Every Call to Bar ceremony marks the beginning of a new chapter for hundreds of aspiring lawyers. For Nehemiah Shanum Danjuma, this year's ceremony represented something more. When his name was entered into the Roll of Legal Practitioners, he became the first Deaf lawyer from Northern Nigeria, reaching a milestone that had once appeared uncertain after an admission decision threatened to divert him from the profession he had chosen.
In 2017, Danjuma applied to study Law at the University of Ilorin. Instead of being offered a place in the Faculty of Law, he was admitted to study Primary Education Studies. It was the kind of outcome many applicants reluctantly accept, particularly when another opportunity is far from guaranteed. Danjuma decided otherwise. He declined the offer, waited for another admission cycle and applied again. A year later, he secured admission to study Common Law, the course he had wanted from the outset.
Looking back after his Call to Bar, he recalled the episode with characteristic candour.
"Waliu was the first Unilorin Law student I contacted when I was seeking admission in 2017. We would've been classmates but Unilorin gave me Primary Education Studies. I clicked 'reject' with the speed of light and tried again in 2018."
That decision postponed his admission by a year, but it ensured that the direction of his future remained his own.
At the University of Ilorin, Danjuma graduated with a Second Class Upper degree in Common Law. His years on campus were defined not only by academic achievement but also by public service. As Students' Union Senator representing students with disabilities, he advocated for greater inclusion and worked to ensure that students often overlooked within higher education had representation in the university's decision-making process.
His commitment to advocacy extended beyond the university. Elected National President of the National Association of Nigerian Deaf Students (NANDS), he served two terms during which the association organised its first national conference, launched the NANDS Magazine and expanded its activities across the country. His contributions earned him the association's Long-term Service Award and established him as one of the emerging voices for disability inclusion in Nigeria.
His work soon attracted international recognition. Between 2021 and 2024, Danjuma served as a Youth Adviser on Human Development with the European Union Youth Sounding Board in Nigeria, contributing to discussions on education, healthcare and social protection. He later became a Coelho Law Fellow at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, where he received specialised training in disability rights law and policy through the Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy and Innovation. The experience reinforced his interest in using the law to strengthen inclusion and protect the rights of people whose voices are too often absent from policy discussions.
His legal education reached its final stage at the Nigerian Law School's Abuja Campus. While completing the Bar Part II programme, he undertook externships at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory and the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, gaining practical experience in legal research, drafting and courtroom proceedings.
The final stretch of that journey was eased by organisations that recognised his potential. The Voice of Disability Initiative contributed toward the cost of a sign language interpreter during his time at the Nigerian Law School, while the JASAN Foundation awarded him a full tuition scholarship. After qualifying as a lawyer, Danjuma publicly acknowledged both organisations, describing their assistance as instrumental to completing his legal education.
He also found allies among his classmates. One of his closest friends at the Nigerian Law School, Chukwu Nzubechukwu, concluded that exchanging handwritten notes was no substitute for genuine conversation and learned sign language instead.
"Had to learn sign language so I could communicate properly with him. Got tired of using notes. Nemmy changed my life. Congratulations my bro. Future AGF! God speed on every day my bro," Nzubechukwu wrote after the Call to Bar.
The gesture reflected a simple but important truth: inclusion is shaped not only by institutions and public policy but also by individual choices that make shared spaces more accessible.
Today, Danjuma serves as Programmes Lead at the Voice of Disability Initiative, where he coordinates advocacy projects, outreach programmes and initiatives that promote inclusion. His professional interests span disability law and policy, human rights, international law and diplomacy, employment and labour law, as well as the use of assistive technology to improve access to justice.
When he announced his qualification, his message was brief: "First Deaf Lawyer from Northern Nigeria. Called to the Bar. History made."
Those few words summarised years of persistence that began with an admission offer he refused to accept. Between that decision and his Call to Bar came years of study, student leadership, national advocacy, international engagement and practical legal training, each preparing him for the profession he had resolved to join.
Danjuma's admission to the Nigerian Bar is significant beyond the distinction of being the first Deaf lawyer from Northern Nigeria. It underscores the importance of evaluating ability on merit rather than assumption and demonstrates what becomes possible when talent is given the opportunity to develop. His achievement broadens the horizon for aspiring lawyers with disabilities and offers a compelling reminder that institutions serve society best when they recognise potential instead of limiting it. Northern Nigeria now has its first Deaf lawyer. The next challenge is ensuring that he is no longer an exception.
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