Today’s Woman Crush, Osose Aziba is one of a kind. She is the Commercial Counsel for British American Tobacco’s (BAT) Anglophone Markets in West & Central Africa Area. Before completing her LLM in International Commercial Law and a dissertation on anti-money laundering, Osose already knew she was cut out to practice law as an in-house counsel and since her call to the Nigerian Bar in 2009, she has built her extensive career as a legal practitioner.
During her time as an in-house counsel in the financial services sector, Osose advised on private trust formation and management, administration of estates, investment management, private equity, and regulatory engagement and management. Her work on documentation and legal processes enabled a private equity firm to shortlist potential SME portfolio companies in the USD165 million World Bank assisted Growth and Employment (GEM) Equity Window Scheme for SMEs to access equity finance in Nigeria. She also advised and reviewed processes and documentation necessary for submission to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the registration of the ₦10 billion CBO Private Equity and Investment Management Fund.
Osose then made a switch from the financial services sector to the consumer goods sector when she joined BAT in 2018. In her current role in BAT, she is responsible for legal advisory, as well as corporate and commercial legal risk management for the commercial services units. She also gives marketing and regulatory legal counselling for BAT in Ghana, The Gambia, and Liberia.
On a mission to advance her profession and contribute to national development, she has served in different capacities as an active member of the Nigerian Bar Association-Section on Business Law (SBL). The SBL is the specialised section of the NBA set up to drive the professional development of Nigerian commercial lawyers, and has continued to raise the level of business and specialised commercial law practice in Nigeria since its inception. Just like the proverbial goldfish with no hiding place, Osose was the sole recipient of the SBL Star Award in 2019, in recognition of her active membership and contribution to the SBL. For her hard work and professionalism, she was appointed by the National Executive Committee of the NBA as Secretary of the Governing Council of the Corporate Counsel Forum of the NBA in 2021.
Osose is governed by the principles of faith, family, acts of service, optimism, empathy, and building relationships with people. When she is not working, she would most likely be found doing things covering her guiding principles. A nature lover, closet writer, music enthusiast, aspiring dancer, she is also passionate about issues concerning children, especially the girl-child.
Osose does not discriminate. She is a firm believer that every human should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of gender, race, social, economic, or mental status. She is driven to make a positive impact. According to her, people don’t have to wait to be popular or wealthy to make a positive impact in the lives of others. Based on this, Osose is indeed an admirable Woman Crush, one that is worthy of celebration and emulation.