Photo Credit: UNPeacemaking/X
It’s a proud moment for Nigeria as Chief Superintendent of Corrections (CSC) Olukemi Ibikunle has been recognised on the global stage with the 2025 United Nations Trailblazer Award for Women Justice and Corrections Officers. The award celebrates women who are driving reform and promoting dignity in justice and correctional systems around the world — and Olukemi’s name now stands among them.
Presented by Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, the award ceremony took place at the UN Headquarters in New York. Olukemi was recognised for her exceptional work with the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), where she has been deeply involved in reforming correctional systems and championing human rights.
Out of five nominees selected globally, two were from the Nigerian Correctional Service — Olukemi Ibikunle and Sarah Adole. Olukemi emerged as the overall winner, a testament to the growing international confidence in the professionalism and dedication of Nigerian correctional officers.
Speaking about her recognition, Amina Mohammed said Olukemi’s work “reminds us that when justice delivers dignity, when institutions serve people, we move closer to the promise of the 2030 Agenda — a world of peace, equality, and opportunity for all.” She added that Olukemi’s story reflects the everyday courage “to carve hope where others see none.”
Taking to the stage to receive her award, Olukemi’s gratitude filled the room. “I am proud to stand today as proof that women have a voice,” she said. “We can dream boldly and contribute meaningfully to peace and security.”
She spoke movingly about the children she encounters in her work — those living with their mothers in detention and those caught in conflicts with the law — describing them as her daily reminder of why this work matters. “I’m not doing this for myself alone, but for other girls and women who will follow,” she said. “For my daughter, showing them that it can be done.”
Olukemi also used the moment to call for more women in justice and corrections roles within peace operations. “Representation matters,” she said. “It matters for the effectiveness of our missions, and it also matters for the message it sends to communities around the world — that women belong at the heart of peace.”
In her work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Olukemi collaborates with colleagues from across the world to reform prison administration and improve the justice system. “There cannot be lasting peace without a functional justice system,” she noted, “and there cannot be a functional justice system without a robust corrections service.”
The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, congratulated her on this achievement, describing it as “a testament to the professionalism, competence, and global relevance of Nigerian correctional officers.” He added that her recognition “reflects the new spirit of the Nigerian Correctional Service — a Service driven by reform, human dignity, and positive transformation.”
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