GANI may not be with us physically but his spirit will continue to watch over Nigeria till it reaches the Promised Land he so gallantly tried to lead the country to.
My husband and I had been in constant communication with Gani till recently when he was no longer able to take calls. As a medical doctor he kept me updated on his various treatment plans and I visited him a couple of times to give him nutritional advice while he was in London. He took to heart our discussion on the role of nutrition in cancer prevention and care. His wife, Ganiat steadfastly ensured he ate wholesome, non processed foods that enhance health. She was a pillar of strength. His daughter, Dr. Hafisat Oni and I also spoke often, looking into the latest cancer treatment possibilities in the United States.
I spoke to Gani about two weeks before he died. Gani had a true love for the Nigerian masses and humanity. In some of our conversations he used to talk to me about the pain he felt not from the cancer but from the state of the nation despite all his efforts.
Even though I knew medically that the odds were against him, I prayed and hoped against all odds that he would pull through. Alas it was not to be. Nigeria has lost one of the best Presidents it could have had. I remember about twenty two years ago when Chief Obafemi Awolowo died. My mother burst out crying uncontrollably saying what a great loss Nigeria had suffered, as Awo would have led the country to great heights if he had been President.
I comforted her even though I could not grasp the extent to which she understood the monumental loss. It was dŽjˆ vu as twenty two years later my husband and I were called by Gani's family with the terrible news that he lost his final battle. I broke down crying with a gut wrenching pain. Our daughter who is a young adult and knows of Gani's greatness comforted me. I can only pray that in twenty two years time history does not repeat itself again.
Gani fought for the masses. His struggle must not be in vain, the fight for the man or woman on the street must continue. They are sometimes referred to as "the common man" yet they are not common but of a rare breed. These are people who have the courage to get up every morning and struggle hoping against hope, people who when pushed against the wall find a way to push the wall back, people who do not have basic human rights to shelter, food, health care and education. We may say this is all relative. I ask relative to what? Where do we draw the line of relativity? It is often said "Nigerians are resilient". Even if they are we cannot continue to test their resilience.
As daunting as these challenges may be we can make them happen with good governance, accountability and public/private partnerships.
As we mourn the loss of Gani and simultaneously celebrate his life and what he stood for, we must all join hands to help reduce the disease burden by providing better healthcare, food, shelter and education for the masses. How many future Ganis may be right there on our streets, homes or country but will be lost due to the failures of the nation. Nigeria cannot continue to discount its future gains.
What does it profit a person if they gain the whole world but have no place to call home? Gani loved his home country Nigeria and we can see by the out pouring of affection for him how much his country loved him in return. Gani can truly call Nigeria home. We must not, we cannot, we will not let Gani's dream die.
Dr. Arese Carrington (US).
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
FAWEHINMI’S ONDO HOUSE, THE MORNING AFTER
At Gani Fawehinmi’s Oka, Ondo town home on Wednesday morning, the day following his interment, a lot had changed. The surging crowd was gone, and so were the canopies that shielded them from the elements. The frenzied photographers who, barely 24 hours earlier, had turned the graveside into a camp had all departed. The DAAR Communications Outside Broadcasting (OB) Van that for a few days became a part of the landscape was gone. Only a group of workmen remained, cleaning up.
And then there were the banners bearing Gani’s images - a good number of them prison photos.
And then there were the banners bearing Gani’s images - a good number of them prison photos.
The four slabs that covered the grave had been sealed into place with concrete, and all that kept the site company were the wreaths from the day before. Nearby, Gani’s mother’s marble tomb bore the footprints of the crowd that had gathered to bid farewell to her son. The inscription engraved onto it revealed that the son died exactly six years to the day the mother was buried - September 5, 2003.
Just outside the entrance to the house sat Gani’s younger brother, Olumide, eager to share reminiscences. “He was my very, very good friend. We were so close... the love I had for him, that was why I had to name my first son, Gani Fawehinmi... he has even promised to be a lawyer. All my children - I have two boys and a girl - are so fond of him.
“And I know my children will be the ones that will miss him (most), because most weekends they will say ‘My daddy, let’s go to Baba’, but now there’s no Baba...”
Much has been said of Gani’s “payroll” - the startling number of people who monthly benefited from him in cash. Olumide Fawehinmi gave an idea of the size of the “payroll”.
“Everybody, quote me, everybody in (the) family house, they are on Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s payroll... those that are on his payroll in this town alone, they’re over 200. As I’m talking to you, I’m a successful businessman, (but) I’m on his payroll. He doesn’t look at whether you are successful. There was a time he told me, (about) 15 years ago, he said ‘Olumide, if not for the way this country is, I will just tell all the family to stop working ...” Even Olumide’s children were on the payroll as well. “All of them. My last born, who’s a girl, will be three years old by November, and she’s on the payroll of Chief...”
Loads of memories
Civil Engineer, Gregory Odunwo, did construction work (“finishing”) at Gani’s Ikeja residence, as well as the late lawyer’s Gallery at the Central Business District, Alausa. Odunwo said he met Gani five years ago.
“I think I can precisely tell you that within the five years that I came across this man, I’ve been able to finish my house to the taste that I want, through this man... he’s God-sent to me.” And he was quite clear on the first thing he needed to do in memory of the man who had shown him much kindness and generosity.
“I beautified the mother’s grave, I beautified the father’s grave, and I’m going to beautify his grave... by the time you come here within the next 40 days you will see the beautification of the grave. I’m working on it already. I’ve just finished work this morning, and I’ve been here for the past three days, working to make sure everything is in order.”
“Who will fight for us, we poor people?” asked Ebenezer Akinwande, who is married to Gani’s younger sister. Then he quickly added, smiling, “though I don’t consider myself poor...”
Olalekan Ojo, Gani’s photographer, worked with him for more than 15 years. He told NEXT that Gani would often tell him “Lekan, you’re not my staff, you’re my son.” Breaking into a smile, he recalled how Gani would sometimes talk to him as though he were a lawyer and not a photographer, and expect him to help recollect legal details.
Amidst the outpouring of memories, the condolence register lay closed. The final entry, by F. Makinde, said it all:
“Chief Gani, Hero of Modern Nigeria. Good Night. R.I.P.”
SOURCE:234NEXT.COM
GANI'S CASKET STIRS DEBATE
Chief Gani Fawehinmi finally went “home” yesterday in a blaze of glory, capping a week long celebration of the life and times of the legal icon and champion of downtrodden masses. His remains were buried in his native Ondo town in a gleaming golden casket, believed to have cost some millions of Naira.
The expensive coffin, first spotted at a tribute session organized by the Ondo State Government in Akure ,the state capital on Monday, was supplied by TOS, a top flight Lagos-based firm of undertakers owned by Taiwo Ogunsola. The company handled the contract for the funeral of the late human rights activist. The cost of the casket was a closely guarded secret by the family. Gani’s widow, Ganiyat revealed that it was part of a complete package charged by the company, adding however, that: “I am not sure the children will want me to disclose the entire amount to the press. All I can say is that we asked them to give us the best ever” However, industry sources reckoned that the casket could cost between N5million and N 10 million if it were made of solid gold. This has, however, stirred a controversy, with some observers querying such brazen display of ostentation and flamboyance in respect of a man who was an acerbic critic of profligacy and epitome of prudence and modesty in his time. Some also expressed doubt that Gani may not have approved this. Apart from the cost, there is also a brewing controversy as to the propriety of buring Gani, a devout Muslim, in a coffin. It is a development a section of the Muslim community, which had earlier queried the decision to delay his burial for two weeks, had also expressed reservations about.
Incidentally, this seeming rebellion against the established Islamic burial rites may only be another manifestation of the Gani phenomenon.He obviously rebelled to the end.
TEARS AS GANI IS BURIED
Remains of the late legal icon, Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi were lowered into the grave at exactly 3.32 pm at his home town, Ondo on Tuesday September 15, 2009 amidst pomp and pageantry. Tears flowed freely from the eyes of family members, politicians, including the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, members of the civil liberty group as the human rights activist’s body was finally interred beside his late mother’s grave at Oka area of Ondo township. Many could not contain their emotions, as they burst into tears, chanting “Gani, Gani has gone into the grave. Goodbye, the friend of the masses.”
