The feminine world of lawyers and the academia home and abroad has recorded a notable entry into the rank of Amazons, a double first class lawyer and Oxford scholar.

She is 26-year-old Miss Ikanna Okim who broke a 36-year record when, in 2021, she graduated with First Class honours (LLB) in the Law Faculty of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO).

As if to confirm her sterling academic performance, the next year, she also bagged a First Class from the Nigerian Law School, after which she was called to the Nigerian Bar.

Scholarship

The amiable Akwa Ibom Stateborn postgraduate law student is the second daughter of Mr Sunny Okim, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of The Frontier, an online newspaper.

Impressed with her national rating, she was offered an unconditional scholarship to study for the BCL course at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Of which she said: “Arguably the most competitive Masters course in Law in the world.

I would be studying as an Oxford-Hackney BCL Graduate scholar.” On her academic achievements, future pursuits in life, and particularly the scholarship award by Oxford University, Ikanna explains:

“I’ve been given an unconditional offer of admission to study for the BCL course at the University of Oxford, arguably, the most competitive Masters course in Law in the world. I would be studying as an OxfordHackney BCL Graduate scholar after which I hope to pursue a doctorate degree in law. In practice, I’ll pursue a career in Corporate/Commercial Law.”

History maker

It’s been quite an impressive academic performance that stands her out from her mates, emerging the very first graduate to bag a First Class in the 36- year history of the Law Faculty, she also repeated the same by graduating first class at the Nigerian L a w School.

Ikanna attribu t e d the outstanding feat to two factors, namely: “First, an understanding that God is willing to help you do great things; secondly, the willingness to cooperate with God in bringing your potentials to life.

This would mean burning the midnight candle, doing your tasks diligently and being genuinely interested in what you’re studying. God is gracious. I must say that I’m a shining example of God’s grace. As a human, you need to also play your own part to do your very best.”

To be able to understand the need to cooperate with God in actualising her potential by burning the midnight candle in this age of fun and convenience by most youths speaks volumes about her family upbringing.

Her words: “I had a fantastic upbringing. I tell people all the time that I was raised with intentionality. My parents did things to task our minds and help us think independently and critically. Growing up, we would read newspapers and explain what we read to my dad.

Remember, my dad is an astute journalist and writer. We had really intensive yet fun ways of learning things beyond our age. “I believe that it helped our curiosity and our ability to understand complex things.

My siblings are also really brilliant people. We had a culture of encouragement around us too. Good performance was always rewarded.”

Social life

For a youth to secure such feats one expects her to be a bookworm who had no time for socials or relaxation. But Ikanna disagrees, saying: “People perceive me by the part of me they meet first.

If you meet me at a social gathering, you might never guess I am into books that much. If you meet me in an academic environment, you might think I have no social life. I do many things outside studying. I write I play musical instruments such as the trumpet and a couple more others.

I vibe to Afrogospel music a lot! I love movies; I create funny videos exclusively for my friends. I am the clown in my friends’ groups. I know how to have fun.”

Against the foregoing backdrop, it’s not surprising that Miss Okim finds time to write and even mentor younger ones. She expatiates: “I write legal/academic pieces and have published a couple of them so far. I also write fiction.

I wrote and published Insipid, Black Syrma, Stained Blood, Le Mirabilis, Letters to my 9 Friends. Another one is in the works. “In terms of mentorship, I am leading a mentorship ring of amazing young brilliant lawyers who are providing guidance to law students in Africa.

The organisation is called The Exceptional Law Student Quarters (TELS-Q) and our community is 600+ members strong, across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Eswa tini. We are doing amazing things and I am certain the future of the legal profession will be better for it.”

Such a resourceful and successful life of a youth must have enjoyed the inputs of other mentors besides her parents. The Oxford scholar resonates: “It has taken a village to build the woman I am now.

To mention a few names: My elder sister, Dr Utibe and her beloved husband Dr Alex-Okoro, and my kid brother, Itty Okim are my biggest cheerleaders and favourites.

My mentor, Dr K Okwor, is my biggest career influence; as a matter of fact, I dreamt for the first time to go to a top school because of him; Ms Mmanti Umoh is a fantastic coach and has literally ‘carried’ me for many years now; Mr Uduak Asuquo – this man is a regular reminder that I should always dream to get to the highest heights and never look down on myself; my teachers from my undergraduate school – Prof Moji Eseyin, Prof Etefia Ekanem, Dr Idorenyin Eyo, Dr Amanim Akpabio to mention a few.

All my super supportive friends make my world go round!” Now in Oxford doing her Masters’ programme with a PhD in view, Ikanna Okim, perhaps in appreciation of God’s mercy that has taken her so far, concludes that the safest place to be in the world is in the Will of God!