Q- If you could reform one law affecting women in Nigeria today, what would it be and why?

A- Extend the meaning of rape in our criminal code to include marital rape. Rape is rape, the relationship between the offender and the victim is immaterial, and it is utterly disturbing and dangerous that anyone would think otherwise. Bodily autonomy is a thing, and just because you’re married doesn’t suddenly give that away. Consent does not end in marriage, it is a continuous thing, and I can’t believe I even have to say this, but saying “I do” at the altar is not a replacement for consent. You’re saying yes to spending eternity with someone, not saying yes to sexual abuse and harassment.

Q- What advice would you give to young girls who aspire to study law? A- Please run, it’s extremely hard here. Just kidding, lol. But it is extremely hard here. Chances of failure are high, and you’re bound to get tired and discouraged, especially in a country where a lot of lawyers are paid peanuts. However, you can survive if you set your priorities right. You have to want to do this—that’s the only way you can smile through the pain. It’s also highly fallacious that you can’t make it as a lawyer because you can; you just need to put in a little bit more work. There are firms and companies paying a lot of money to lawyers, and being a lawyer will never go out of fashion. It is still a very noble profession. As a side note, we need more girls—not just girls, but feminists. It is important that this field is filled with girls who want to make a change and will stand up for what they believe in. There is still a gap to be filled, and there is still discrimination even in the profession. You need to understand that we have to work twice as hard, and you need to make up your mind to do just that. I know we can overcome in our numbers.

Q- What challenges have you faced as a woman in law school? A- Sexism and deep misogyny. Men in law are highly misogynistic—maybe not all, but a good number of them. It is insane, especially when you have to deal with it coming from male lecturers while they’re seated on the podium teaching with their female colleagues. It’s subtle at first, and they want you to laugh because they dismiss it as a joke, but nothing is really funny. There are still lots of discriminatory laws against women in Nigeria, so when the male lecturers handle topics covering some of these discriminatory laws, they present them as if they are acceptable because they are the “norm” and part of “culture.”

Q- What do you think is the pressing issue facing women in law today? A- Discrimination and exclusion in the running of inner affairs. There are bodies like the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and it would surprise you to find out that women don’t really take on many leadership positions there. Just last week, we got a visit from the first female NBA chairman in the Port Harcourt branch. This is 2025, and we’re just having the first female president in a branch. There are many areas where women have never even had the chance to hold positions of power. People outside may not see it, but the profession is highly discriminatory against women. She told us stories about how she was denied jobs and how she had to work twice as hard to make it in a profession that is male-dominated. Just like every other profession, we have to prove ourselves to be taken seriously—it’s non-negotiable.

Thank you, Sarah, for sharing your insights and experiences. Your journey highlights both the struggles and the triumphs of women in the legal profession, and we hope that your words inspire more young women to pursue law and advocate for change.