Before the burial, the corpse laid in state at the Oba Adesanoye Civic Centre where notable Nigerians including the Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido and the Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko showered praises on the late legal luminary. Governor Adams Oshiomhole described Gani as a courageous rights activist who stood for the rights of the oppressed and downtrodden. He said the late lawyer fought tirelessly against military invasion, saying his fight was responsible for the democracy the people of the country were enjoying. His words, “Gani was the heart of the Nigerian masses, he was the voice to the voiceless and hope to the hopeless” The Jigawa Governor on his part said Gani would be remembered for his contribution towards strengthening of the legal profession. He charged Nigerians to emulate the good virtues of the late lawyer, stressing that Gani was a fearless being who stood for truth at all times. Governor Mimiko in his speech, said the life of Gani was worthy of emulation, stressing that he lived a life for the oppressed “Though he is dead now, but we are grateful to the Lord for his life and we are proud of our association with him and we thank him for the eternal pride that he brought the way of our dear Ondo State, for whether anyone likes it or not, the Gani Fawehinmi phenomenon has helped substantially to define the nature and image of the Ondo State personality as a dedicated defender of the truth, a focused and conscientious hard worker, resilient in struggle, and driven by a deep sense of conformity with the Omoluwabi ethos of the Yoruba. “Though today, Gani Fawehinmi is no more, but we are consoled by the fact that he would rest well confident that his place in the heart of Nigerians and lovers of truth, freedom and justice all over the world is assured.”
He used the occasion to thank numerous guests both far and near who graced Gani’s final burial, adding, “I am highly grateful to all of you present for honouring our invitation to give Gani a befitting burial. The corpse was later moved to the Ondo Central Mosque where the Chief Imam of Ondo, Alhaji Basiru Alimi admonished Nigerians to emulate the exemplary life exhibited by Gani when he was alive. He described death as a necessary end that could not be avoided by any human, stressing that every human should learn how to live a good life. He said, “Gani has done his own part on earth, let us all be courageous enough to stand against injustice and oppression which was Gani’s hallmark. “We should all endeavour to always say the truth at any point in our lives, so that people will be able to say good things after our exit.”
SOURCE:THESUN
Before the burial, the corpse laid in state at the Oba Adesanoye Civic Centre where notable Nigerians including the Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido and the Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko showered praises on the late legal luminary. Governor Adams Oshiomhole described Gani as a courageous rights activist who stood for the rights of the oppressed and downtrodden. He said the late lawyer fought tirelessly against military invasion, saying his fight was responsible for the democracy the people of the country were enjoying. His words, “Gani was the heart of the Nigerian masses, he was the voice to the voiceless and hope to the hopeless” The Jigawa Governor on his part said Gani would be remembered for his contribution towards strengthening of the legal profession. He charged Nigerians to emulate the good virtues of the late lawyer, stressing that Gani was a fearless being who stood for truth at all times. Governor Mimiko in his speech, said the life of Gani was worthy of emulation, stressing that he lived a life for the oppressed “Though he is dead now, but we are grateful to the Lord for his life and we are proud of our association with him and we thank him for the eternal pride that he brought the way of our dear Ondo State, for whether anyone likes it or not, the Gani Fawehinmi phenomenon has helped substantially to define the nature and image of the Ondo State personality as a dedicated defender of the truth, a focused and conscientious hard worker, resilient in struggle, and driven by a deep sense of conformity with the Omoluwabi ethos of the Yoruba. “Though today, Gani Fawehinmi is no more, but we are consoled by the fact that he would rest well confident that his place in the heart of Nigerians and lovers of truth, freedom and justice all over the world is assured.”
He used the occasion to thank numerous guests both far and near who graced Gani’s final burial, adding, “I am highly grateful to all of you present for honouring our invitation to give Gani a befitting burial. The corpse was later moved to the Ondo Central Mosque where the Chief Imam of Ondo, Alhaji Basiru Alimi admonished Nigerians to emulate the exemplary life exhibited by Gani when he was alive. He described death as a necessary end that could not be avoided by any human, stressing that every human should learn how to live a good life. He said, “Gani has done his own part on earth, let us all be courageous enough to stand against injustice and oppression which was Gani’s hallmark. “We should all endeavour to always say the truth at any point in our lives, so that people will be able to say good things after our exit.”
SOURCE:THESUN
FAWEHINMI GETS HERO’S FINAL FAREWELL IN ONDO
Yar’Adua, governors, lawyers pay tributes
Banners and billboards proclaiming the people’s affection for him. Excited youths singing, drumming and dancing. Some residents hawking souvenirs bearing his portrait. An army of security officials at alert.
Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi’s entry – his last – into Ondo State yesterday was glorious.
Akure, the Ondo State capital, stood still for several hours as the government and people of the "Sunshine State" paid their last respects to the late legal luminary and human rights activist.
Fawehinmi died on September 5 in Lagos.
It was a rain of tributes at the Akure Sports Stadium where the remains of the legal icon lay for about five hours.
The remains of Fawehinmi, who hailed from Ondo in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state will be interred today at his residence in Oka.
Economic and social activities were partially paralysed in Akure as the residents utilised the public holiday declared by the Dr Olusegun Mimiko-led administration to receive the body of the social crusader.
Banners, posters and miniature billboards bearing Fawehinmi’s portraits in the full regalia of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) adorned the city. The billboards, which bear the insignia of the Ondo State Government, reads: "Ondo State Bids Gani Farewell".
The popular Oba Adesida Road was cordoned off by the Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to allow easy passage for the funeral procession from Lagos.
The Ondo Road-Oba Adesida Road junction looked like a huge marketplace, with various interest groups waiting at the junction to receive the body.
It was a huge carnival, with residents singing in celebration of their hero.
Smart residents made brisk business, selling T-shirts, badges, stickers, fez caps, calendars, key-holders and other souvenirs bearing the portraits of the late lawyer.
Pickpockets had a field day as many people, including a policeman whose mobile phone was stolen, fell victim to them.
The body arrived at Stadium Road junction at exactly 12.56 pm and was received amidst singing, drumming and dancing. Residents struggled to catch a glimpse of the body. Some used their camera phones to record the picture of Fawehinmi’s body.
Many of the residents who gathered in front of their homes and shops to behold the spectacle of the long procession making its way towards the stadium compared Fawehinmi’s funeral with the one accorded the late sage and Senior Advocate, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The Mercedes Limousine hearse which bore the glass casket carrying the remains of Fawehinmi had LAGOS-GANI on its number plate. Another limo carried the golden casket in which his body will be buried today in Ondo.
Immediately the body entered the stadium, youth groups, workers, students, motorcyclists, traders and others, who carried various placards, rose in unison to sing solidarity songs.
All the seats in the stadium were occupied. The football pitch was covered by spectators who formed a sea of heads around the casket.
Students of Victory College, Ikare-Akoko, the late Fawehinmi’s alma mater, attended the ceremony. They were in their uniforms.
The body was carried shoulder-high by pall bearers who filed past a guard of honour mounted by robed lawyers under the aegis of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) from various branches across the country.
Family members followed the body which was placed on one of the three big podiums mounted on the football field as music of the Afrobeat maestro, the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, was being played in the background.
Musicians who performed live at the occasion included juju music legend King Sunny Ade, Olu Maintain, Yemi Sax and Lord Ajasa.
Lawyers ascended the dias where the body was placed in quartets to pay their last respects to a colleague. Then, prominent Nigerians paid their tributes one after the other.
Fawehinmi’s body was dressed in a black Aso-Oke, a cap, his reading glasses and beads on the neck.
The Islamic opening prayer was said by Sheikh Yassin. Pastor Nelson Fadoju followed with the Christian opening prayer.
Those who paid tributes to the late Fawehinmi included the Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), NBA President, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), Chief Sehinde Arogbofa on behalf of Victory College Old Students and the President of the West African Bar Association (WABA), Mr. Femi Falana.
Others who paid tributes included the Speaker of the Ondo Assembly, Mr. Taofiq Abdussalam, Campaign for Democracy (CD) President Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin and the President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Mr. Ledum Mitee.
SOURCE:THENATION
Banners and billboards proclaiming the people’s affection for him. Excited youths singing, drumming and dancing. Some residents hawking souvenirs bearing his portrait. An army of security officials at alert.
Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi’s entry – his last – into Ondo State yesterday was glorious.
Akure, the Ondo State capital, stood still for several hours as the government and people of the "Sunshine State" paid their last respects to the late legal luminary and human rights activist.
Fawehinmi died on September 5 in Lagos.
It was a rain of tributes at the Akure Sports Stadium where the remains of the legal icon lay for about five hours.
The remains of Fawehinmi, who hailed from Ondo in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state will be interred today at his residence in Oka.
Economic and social activities were partially paralysed in Akure as the residents utilised the public holiday declared by the Dr Olusegun Mimiko-led administration to receive the body of the social crusader.
Banners, posters and miniature billboards bearing Fawehinmi’s portraits in the full regalia of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) adorned the city. The billboards, which bear the insignia of the Ondo State Government, reads: "Ondo State Bids Gani Farewell".
