Opiyo’s law: Never let fear rule your life

Lives Less Ordinary

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.6 • 814 Ratings

🗓️ 9 October 2022

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In September 2020, Nicholas Opiyo awoke to a commotion in his flat. There had been a robbery and all his personal electronics had been stolen. He says he tracked his devices to a shocking and impenetrable location: the headquarters of Uganda’s military intelligence. He believes he was targeted because of his work.

The Ugandan authorities chose not to respond to these allegations.

Opiyo, as he prefers to be known, survived civil war to become one of Uganda’s top human rights lawyers. He’s taken on huge cases, including successfully overturning the country’s anti-LGBTQ legislation in 2014. He’s received awards for his efforts but also hostility. The break-in at his home was ominous. Months later, Opiyo would be arrested – on false charges – and he'd need to make a life-changing choice.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Maryam Maruf

(Photo: Nicholas Opiyo. Credit: Courtesy of Nicholas Opiyo)

Transcript

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0:00.0	You are about to listen to a BBC podcast and I'd like to tell you a bit about what goes into making one.
0:06.5	I'm Sadata Sese, an assistant commissioner of podcasts for BBC Sounds.
0:11.1	I pull a lot of levers to support a diverse range of podcasts on all sorts of subjects,
0:16.0	relationships, identity, comedy, even one that mixes poetry, music and inner city life.
0:22.4	So one day I'll be helping host develop their ideas, the next fact-checking, a feature,
0:28.3	and the next looking at how a podcast connects with its audience, and maybe that's you.
0:33.6	So if you like this podcast, check out some others on BBC Sounds.
0:39.0	My lords. My lord. So if you like this podcast, check out some others on BBC Sounds. In August 2014, something momentous was unfolding in Uganda.
0:52.0	A court had just ruled that the government should not have introduced a law that made gay relationships punishable by life imprisonment.
1:00.0	I'm not one to cry often, but I was driven to tears when that happened.
1:05.0	For the first time, the rainbow flag was being flown in no other place than the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Uganda.
1:18.9	Openly gay individuals were chanting and jubilating in the courts.
1:23.4	This is Nicholas Opio, one of the lawyers behind the case. He's a man you very much want on your side.
1:31.7	You prefer to be called Opio, not Mr. Opieo, not Nicholas, just Opieo. Is that right?
1:37.5	Opio is fine. It's a very special name, though, so that's why it's dear to me.
1:42.2	Why is it a special name?
1:43.9	I'm a twin.
1:44.9	And in my culture, we are believed to have magical powers.
1:48.9	Okay.
1:49.9	And do you have magical powers?
1:52.0	That's the myth.
1:53.5	So I prefer to keep the myth going.
	...

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