Cameroon’s leading human rights defender won the 2020 Irwin Cotler Award for Human Rights Defenders in Cameroon.

Handing over the award on December 10 at his official residence in Yaoundé, Canada’s High Commissioner to Cameroon, H.E. Richard Bale said Agbor Nkongho is a “nationally and internationally renowned human rights crusader”.

The award thus recognizes Agbor Nkongho’s selfless efforts at “advocating, promoting and protecting human rights in all forms”.

The award is the initiative of Canadian-born Irwin Cotler, Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, Emeritus Professor of Law at McGill University, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and longtime Member of Parliament, and an international human rights lawyer.

“I don’t think there is anybody or any institution that has documented the gross systematic widespread human rights violations taking place in the South West and the North West regions more than my organization,” said CHRDA’s Founder/President Agbor Nkongho. “There are very few people or organizations who have spoken truth to power from condemning Ngarbuh to Kumba, to Muyuka incidents. Everything that has been happening, we have had a say on it. For the panelists to have come to us for this award, it is something that makes me honored and I am grateful.”

Agbor Nkongho told his audience that the journey to this day has been long and rough, saluting his mentors like Mwalimu George Ngwane.

His words: “It has been a long struggle, more than 20 years that I have been advocating, promoting and protecting human rights in all shape and form.  I can see some of my mentors like Ngwane that I have known for a long time. The journey has not been an easy one. It's had a checkered history, ups, and downs, very topsy-turvy, but we are resilient. I am sure we are here today because of the wonderful job that we have been doing.”

Agbor Nkongho said his neutrality and resilience remains his driving force, promising to stay true to type in 2021 and beyond.

“It represents the fact that when you are resilient when you believe in what you do, some people will appreciate it. It shows that there are people who appreciate the fact that not everybody is polarised in the conflict. It represents the fact that when you are in the middle, without taking extreme positions, people appreciate it,” he said. 

Human Rights Day 2020

In celebration of Human Rights Day on December 10, 2020, the High Commission of Canada hosted a ceremony at Canada’s Official Residence during which he announced the winners of the 2020 Irwin Cotler Awards for Human Rights Defenders in Cameroon, a statement said.

This ceremony was an opportunity for the High Commissioner of Canada, H.E. Mr. Richard Bale, to outline the commitment of Canada to support the advancement and promotion of human rights in Cameroon. As it has become a tradition, High Commissioner Bale unveiled the two winners of the 2020 Irwin Cotler Award for Human Rights Defenders in Cameroon.

The first winner is Mrs. Fidele Djebba, the founding President of the Association Rayons de Soleil since 2006 in Maroua. Her main goal is to increase the leadership and participation of young women in decision-making and in the defense of their rights.

The second winner is Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor, President of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA), nationally and internationally renowned human rights crusader for advocating, promoting, and protecting human rights in all forms.

While congratulating the two winners, High Commissioner Bale encouraged civil society to continue working towards promoting and protecting human rights in Cameroon.