The popular Oba Adesida Road was cordoned off by the Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to allow easy passage for the funeral procession from Lagos.
The Ondo Road-Oba Adesida Road junction looked like a huge marketplace, with various interest groups waiting at the junction to receive the body.
It was a huge carnival, with residents singing in celebration of their hero.
Smart residents made brisk business, selling T-shirts, badges, stickers, fez caps, calendars, key-holders and other souvenirs bearing the portraits of the late lawyer.
Pickpockets had a field day as many people, including a policeman whose mobile phone was stolen, fell victim to them.
The body arrived at Stadium Road junction at exactly 12.56 pm and was received amidst singing, drumming and dancing. Residents struggled to catch a glimpse of the body. Some used their camera phones to record the picture of Fawehinmi’s body.
Many of the residents who gathered in front of their homes and shops to behold the spectacle of the long procession making its way towards the stadium compared Fawehinmi’s funeral with the one accorded the late sage and Senior Advocate, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The Mercedes Limousine hearse which bore the glass casket carrying the remains of Fawehinmi had LAGOS-GANI on its number plate. Another limo carried the golden casket in which his body will be buried today in Ondo.
Immediately the body entered the stadium, youth groups, workers, students, motorcyclists, traders and others, who carried various placards, rose in unison to sing solidarity songs.
All the seats in the stadium were occupied. The football pitch was covered by spectators who formed a sea of heads around the casket.
Students of Victory College, Ikare-Akoko, the late Fawehinmi’s alma mater, attended the ceremony. They were in their uniforms.
The body was carried shoulder-high by pall bearers who filed past a guard of honour mounted by robed lawyers under the aegis of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) from various branches across the country.
Family members followed the body which was placed on one of the three big podiums mounted on the football field as music of the Afrobeat maestro, the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, was being played in the background.
Musicians who performed live at the occasion included juju music legend King Sunny Ade, Olu Maintain, Yemi Sax and Lord Ajasa.
Lawyers ascended the dias where the body was placed in quartets to pay their last respects to a colleague. Then, prominent Nigerians paid their tributes one after the other.
Fawehinmi’s body was dressed in a black Aso-Oke, a cap, his reading glasses and beads on the neck.
The Islamic opening prayer was said by Sheikh Yassin. Pastor Nelson Fadoju followed with the Christian opening prayer.
Those who paid tributes to the late Fawehinmi included the Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), NBA President, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), Chief Sehinde Arogbofa on behalf of Victory College Old Students and the President of the West African Bar Association (WABA), Mr. Femi Falana.
Others who paid tributes included the Speaker of the Ondo Assembly, Mr. Taofiq Abdussalam, Campaign for Democracy (CD) President Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin and the President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), Mr. Ledum Mitee.
SOURCE:THENATION
GANI BEGINS FINAL JOURNEY HOME
The late legal icon, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, began his final journey home on Monday with fanfare. The acclaimed human rights crusader left the morgue of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for his GRA, Ikeja home at about noon in a motorcade.The corpse, laid in a plain casket, was dressed in a white lace flowing gown (Agbada), a green cap and a pair of black shoes. It was conveyed in an ash colour Mercedes Benz hearse with registration number TOS 1.Trailing the hearse was a long convoy of at least eight cars and trumpeters, family members and sympathisers, some of whom had been at the hospital since 10.00a.m.Hundreds of Nigerians joined the funeral party, walking solemnly behind the hearse as it moved slowly to the home of the Fawehinmis. The journey took about one and half hours.A multitude of sympathisers and family members were ready to receive the corpse when it arrived the home, with songs and dancing.At exactly 1.30p.m., the corpse was placed in the inner sitting room, for the people to pay their last respects to the fallen hero.Fawehinmi looked fresh, calm and serene in death. There was a long queue of people who took their turns to pay homage to the generally acknowledged most engaging lawyer in the history of the country.Dignitaries across the country continued to pay glowing tributes to the memory of Fawehinmi. 
Among the notables who called at the deceased’s home on Monday were fiery labour leader and former Secretary General of National Union of Petroleum and National Gas Workers (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, Afenifere Chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, leader Yoruba Council of Elders, General Adeyinka Adebayo (retd), former Minister of External Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Action Congress (AC), governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, notable lawyer, Fred Agbaje, Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Marvel Akpoyibo, Factional leader of All
Among the notables who called at the deceased’s home on Monday were fiery labour leader and former Secretary General of National Union of Petroleum and National Gas Workers (NUPENG), Chief Frank Kokori, Afenifere Chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Speaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, leader Yoruba Council of Elders, General Adeyinka Adebayo (retd), former Minister of External Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Action Congress (AC), governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, notable lawyer, Fred Agbaje, Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Marvel Akpoyibo, Factional leader of All Ah Gani! Nnukwu Ife Melu Nigeria – Joe Igbokwe
Nnukwu Ife Melu Nigeria! Ah! Nnukwu Ife Melu Nigeria
(Tragedy has struck Nigeria). Nigeria has suffered a terrible and devastating setback with the exit of Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
I am a living witness to Gani’s many battles, his many struggles, his many wars, his many interventions, his many engagements, his many victories. I saw it all and a I know that Gani was a bulldozer, a moving machine, a giant, a massive moving train, an icon, a huge power house, an armada, an extraordinary mortal with an infinite capacity for details, and a hurricane for that matter.
When King Hezekiah was told that his days are numbered on earth and that he should be prepared to die, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed: "Remember, Lord that I have served you faithfully and loyally and that l have always tried to do what you wanted me to do". The Bible says Hezekiah began to cry bitterly. God gave him additional 15 years to live. I am sure when Gani was diagnosed of lung cancer; he would have asked Allah, the most merciful, the most compassionate, the most gracious, to grant him more years to conclude his fight with Nigeria’s hopeless and clueless leaders.
Gani did not pray alone, millions of Nigerians, the masses, his associates, his massive followers including this writer prayed that he survives this scourge. We prayed hard because the struggle to free Nigeria from ruthless and useless leaders remains an unfinished business. We prayed without season for Gani to survive because he has become the scourge of dictators and political predators in Nigeria. We sought God’s face because Nigeria without Gani is like Paris without Eiffel Tower. We prayed for Gani to survive because no Nigerian living or dead can match Gani in action and deeds when it comes to the issue of defending ordinary Nigerians.
We prayed for Gani to survive so that the Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM) will continue to do what he knows best - talking law, acting law, speaking law, singing law, dreaming law and preaching law. But God has a reason to allow Gani to go to rest. We cannot question God’s decision. Chief Gani Fawehinmi was the finest soul that walked the political landscape called Nigeria. He was the most detailed Nigerian ever lived. Gani did not go to his many battles unprepared. His capacity to record events with precision and accuracy will ever remain a case study for students in higher institutions.
When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo became president in 1999, he preferred to travel abroad at the drop of a hat because he thought he can rule Nigeria from abroad until Gani reminded him the number of times he had travelled outside with dates and number of days spent. I remember one Gani’s article titled: ‘Here He goes again’, referring to Obasanjo and his unquenchable appetite for foreign trips in the face of sufferings in the land.
Gani was one of the greatest speakers Nigeria has ever produced. I remember one particular incident in a court in Lagos where Gani held everybody, including Chief Rotimi Williams, spellbound, tearing and bringing down the roof with beautiful semantics, establishing himself as a man of subtlety and with the gift of the garb. I remember Chief Rotimi Williams asked the judge to tell Gani that they are in a law court and not a political soap box.
Gani remained the greatest defender of the down-trodden and the helper of the helpless and no person in Nigeria living or dead could match his eloquent deeds to the people of Nigeria. For nearly 30 years, no Nigerian living or dead could overtake Gani as the conscience of Nigeria. No Nigerian could surpass Chief Gani Fawehinmi in the struggle for equity and fair play, rule of law, and social justice. Chief Gani was the most detribalised Nigerian ever lived. He fought for the North, he fought for the South, he fought for the East and he fought for the West. Gani travelled to Enugu, Kaduna, Zaria, Port-Harcourt, Jos, Sokoto, Markurdi, Kafanchan, Kano, Abakaliki, Aba, Umuahia, Benin e.t.c. to defend Nigerians irrespective of whom you are.
