Sacred Unrest

7 - Justice, Suffering, and Sacred Hope: Interview with Human Rights Lawyer, Emmauel Ogebe, Esq.


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In this episode, Emmanuel Ogebe, Esq. shares the story of his imprisonment and torture, how decades of advocacy have led to a hard-won sense of vindication, and why Romans 13 is not a blank check for abusive power. We explore the uncomfortable mirrors between the governance failures he’s fought abroad and what he now sees in the United States, including the church’s habit of canonizing political figures rather than lamenting harm. Emmanuel offers a grounded theology of government that serves the common good, practical discernment when Caesar is corrupt, and a stubborn hope for weary hearts.

Content Note

This episode includes references to torture, terrorism, and political violence.

Call to Action

If this conversation helped you think more clearly about faith, justice, and hope, share the episode with a friend and leave a rating. To support Emmanuel’s current work or learn more about his advocacy, visit the links in the episode description.

About Emmanuel
Emmanuel Ogebe, Esq., is an award-winning international human rights lawyer based in Washington, D.C., who has played a role in shaping US Congressional and foreign policy toward Nigeria. 

Mr. Ogebe has been a guest speaker at university campuses across the US and on radio and TV programs around the world, including CNN, Fox, Al Jazeera, BBC, the Geneva Summit, the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Canadian Parliament. His decades of advocacy led to the US designating Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organization (2013), Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (2020), and the International Criminal Court Prosecutor’s determination of crimes against humanity in Nigeria (2020), among other achievements. He was consulted by the Clinton (2000) and Bush (2003) administrations during their visits to Nigeria. 

He currently serves as Special Counsel for the “Justice for Jos” Project, advocating for and assisting survivors/victims of terror. Mr Ogebe is a recipient of several awards, including from President Obama (2009), the Darfur Women Action Group (2016), Diaspora groups in the US, as well as US States and local authorities, with citations and recognitions in Florida, Arkansas, and New Jersey, amongst others. Emmanuel Ogebe received a Diaspora award from the Nigerian government this year as an outstanding citizen abroad for his humanitarian work and development of the law. The award was bestowed at Nigeria’s presidential villa, where he was once a political prisoner of a military dictatorship, on the 29th anniversary of his captivity. He came into exile in the U.S. a year after his imprisonment.

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Sacred UnrestBy Bruce Pagano II