Professor Eseni Azu Udu is a distinguished Nigerian legal scholar, academic leader, and human rights advocate who hails from Amemu Ebunwana in Edda Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Interestingly, he has a remarkable career spanning the judiciary, academia, and ecclesiastical service, Prof. Udu has emerged as one of the most influential figures in contemporary Nigerian legal education.
He is currently a Professor of Human Rights Law and the first Substantive Dean of the Faculty of Law at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State. Under his dynamic and visionary leadership, the Faculty has made quite impressive feats, including securing approval of the Law programmefollowing the Resource Verification exercise by the Council of Legal Education (CLE), and full accreditation by the National Universities Commission (NUC). His visionary approach has transformed the Faculty into a hub of excellence, innovation, and global competitiveness.
Prof. Udu’s academic journey is both inspiring and exemplary. He earned his LL.B degree from Abia State University and proceeded to obtain an LL.M from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He holds two doctorate degrees: a Ph.D in Company Law from Nnamdi Azikiwe University and a Ph.D in Human Rights Law from the University of Nigeria. His commitment to education extends beyond law, as he also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) and is a registered professional teacher under the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
An erudite scholar, Prof. Udu has published over 70 scholarly articles and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Alex Ekwueme Faculty of Law Journal. He is also the author of several authoritative legal texts, including Human Rights in Africa;Principles of Company Law and Practice;Introduction to Law of Evidence;Nigerian Legal System in Perspective; and Election Law in Perspective.
In addition to his full-time and current roles, Prof. Udu is an Adjunct Professor at Ebonyi State University, where he once served as Head of the Department of Public and Private Law. He is also a former Chief Magistrate in the Ebonyi State Judiciary and has held an adjunct Senior Lectureship at Afe Babalola University. His participation in various university committees reflects his broad influence in academic governance and development.
Prof. Udu is, indeed, a pioneer of legal education reform at AE-FUNAI. He introduced several innovative initiatives, including holiday internships;Collaboration with St. Sen Law Firm, a leading Law Firm for moot courting and legal clinical training; Correctional centre visits, and the Street Lawyering programme to enhance experiential legal training. Under his guidance, AE-FUNAI Faculty of Law proudly represented Nigeria at the prestigious 2024 16thNelson Mandela World Moot Court Competition held in Geneva, Switzerland. He also led the successful processing of the Faculty’s pioneer students to the Nigerian Law School and is actively pursuing the establishment of a postgraduate programme in Law.
Outside academia and the judiciary, Prof. Udu has, over two decades, served as the legal adviser to his community. More importantly, he is a committed Christian and serves as an ordained Ruling Elder of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria. He is the Legal Adviser of the Abakaliki Synod of the Church, further demonstrating his passion for service and ethical leadership.
Prof. Eseni Azu Udu is happily married to Mrs. Joyce Nnenna Eseni, a renowned legal practitioner. Their union is blessed with wonderful children, forming a family deeply rooted in excellence and service.
Suffice it to note that in all spheres of life, Prof. Udu exemplifies scholarship, leadership, and integrity – making enduring contributions to legal education, human rights advocacy, as well as community service and national development.