When the late General Sani Abacha established the Provisional Ruling Party (PRC) and the Igbo was not represented, Gani went to Court. Hear Gani: "The Igbo by their contribution to the economic development of this country are otherwise called the Jews of Nigeria. They are very hard working, very industrious, very innovative and very articulate people. The economic development of this country owes much to their contribution. I don’t like the way they have been treated since 1970. They still bear the scars of the Biafran crisis and they are still being treated as if the civil war is still nascent, which is wrong? They have been kept out of the security forces of this country at the strategic levels, the law enforcement of this country at the most strategic levels, they are ignored, despised by the cabal. Even in the civil service. I don’t know how many permanent secretaries are Igbo. I don’t know how many senior police officers are Igbo, and same goes for the Navy, Air force and the Army. They are one of the largest groups in this country. In fact it is a nation within a nation. The major manpower pull of this country is being supplied by the Igbo. I was so angry when Abacha came to establish the provisional Ruling Party (PRC) and the Igbo were not represented, I went to court to fight the cause of the Igbo. It was after my suit in court, challenging Abacha and asking that the PRC composition be set aside by the court until Igbo were given their rightful place that Abacha then reversed the composition of PRC and appointed some Igbo…."
Chief Gani Fawehinmi was the most detained Nigerian since the inception of Nigeria and had been detained in Nigeria’s worst prisons. When Gani believes in a cause only Allah will stop him because he will throw in everything-time, money, energy, strength e.t.c. Gani was the tallest and the biggest Iroko in the land and when the Iroko fell down, the birds, big and small, have nowhere to perch.
I remember few years back when Gani complained that Nigerian politicians have failed all of us. What I did was to pick my pen and write to Gani that all of us will continue to suffer the rules of idiots if we do not go into politics. If you want to change the world there is no alternative to politics. I remember I told Gani that if he fails to enter into politics he may not realize the Nigeria of his dream. I told him that evil triumph in every society when good men do nothing.
Perhaps, that was what compelled Chief Gani Fawehinmi to go into politics. He founded the National Conscience Party (NCP). Gani did not disappoint anybody but the ruiners and destroyers of Nigeria stood on his way.
At 71, Chief Gani Fawehinmi traversed a thousand mountains and hills, drilled the deepest well, squeezed water out of stones, took the greatest risks of his life, fought the most dangerous and wicked Nigerians and yet he promised to fight on even from his grave. I wish him well because Gani lives on.. Gani was a historical necessity who travelled the road less travelled. At the lying- in- state ceremony in his country home in Ikeja the lion was still. I cried Gani! Gani!! Gani!!! Gani!!!! And there was no response. The roaring lion was silent and at once the meaning of life dawned on me once again.
The duty we all owe Gani is to ensure that the court jesters, the charlatans, the predators, the scavengers, the palace clowns do not succeed in Nigeria. The unfinished business must be finished and Nigeria restored to the path of sanity, honour, growth, and integrity. The gardener asked: Who plucked the flower? The owner said I did. And the gardener held his peace! Gani lives on!!
SOURCE: THE NATION
(Tragedy has struck Nigeria). Nigeria has suffered a terrible and devastating setback with the exit of Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
I am a living witness to Gani’s many battles, his many struggles, his many wars, his many interventions, his many engagements, his many victories. I saw it all and a I know that Gani was a bulldozer, a moving machine, a giant, a massive moving train, an icon, a huge power house, an armada, an extraordinary mortal with an infinite capacity for details, and a hurricane for that matter.
When King Hezekiah was told that his days are numbered on earth and that he should be prepared to die, Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed: "Remember, Lord that I have served you faithfully and loyally and that l have always tried to do what you wanted me to do". The Bible says Hezekiah began to cry bitterly. God gave him additional 15 years to live. I am sure when Gani was diagnosed of lung cancer; he would have asked Allah, the most merciful, the most compassionate, the most gracious, to grant him more years to conclude his fight with Nigeria’s hopeless and clueless leaders.
Gani did not pray alone, millions of Nigerians, the masses, his associates, his massive followers including this writer prayed that he survives this scourge. We prayed hard because the struggle to free Nigeria from ruthless and useless leaders remains an unfinished business. We prayed without season for Gani to survive because he has become the scourge of dictators and political predators in Nigeria. We sought God’s face because Nigeria without Gani is like Paris without Eiffel Tower. We prayed for Gani to survive because no Nigerian living or dead can match Gani in action and deeds when it comes to the issue of defending ordinary Nigerians.
We prayed for Gani to survive so that the Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM) will continue to do what he knows best - talking law, acting law, speaking law, singing law, dreaming law and preaching law. But God has a reason to allow Gani to go to rest. We cannot question God’s decision. Chief Gani Fawehinmi was the finest soul that walked the political landscape called Nigeria. He was the most detailed Nigerian ever lived. Gani did not go to his many battles unprepared. His capacity to record events with precision and accuracy will ever remain a case study for students in higher institutions.
When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo became president in 1999, he preferred to travel abroad at the drop of a hat because he thought he can rule Nigeria from abroad until Gani reminded him the number of times he had travelled outside with dates and number of days spent. I remember one Gani’s article titled: ‘Here He goes again’, referring to Obasanjo and his unquenchable appetite for foreign trips in the face of sufferings in the land.
Gani was one of the greatest speakers Nigeria has ever produced. I remember one particular incident in a court in Lagos where Gani held everybody, including Chief Rotimi Williams, spellbound, tearing and bringing down the roof with beautiful semantics, establishing himself as a man of subtlety and with the gift of the garb. I remember Chief Rotimi Williams asked the judge to tell Gani that they are in a law court and not a political soap box.
Gani remained the greatest defender of the down-trodden and the helper of the helpless and no person in Nigeria living or dead could match his eloquent deeds to the people of Nigeria. For nearly 30 years, no Nigerian living or dead could overtake Gani as the conscience of Nigeria. No Nigerian could surpass Chief Gani Fawehinmi in the struggle for equity and fair play, rule of law, and social justice. Chief Gani was the most detribalised Nigerian ever lived. He fought for the North, he fought for the South, he fought for the East and he fought for the West. Gani travelled to Enugu, Kaduna, Zaria, Port-Harcourt, Jos, Sokoto, Markurdi, Kafanchan, Kano, Abakaliki, Aba, Umuahia, Benin e.t.c. to defend Nigerians irrespective of whom you are.
When the late General Sani Abacha established the Provisional Ruling Party (PRC) and the Igbo was not represented, Gani went to Court. Hear Gani: "The Igbo by their contribution to the economic development of this country are otherwise called the Jews of Nigeria. They are very hard working, very industrious, very innovative and very articulate people. The economic development of this country owes much to their contribution. I don’t like the way they have been treated since 1970. They still bear the scars of the Biafran crisis and they are still being treated as if the civil war is still nascent, which is wrong? They have been kept out of the security forces of this country at the strategic levels, the law enforcement of this country at the most strategic levels, they are ignored, despised by the cabal. Even in the civil service. I don’t know how many permanent secretaries are Igbo. I don’t know how many senior police officers are Igbo, and same goes for the Navy, Air force and the Army. They are one of the largest groups in this country. In fact it is a nation within a nation. The major manpower pull of this country is being supplied by the Igbo. I was so angry when Abacha came to establish the provisional Ruling Party (PRC) and the Igbo were not represented, I went to court to fight the cause of the Igbo. It was after my suit in court, challenging Abacha and asking that the PRC composition be set aside by the court until Igbo were given their rightful place that Abacha then reversed the composition of PRC and appointed some Igbo…."
Chief Gani Fawehinmi was the most detained Nigerian since the inception of Nigeria and had been detained in Nigeria’s worst prisons. When Gani believes in a cause only Allah will stop him because he will throw in everything-time, money, energy, strength e.t.c. Gani was the tallest and the biggest Iroko in the land and when the Iroko fell down, the birds, big and small, have nowhere to perch.
I remember few years back when Gani complained that Nigerian politicians have failed all of us. What I did was to pick my pen and write to Gani that all of us will continue to suffer the rules of idiots if we do not go into politics. If you want to change the world there is no alternative to politics. I remember I told Gani that if he fails to enter into politics he may not realize the Nigeria of his dream. I told him that evil triumph in every society when good men do nothing.
Perhaps, that was what compelled Chief Gani Fawehinmi to go into politics. He founded the National Conscience Party (NCP). Gani did not disappoint anybody but the ruiners and destroyers of Nigeria stood on his way.
At 71, Chief Gani Fawehinmi traversed a thousand mountains and hills, drilled the deepest well, squeezed water out of stones, took the greatest risks of his life, fought the most dangerous and wicked Nigerians and yet he promised to fight on even from his grave. I wish him well because Gani lives on.. Gani was a historical necessity who travelled the road less travelled. At the lying- in- state ceremony in his country home in Ikeja the lion was still. I cried Gani! Gani!! Gani!!! Gani!!!! And there was no response. The roaring lion was silent and at once the meaning of life dawned on me once again.
