Leo Igwe

Leo Igwe (born 26 July 1970) is a Nigerian human rights advocate and secular humanist. A campaigner both in Nigeria and internationally as part of Humanists International, he specializes in documenting the impacts of child witchcraft accusations in Africa and in combating discrimination against atheists. He holds a Ph.D. from the Bayreuth International School of African Studies in Germany and a graduate degree in philosophy from the University of Calabar in Nigeria.

Igwe's human rights advocacy has brought him into conflict with high-profile witchcraft believers, such as Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries, because of his criticism of what he describes as their role in the violence and child abandonment that sometimes result from accusations of witchcraft. Igwe's fieldwork has led to his arrest on several occasions in Nigeria.

Influenced by the writings of Paul Kurtz, Igwe is a champion of humanist values, and in particular, the importance of rationalism, scientific skepticism, secular ethics, and human rights-centred liberal democracy. He has held leadership roles in the Nigerian Humanist Movement, Humanists International, Atheist Alliance International, and the Center For Inquiry–Nigeria.