A Message From Amaka Megwalu
2008-2009 President of HALA

Dear HALA Family,

I hope you all had a wonderful winter break and winter term. Congratulations to the 1Ls for completing their first semester at HLS!

As you may know, HALA’s primary goal this year has been to raise the profile of issues affecting the African continent on the HLS campus.  As a part of that effort, we’ve been lobbying the administration to create a new class on African Legal Systems or some other substantive area of law affecting the continent.  The recent financial crisis has hampered that effort, but we are confident that the Administration is aware of students’ hunger to gain more exposure to African issues. 

This spring, HALA has an exciting series of events lined up.  In conjunction with BLSA and the HKS Africa Caucus, we will kick off the new semester with a movie screening of “The Neo-African Americans” by HKS grad Kobina Aidoo on February 3rd at 7pm (Location TBA). You can view a preview here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJKV5roH244.

We also have two Speaker events in February.  On February 12, 12noon-1:30pm, HALA will join with HLS Advocates to host the re-known international human rights activist Hauwa Ibrahim.  Hauwa Ibrahim defended Amina Lawal in the famous appeal to overthrow a sentence to death by stoning. Click here to read more about this incredible lady: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/nigeria/voice01.html. On February 27, 12noon-1:30pm, HALA will host the former Minister of Abuja, Nasir El-Rufai to speak on “Debating Law and Policy: Reflecting on the Abuja Evictions.”  Mr. El-Rufai, also a lawyer, presided over the infamous evictions of hundreds of thousands of allegedly illegal settlers from Nigeria’s capital territory.  His actions have been both widely applauded and criticized in and outside Nigeria. Come and debate his views on what the law required and the policy decisions he was forced to make – a brief summary of the context leading up to the evictions will be provided during this question and answer style discussion. Click here to read more about Mr. El-Rufai: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasir_Ahmad_el-Rufai, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3634616.stm.

In March and April, we’ll be hosting Professors Katharina Pistor of Columbia Law School and Ruth Okediji of University of Minnesota Law School, as well as Mohamed Pa-Momo Fofanah of the Lawyers Centre for Legal Assistance in Sierra Leone, also a HLS alum,.  More details will follow about these upcoming speakers.  The month of April will be capped of by HALA’s annual Africa Week/Night, which is being expanded into a Harvard University-wide event this year.  We are collaborating with the HKS’ Africa Caucus and the Harvard African Students Association to host and cross-advertise several panels, speakers, and dinner discussions between April 1st and the 12th.  The week will culminate with an Africa-themed CULTURAL SHOW on the evening of April 12th, with lovely dancing, music, performances and a fashion show, all co-sponsored by HALA in conjunction with other Harvard wide organizations.

I wish you all success in the new semester and hope to see you at some of these events!

Best,
Amaka Megwalu
HALA President