The duty we all owe Gani is to ensure that the court jesters, the charlatans, the predators, the scavengers, the palace clowns do not succeed in Nigeria. The unfinished business must be finished and Nigeria restored to the path of sanity, honour, growth, and integrity. The gardener asked: Who plucked the flower? The owner said I did. And the gardener held his peace! Gani lives on!!
SOURCE: THE NATION
TRIBUTE TO A GREAT HIGH PRIEST IN THE TEMPLE OF JUSTICE-Frank Agbedo
The death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAM, SAN, on Saturday, 5th September, 2009, dealt a devastating blow to the Nigerian nation, particularly, the poor masses, whose lives were remarkably touched by his selfless service to humanity, using the instrumentality of the law.
He had bestrode our firmament like a colossus. He was an avatar, an icon, a legal titan, champion, veteran fighter, an indefatigable warrior for the rights of the oppressed and suppressed and a rabid scourge of dictators and shameless pillagers of our collective heritage and patrimony.
As a high priest, in the hallowed temple of justice, he was a fearless intercessor and defender of the defenceless. As a crusader for social justice, he fought tirelessly for the enthronement of an egalitarian society, where the welfare of the masses was truly entrenched as the primary purpose of government.
As an activist, he was a symbol of courage and prodigious intellect, always the last man standing, at the epi/center of every struggle for social justice and defence of human rights, the rule of law, constitutional democracy, ethical revolution and the abolition of poverty, in our land.
As a legal luminary, he had brightly illuminated our legal firmament with his forensic advocacy, scholarly works and erudite interventions, which has contributed immeasurably to the fast development of the law and the growth of the legal profession, in Nigeria and beyond.
He was celebrated both in life and death, a rarity in these climes where such was reserved only for the dead. He was no doubt the greatest human rights activist and social crusader of our time.
As we mourn the passing of this great hero, we should be consoled by the fact that, he had not died in vain. He had left behind imperishable foot print in the sands of time, as well as a huge army of worthy successors and disciples, well nurtured and fired up, to continue the struggle from where he stopped.
We heartily condole his immediate family, as well as all lovers of the poor, the subjected, suppressed, oppressed, disabled, helpless, victimised and vilified, in our midst, on the painful loss of their hero and greatest benefactor. But let us all be reminded that the best way to perpetuate his legacy thereby immortalizing him, is to hold fast to his ideals, by standing firm in the struggle for the defence of those principles and humanitarian activities, that defined his life on earth, at all times.
Adieu, Gani, the great and the irrepressible high priest in the temple of justice. Ka emesia. Odigba.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN
He had bestrode our firmament like a colossus. He was an avatar, an icon, a legal titan, champion, veteran fighter, an indefatigable warrior for the rights of the oppressed and suppressed and a rabid scourge of dictators and shameless pillagers of our collective heritage and patrimony.
As a high priest, in the hallowed temple of justice, he was a fearless intercessor and defender of the defenceless. As a crusader for social justice, he fought tirelessly for the enthronement of an egalitarian society, where the welfare of the masses was truly entrenched as the primary purpose of government.
As an activist, he was a symbol of courage and prodigious intellect, always the last man standing, at the epi/center of every struggle for social justice and defence of human rights, the rule of law, constitutional democracy, ethical revolution and the abolition of poverty, in our land.
As a legal luminary, he had brightly illuminated our legal firmament with his forensic advocacy, scholarly works and erudite interventions, which has contributed immeasurably to the fast development of the law and the growth of the legal profession, in Nigeria and beyond.
He was celebrated both in life and death, a rarity in these climes where such was reserved only for the dead. He was no doubt the greatest human rights activist and social crusader of our time.
As we mourn the passing of this great hero, we should be consoled by the fact that, he had not died in vain. He had left behind imperishable foot print in the sands of time, as well as a huge army of worthy successors and disciples, well nurtured and fired up, to continue the struggle from where he stopped.
We heartily condole his immediate family, as well as all lovers of the poor, the subjected, suppressed, oppressed, disabled, helpless, victimised and vilified, in our midst, on the painful loss of their hero and greatest benefactor. But let us all be reminded that the best way to perpetuate his legacy thereby immortalizing him, is to hold fast to his ideals, by standing firm in the struggle for the defence of those principles and humanitarian activities, that defined his life on earth, at all times.
Adieu, Gani, the great and the irrepressible high priest in the temple of justice. Ka emesia. Odigba.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN
FAWEHINMI WAS A SUCCESS STORY IN EVERYTHING-Gadzama (SAN)
CHIEF Gani Fawehinmi, the legendary septuagenarian, legal icon was a man of many parts. He was a success story in almost every thing he did. The Nigerian Weekly Law Reports series has no match. The various law books on diverse areas of the law are a must-buy or a must -read for all legal practitioners in the country. The degree of audacity and courage he exhibited in his war against human rights' abuses and military despotism/tyranny/cruelty was unprecedented. He was upright, principled, and philosophical about man's existence on the planet earth. His antecedents on the path of the struggle to uplift our moral standards, the crusade against corruption and fight against the exploitation of the poor/oppressed by the rich or the elites in Nigeria and above all, his consistent opposition dogged stance on national/tropical issues against government and his colleagues are all unforgettable. The indelible marks of his giant strides on the sands of time will forever remain in our memories. He endeared lawyers and non-lawyers alike to his style of doing things. We loved him but God Almighty loves him more. We pray for those he mentored to give us some other Ganis and other Fawehinmis to immortalise him. Adieu Chief! May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN
SOURCE: GUARDIAN
NANS TRIBUTE TO GANI
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN STUDENTS (ZONE D: LAGOS, OGUN, OYO, OSUN, ONDO AND EKITI STATES)
“For those who know him, no word is necessary; for those who do not know him, no word is sufficient” W.T. Horngren (An American Author). For people who know Chief Gani Fawehinmi, no word is necessary, for those who do not know him, no word is sufficient enough to describe him.
It can be said of Gani that he was a blessing unto the country of his birth and even additionally that he was a gift to the legal profession, to Nigerian politics and to us the Nigerian students and the Nigerian people. Not too many great men enjoy the pleasure of being celebrated in their lifetimes. Gani lived to witness the appreciation of his contributions to the making of Nigeria and his special contributions to the promotion of human rights and justice. It was public knowledge that he had been ill for a while: battling with cancer, but even Gani’s illness was a lesson for us all. He bore adversity with great equanimity. From his sick bed, he continued to issue statements on national issues. When his death was announced on 5th of Sept. 2009, it was like grief foretold and the confirmation of our worst fears. But we can still proudly say after the poet, that ‘Death shouldn’t be Proud.’ The graveyard is full of many bones, but it is not all bones that disappear into the bowels of the earth, forgotten, unmourned. Gani deserves to be mourned, deeply and widely; and in the very bones of his remains lies all the relevant ways in which he has enriched our space. So he is dead but he lives with us and we should be thankful for his life and its many riches and fruits.
“For those who know him, no word is necessary; for those who do not know him, no word is sufficient” W.T. Horngren (An American Author). For people who know Chief Gani Fawehinmi, no word is necessary, for those who do not know him, no word is sufficient enough to describe him.
It can be said of Gani that he was a blessing unto the country of his birth and even additionally that he was a gift to the legal profession, to Nigerian politics and to us the Nigerian students and the Nigerian people. Not too many great men enjoy the pleasure of being celebrated in their lifetimes. Gani lived to witness the appreciation of his contributions to the making of Nigeria and his special contributions to the promotion of human rights and justice. It was public knowledge that he had been ill for a while: battling with cancer, but even Gani’s illness was a lesson for us all. He bore adversity with great equanimity. From his sick bed, he continued to issue statements on national issues. When his death was announced on 5th of Sept. 2009, it was like grief foretold and the confirmation of our worst fears. But we can still proudly say after the poet, that ‘Death shouldn’t be Proud.’ The graveyard is full of many bones, but it is not all bones that disappear into the bowels of the earth, forgotten, unmourned. Gani deserves to be mourned, deeply and widely; and in the very bones of his remains lies all the relevant ways in which he has enriched our space. So he is dead but he lives with us and we should be thankful for his life and its many riches and fruits.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
GANI FAWEHINMI IS NOT DEAD
The Lord Jesus Christ did not die.
If he did, there would be no Christianity and Christians in the world today. He came to the world 'the only begotten son of God, but He lived His life for others. He gave his precious life so someone else might be saved. And he lives on in the reality of humanity.
Prophet Muhammed {SAW) did not die. If he did, there would be no Islam and Moslems around today. He came on there a great prophet and could have elected to revel in affluence, glamour and grandeur. But he opted to live in hardship and discomfort for the sake of others. He put his life on the line for the enthronement of justice and purity. And he lives on in the lives of men.
Obafemi Awolowo did not die. Through the grave odds of a humble background, a hewer of woods at the prime of his childhood and youth, he rose into intellectual and political prominence. But, in the glamour of personal limelight, he refused to forget his primary constituency - the teeming masses, the ordinary people. He laboured, selflessly and tirelessly for the total emancipation and upliftment of his people. In doing so, he recorded many enviable 'firsts' in Africa. The region he led as Premier would have ranked among the world's leading nations today if it had been allowed to develop at its own pace and in accordance with his focus and vision. Today, Nigeria, and indeed the international community, stand still at the coming of the anniversary of his birth or transition.
Nelson Mandela cannot die. He lived his life not for himself and his family but for his nation and her people. Incarcerated by the enemies of humanity for 27 excruciating years, he cared less about his personal comfort: "the struggle is my life," he proffered. If there was one human being on the surface of the earth who could justifiably lay claim to the moral right to rule his country for ever, the Madiba is it. But he was humane, selfless and gracious enough to resist any temptation to attempt constitutional ammendment for dubious unlimited terms.
Today, even leaders of the greatest nations on earth stand on their feet at the mere mention of his "undieable" name.But evil men do not live after death. Those who shall die are the ones who, under different guises, unleash excruciating horror and oppression on the people they pretend to serve. Those who leave our highways in horrible state of disrepair and watch innocent souls perish in road mishaps while they siphon the billions into their foreign accounts. Those who watch hapless patients perish at our ill-equipped hospitals while they help themselves and their families to looted funds. Those lenders and borrowers who collude to share the hundreds of billions collected from millions of hard-working peasants on the streeets without any plan of repayment.Those who shall die are the ones who place their ego above the good of the nation and leave our academic institutions in shambles and our stranded students wondering if theirs is any great nation with good people. Those who make no qualms about killing and maiming in order to cover their shady deeds and rule for eternity. Those who shall die are the ones who callously pumped acidic gas into their house of horror in which they kept Gani Fawehinmi. Evil men do not live after death. Only "the evil that men do lives after them.
"And Gani Fawehinmi, the great lawyer, the indefatigable rights activist, the relentless social crusader and reformist, the selfless philanthropist and defender of the oppressed, was no man of evil but a man of the people, friend of the masses. So he is not dead because men of his tribe do not die. Gani lives on in the lives of the people he fought for with his life, the lives he touched in the course of his personal, professional and socio-political journey.Like the great prophets, the Senior Advocate of the Masses lives on. If Gani died today, there would be no rights activism and activists tomorrow. If Gani died today, there would be no war of conscience and warriors to free our nation from the strangle-hold of socio-economic and political vampires tomorrow. So, weep not, Nigeria, weep not, my beloved people. Gani is not dead. The good that men do makes them to live after death.
Sunnewsonline Dele Akinola
Sunnewsonline Dele Akinola
TRIBUTES TO GANI (1938 - 2009)
President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua : His Death Is Sad
President Yar'Adua, who described the death as a "great national loss" said the late Chief Fawehinmi was an "eminent lawyer and renowned crusader for social justice in Nigeria".
Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Mr Olusegun Adeniyi, said in a Press Statement that "President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua received with sadness and a deep feeling of great national loss news of the passing away today of the eminent lawyer and renowned crusader for social justice in Nigeria, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
"The President extends his heartfelt condolences to Chief Fawehinmi's family. He urges them to be comforted by the knowledge that the late legal luminary lived a fulfilled and remarkable life dedicated to the unrelenting pursuit of good governance, equity and justice for all Nigerians.
"President Yar'Adua joins other Nigerians in praying that Almighty Allah will reward Chief Fawehinmi's earthly labours with eternal rest in Paradise."
PDP mourns Gani
Gani lived an illustrious life - ENAHORO
ELDER statesman and convener of the Mega Summit Movement, Chief Anthony Enahoro (CFR) has condoled with the family and associates of Chief Gani Oyesola Fawehinmi, who passed on early yesterday morning at his Ikeja residence in Lagos.
Gani Fawehinmi, according to Chief Enahoro, has always been an inspiration to the progressive movement since he first met him in the 80's; serving as the rallying point of the peoples' struggles at various times and making unimaginable sacrifices on each occasion of his rare intervention.
Instructing Wale Okunniyi, from his Benin country home this morning, the octogenarian politician who chairs Pro National Conference Organization, PRONACO; a pro democracy platform for which Gani Fawehinmi, also made invaluable contributions, alongside literary Icon, Prof Wole Soyinka and late Beko Ransome Kuti said
"Make sure you give my sympathy to Gani's family today without fail, and also ensure that our people are there to commiserate with the family. The peoples' constitution of PRONACO, among other good works of Gani, is a testimony that he lived an illustrious life. Oh, boy! You, people must be ready to advance the cause of the people beyond his time"
Okunniyi while commiserating with some close associates this morning on behalf of the Mega Summit Movement, MSM said Chief Fawehinmi will be greatly missed at the forthcoming National Summit on Democracy scheduled for next month in Abuja. He described Gani as the all time hero of the students' movement of Nigeria, which produced him and others who are today leading the pro democracy movement.
Confirming the news of Gani's demise to journalists this morning in lagos, the PRONACO Spokesman said "An icon of the revolutionary movement, a hero of the downtrodden, a defender of the peoples' rights, a foremost change champion, Senior Advocate of the Masses, Gani Oyesola Fawehimi is no more with is us but note that the essence of his life remains in our midst, Gani lives on!"
Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan
Governor, Delta State.
Mrs Farida Waziri
Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC
Mrs Farida Waziri has described the death of human rights activist and lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN as not only The death of Gani Fawehinmi is not only a great loss to his family but to the nation as a whole.
Gani was 'a principled, dogged, and unrelenting crusader, fully committed to any course he believes in. I am convinced that his death at this point in our nation building process will be missed by all. This is because his contributions not only to the development of the legal profession but to the socio-economic and political advancement of our country have been enormous. His type is rare, his personal sacrifices and selfless services are uncommon.
'Soon after I won the case he instituted against my appointment at the Federal High Court, Abuja, I planned to meet him to commend his courage and fighting spirit, but his death has surely denied me the great opportunity of telling him face to face my admiration of his person.
It is my prayer that the Almighty God will grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss.'
Gani's Death, Monumental Loss To The Nation - Bankole
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Dimeji Bankole, has described the death of iconic lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, as a grievous and monumental loss to the nation.
Specifically, he said the death of the self-principled and social crusader at this time when the nation is making efforts to consolidate democracy through electoral reform is a tragedy of immense proportion.
Disclosing this in a press statement by his media adviser, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, the speaker said the legal luminary would be greatly missed in the stimulating and robust debate on the electoral reform.
Recounting some of the giant strides of the deceased, Bankole said the crusader was among the principal actors that dominated Nigeria's legal landscape for decades.
He said the Nigerian masses have lost a friend, an ally and a messiah as Gani fought many valiant fights for them while he lived.
The Speaker prayed God to grant the Fawehinmi family the fortitude to bear the colossal loss as he prayed for the repose of the soul of the luminary.
Abu Salami
National President, NASFAT
Nasrullahi il Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) has expressed sadness on the demise of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Human Rights activist, fighter in the cause of the oppressed, constitutional law expert, social mobiliser and leader in the war against corruption and advocate of a better society.
"Chief Fawehinmi died at a time that Nigeria is still in dire need of a social mobiliser to lead its people against the many ills that have afflicted the country and stunted its growth in all ramifications.
"We surely missed what would have been his reactions and actions on the breach of trust by five major Banks and their managements as discovered by a recent Central Bank's special examination of their books, the Boko Haram incident, the Niger Delta crisis, the ASUU/FG face off, which has led to the closure of the Nigerian Universities for over two months now among others. We condole with his family and pray that God will continue to be with them. Gani will surely be remembered by all. We also pray that God should over look his short-comings and grant him Aljanat firdaus. Gani will surely be remembered by all, especially the many students that have benefited from his annual scholarship awards, the oppressed Nigerian masses and the silent majority that benefited from his benevolence
Sound Bites on Gani
I always see people like Gani (Fawehinmi) dealing with the society like a knocked engine...He is the ultimate motor mechanic who is always trying to fix the knocked engine called Nigeria
Professor Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate
"Any Public crusader or any intellectual moves from the ordinary to the great at the point when he is prepared to die for a cause. Once that point is reached, opposition becomes irrelevant. Gani reached that point long ago in his struggle for social justice"
Professor Yemi Osinbajo, S.A.N. Partner, Simmons Cooper Partners and Former Lagos Attorney-General.
If there were a Nobel Prize for human rights, it would have been given to Gani
Dr. Walter Omowale Carrington, Former U.S. Ambassador.
His consistency, doggedness, sacrifice and rebellion. Gani is rebellious, there is no way you can make progress in any society without questioning the status guo and Gani has consistently objected to the status quo. He even risked his life in defence of the rights of other Nigerians.
Mr. Femi Falana, Renowned Human Rights Lawyer and President, West African Bar Association.
Gani is a man of resilience. He has done a lot for the country and for the democracy we are enjoying, he is one of those who fought and won it for the people of this country. Gani Fawehinmi is a liberator, father of the masses and advocate par excellence
Rotimi Akeredolu, S.A.N President, Nigerian Bar Association
In both his words and his deeds, Chief Fawehinmi has always struggled to expand the frontiers of freedom, liberty and justice in Nigeria"
Balarabe Musa, former Governor of Kaduna State
Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN is one Nigerian whose numerous exploits cannot be conveniently placed in one pigeon hole. He is a lawyer per excellence, indeed one of the greatest Advocates of our times. He is also a politician of an uncommon value. He is a Political Activist and Human Crusader. He is a philanthropist. He is a citizen of the world championing with uncommon zeal, the values that bind humanity together
Professor Ademola Popoola, Dean, Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University.
Gani's death is the greatest loss to Nigeria at this time. He was a fearless fighter, lover of justice and uncompromising human right advocate, defender of people's right, supporter of the poor and the down trodden. He was also a patriot of no mean order. I am consoled by his good work and I belief in his rest after long suffering. May Allah grant him place in Aljana Amen.
IDOWU SOFOLA, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The news of Gani Fawehinmi's death is a big blow not only to me but also to a millions of Nigerians. He was one of a kind, coming once in a life time. I remember him personally because he defended me in a sedition charge at his own expense in 1978 when I was an editor of the Daily Star. It was absolutely his own initiative. He was totally committed to what he believed in. his great soul is surely in Heaven. Adieu My good friend.
Dr. BEL MOLOKWU, Ikorodu, Lagos
Bayelsa lawyers, AC mourns Gani
From Willie Etim (Yenagoa)
Legal Practitioners in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital have joined thousands of Nigerians across the country to mourn the sudden death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, an astute legal luminary whose sudden death today took everybody by surprise.
Mr Kikile Dan Esueme, a human rights lawyer based in the Yenagoa, in a reaction the news of Chief Fahewhimi's death, said his death is a great loss to the legal profession and the Nigeria nation.
He said Gani was the conscience of the nation, fighter against injustices, defender of the defendless and a personification human, political and economic right crusade.
Mr Osome Macbere also a practicing lawyer in Yenagoa; lamented by the death of Gani most lawyers have lost their mentor and a role model.
"He was a great lawyer who had shown the younger generation the part to selfless services to the down trodden and standing up for the people. He interest cuts across ethnic boundaries" he said.
The Bayelsa state chapter of the Action Congress (AC), in a statement by its Secretary Mr Ebikibina Miriki, described the death of Chief Fawehinmi as a great loss to Nigeria, the NBA and the political class and indeed the human and civil liberty organisation.
He the late chief will be remember for firm stand against injustice, abuse of fundamental rights of people with regards to the various autocratic and anti people government both in the reign of the military junta and past and present civil government.
He said, " his activities no doubt has rekindle the hope of the down trodden, while his philanthropic nature has put smiles on the faces of many Nigerians whom he had defended on cases of injustices without charging them for services rendered."
"While we mourn an icon, true democrats and a selfless comrade with substance, the A family in the state commensurate with the National Conscience Party on the demise of their Founder and party leader" he said.
Daniel, Alani Bankole, Ogun NBA, Okurounmu Mourn Gani
Was impeccable voice of the voiceless- Okurounmu
Great Advocate, great interpreter to the bench and great supporter to Islam- Bankole
He inspired us in Ogun- Daniel
Gone with sound and robust advocacy- NBA
Charles Coffie Gyamfi (Abeokuta)
In Ogun state tributes poured in from across section of the society. Those who spoke included Governor Gbenga Daniel, politicians and lawyers in the state.
All agreed that Nigeria had not only lost an icon but a great human rights activist but also a great contributor to the development of democracy in Nigeria.
Daniel in a statement through his Information and Orientation Commissioner, Mr. Kayode Samuel said he had developed a personal relationship with Fawehinmi since 30 years ago. According to the statement, during Daniel's University days, he and other undergraduates looked up to him for inspiration.
"He inspired us in Ogun state to commence the development of the Trauma and Diagnostic Centre as a direct challenge to the fact that he was not correctly diagnosed locally. We had hoped he would be alive to see the completion of this major centre of health care excellence in Ogun state" Daniel said
He prayed that God would grant the deceased's family and "millions of lives that he touched the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss".
Chief Alani Bankole, a People's Democratic Party Chieftain and also the father of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole in his comment described Gani's death as an irreparable loss to Nigeria and the legal profession.
Said he "to the bar he was a great advocate, to the bench he was a great interpreter and to the Muslim community he was a great supporter".
"His contribution to the development of democracy and human rights in Nigeria is unequal, especially during the military era. He will be missed by all" Bankole stated.
Senator Femi Okurounmu in his tribute described Gani as a man of impeccable character who laid his life for the masses, saying he was not only a gem but also an icon.
"Gani never pursued money but pursued justice for the average man. He was an impeccable voice for the masses" Okurounmu said.
The Senator, who stated that Nigeria would greatly miss the deceased, urged Nigerians especially those in the legal profession to emulate him.
The Chairman of the Abeokuta Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olu Akinleye described the death as a very sad loss for the country and humanity.
He stated "We have lost a gem, an icon". To him the implication of Fwaehinmi's death to the legal profession is that "we are going to miss sound and robust advocacy".
"On behalf of me and my colleagues we sympathize with the family and pray that God would give them the grace to bear the irreparable loss" he said.
Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN)
Attorney General of Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice
Expressing shock and sadness over Fawehinmi's demise,
Aondoakaa described him as "Nigeria's most illustrious and foremost legal luminary, who lived and died fighting for an egalitarian society and always on the side of the down-trodden."
Abdul Ibrahim
Chairman of the NBA (Abuja Branch)
"Fawehinmi's death was a serious blow to the entire nation.
His death is a serious blow, not only to the legal profession but also to the whole nation. We have lost a rare breed of a truly patriotic and nationalistic citizen.
"This is a loss that will be felt in our jurisprudence and a blow to the struggle to enthrone the rule of law, good governance and the promotion and protection of human rights. May Allah grant him Aljannah Fidausi," Ibrahim said.
Jacob Edi
Chairman, NUJ, Abuja Council
"Fawehinmi is an exceptional Nigerian, a patriot and defender of the defenseless, who has left an intimidating large shoe that other lawyers must strive to fill.
He was a man, who stood courageously against oppression of the masses by successive military regimes. For such selfless service, he sacrificed the comfort of his home for several military detention camps.
"Even while contending with cancer, he remained unbowed in his crusade, as he still found his voice upon return from London where he went for cancer therapy, to warn against one-party rule in the wake of defection of politicians to the Peoples Democratic Party.
"Without doubt, Chief Fawehinmi deserves his name on a national monument for his exceptional and unselfish contribution across board to Nigeria. The law profession will miss him, the masses will miss him."
Chief Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo (SAN)
"Chief Fawehinmi did not die, he defeated death at last and translated to become a saint.
"He will live forever because his good works follow him forever. He was a leader, who reproduced himself in integrity, learning and excellence in many juniors. May God comfort his family and keep them at peace. God is the greatest."
Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN)
Member of the Inner Bar
"Fawehinmi is a legend, who contributed robustly to the entrenchment of good governance and promotion of human rights.
"He was a legal enigma of unparalleled proportion, a consummate, dogged and rugged legend whose advocacy would make one break-dance.
"We have lost a rare legal gem and a human rights crusader. He cannot be replaced in the immediate future."
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary
Action Congress
The death of Gani Fawehinmi is definitely one of the biggest losses to Nigeria in recent times!
A known thorn in the flesh of dictatorship, he fought relentless for the enthronement of democracy in our country, mostly at the expense of his personal liberty.
His belief in constitutionality and the rule of law helped propel many of his actions against impunity, and he did not discriminate between civilian and military leaders in picking his targets when it comes to ensuring a strict adherence to the rule of law, rather than the rule of the jungle.
An unabashed campaigner for human rights, he stood
shoulder-to-shoulder with other campaigners to seek respect for human dignity. Nigerians owe him a ton of gratitude for whatever freedoms they are enjoying today. As a lawyer, he was one of the most accomplished advocates ever, using
the powerful platform offered by one of the most respected professions as a bully pulpit of sorts to confront dictators and anarchists.
It is a shame that he had to travel abroad several times, sometimes spending months, to get access to good medical
treatment. What an irony for a man who never missed an opportunity to goad the government of the day to use the
country's huge resources for the benefit of the people.
We call on the Federal Government to immoratlise this relentless 'senior advocate of the poor', a friend of the lowly
and the oppressed and a legal colossus.
But we make bold to say that there can be no better way to immortalize this great Nigerian than making life more meaningful for Nigerians. Afterall, that is what he lived and died for!
Governor Olusegun Mimiko
Ondo State
"Gani's death is painful and an irreparable loss coming at this stage of our development in Ondo State when we needed his wealth of knowledge.
"On behalf of the people of this state, I most sincerely thank the good Lord for giving us this distinguished man in Ondo State.
"He was an eminent Nigerian, a global personality of the finest cast who, no doubt, lived a life of social struggle. His was a selfless life dedicated wholly to the advancement of justice and the defense of the common man.
"His contributions to the development of our jurisprudence predicated upon a deep sense of revulsion at injustice and oppression remain unprecedented.
The Gani Fawehinmi phenomenon had helped substantially to define the nature and image of the Ondo State personality as a dedicated defender of the truth."
Mrs. Olukemi Mimiko
Wife of Ondo State Governor
"This is the end of an era for the oppressed Nigerians. He lived and died for the masses."
Dr. Tunji Abayomi
Human Rights Activist and Legal Practitioner
"He was a dogged fighter. Though most Nigerians do not wish to loose him, they have to abide by the dictates of death.
Chief Olu Falae
Former Presidential Candidate and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)
Chief Olu Falae, described Fawehinmi's death as a national tragedy, saying it was a sad blow to the nation's blossoming democracy.
"This man has suffered so much for this nation. He will forever be remembered for his courage and outspokenness in the face of oppression and intimidation.
"Fawehimi stood on the side of the masses in their dogged fight to enthrone democracy in this land, it is just a pity that he had to die at this time in the history of our great nation."
Dr Joseph Akinlaja
Deputy National Chairman of Labour Party
"We have witnessed great development through his constructive criticism. The multi-party system Nigeria has in place today was Fawehinmi's handiwork. If he had not taken the fight up to the Supreme Court, may be we would have been practicing one party system now and but for him the INEC would have become too powerful a tool in the hands of some politicians."_
GANI, THE UNFORGETTABLE HUMANIST: ADIEU
Bamidele Aturu Esq
Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi, irrepressible friend of the subjected, rejected, dejected, suppressed, repressed, oppressed and dehumanized underclass everywhere in the world is gone. Born in 1938 into doubtless aristocracy (his father was a successful timber merchant), he shunned and fought privileges with an unparalleled zeal. In spite of his considerable wealth derived from his brilliant and painstaking professional practice, Gani's real friends were the dispossessed of the earth, the physically challenged, indeed the proletariat of the world. His advocacy for the underprivileged was not restricted to the courtroom where in his inimitable fiery advocacy he won for them notable and significant victories. He advocated for the poor at the barricades- once, in a rare and yet unexampled display of sacrificial commitment to principles, he lay on the road daring the armoured tank of the military to crush him at Yaba during a protest against one of the military
governments; he fought for them in the mass media; he defended their cause in all the organizations he has been privileged to be a member or to found.
His struggles were complex and multi-dimensional. This was not surprising given the fact that the events that impelled him to become a social crusader and those which he helped shape are equally varied and complex. We do not require a prophet to know that long after Gani must have departed from this world his works and times would continually inspire scholarly and revolutionary writings.
Understandably, he provoked extremes of passion in people depending on their perspectives or their positions in the economy. Whether Gani is seen as a gadfly, an irritant, conscience of the nation or a social crusader, even his most uncharitable critic would admit that he is a militant with a cause and a militant that is at once irresistible and unforgettable.
In the practice of law his footprints are indelible. He democratized the practice of law by commencing in 1985 the publication of his authoritative Nigerian Weekly Law Reports. Hitherto, judgments of the superior courts, particularly those of the Supreme Court, were treated as an exclusive property of one or two influential lawyers. As litigant or as counsel, he fought and won many landmark cases thus helping to advance the country's jurisprudence.
Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi, the lion of Nigerian law, an indisputable colossus of humanism may be gone but his deeds and contributions to the struggle against oppression and for the emancipation of the masses are indelible. Gani lived, fought and died for the people. He was a fearless and tireless tormentor of those who imposed themselves as rulers on the hapless people of Nigeria. He was God's gift to Nigeria.
We must resist the temptation to mourn Gani. His was a fulfilled life richly and fully lived in accordance with his philosophy and love for the oppressed. His achievements in his chosen field are monumental, his impact as the conscience of the nation undeniable, his legacy for posterity unforgettable. He has left a void that will be difficult to fill in our collective struggle for a better country. Our hearts are with his wives and children, both biological and otherwise.
Pretenders to power who dot our government houses must learn from Gani the virtues of selflessness, honesty and commitment to principles. For those of us in the broad pro-democracy movement necessity is laid upon us to carry on from where he stopped. The struggle sure continues.
Mallam Shehu Sanni
Leader, Northern Civil Society Coalition and Chairman, Socialist Front (S.F)
First of all, it is demeaning for the Federal Government to award Chief Fawehinmi, the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), which is fourth in category of all the awards. This was a man who has spent the most part of his life fighting against the military dictatorship before the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria. This was a man who had been incarcerated more than any other Nigerian, in the struggle to free Nigerians from the shackles of military dictatorship and for the realization of other collective dreams of democracy. In fact, this is a man whose struggle has taken serious toll on his life and whose life was tied to the struggle. And to give this man a position of the Officer of the Federal Republic is demeaning. I repeat it.
Secondly, it is insulting for the federal Government to give such a flagship of struggle, a living legend, a man who is a flag bearer and the holder of the torch of freedom of Nigerians, the position of the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), and at the same time place discredited former governors, ministers and advisers above him. It is also an insult to the collective will of the people of Nigeria. It is an insult to the conscience of Nigerians and the struggle to which all of us have sacrificed and paid a dear price for our beliefs. The national award does not carry any appellation of honour. It is simply an annual ritual whereby the government dishes out such awards to cronies and people in the corridors of power, sycophants, party members, special advisers, special assistants and nominee of state governors. So, it is not worthy of its name and since 1999, about 7000 persons have been given such an award for their so-called contributions to the socio-economic and political development of our country, while that has not reflected on the pervasive insecurity, poverty, hunger, destitution and social infrastructural collapse, social injustice and an atmosphere of hopelessness that exist in our own very country.
In a country whereby the immediate and urgent need of the people, their upliftment from hunger and poverty, their freedom from the clutches of false promises by politicians are not met, it is ironic for any person to award himself or to give any award to individuals. What the country needs is not awards to eulogize and elect some people who do not deserve it. What the nation needs is a government that is able to perform and deliver. The highest award you can give to the Nigerian nation is to ensure that their quality of life has improved and their living standard has improved; and they have security for their lives and property and the economy is put in the right shape and they have a fair share of the resources of their own Country. So, Chief Gani Fawehinmi is well commended for his rejection of this award. He has the highest award in the hearts of Nigerians for standing up, fighting military dictatorship and struggling to ensure the sanitization of the democratic process. Gani does not need an award. Nigerians have already appreciated his effort and struggle. The National award has become a concept of patronage of members of the ruling party and cronies of state governors. National award is not an award of honour.
As far as President Umaru Yar'adua is concerned, someone needs to draw his attention to the fact that no one out of all those who were slated for that award can match the resume, the credentials and contributions of Gani Fawehinmi. The government is acting in a contradictory manner by promising to prosecute former governors and pursuing it to logical conclusion, and at the same time giving national honour and awards to them. You cannot mix gari and sand together and expect to have a palatable dish.
Dr. Hussaini Abdu
Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria
"The death of this selfless and committed patriot who committed his adult life to the service of his motherland is one of the greatest losses suffered by the postcolonial Nigeria.
Fawehinmi who for decades, consistently stood for justice, equity and was committed to the cause of the poor, would be remembered for his dogged pursuit of democracy.
At ActionAid Nigeria, we celebrate this deceased compatriot who for years had remained unbent and untainted as he became a thorn in the flesh of irresponsible governments, military and civilian, in Nigeria.
We will for many years continue to remember his self sacrifice and his loyalty to the cause of building a great nation, in spite of the assault on his person, the brutality he suffered, several attempts at breaking his body, soul and spirit by repressive regimes in Nigeria.
Chief Fawehinmi, even at death will continue to tower above his peers in his standing firm till the end, when he could have taken the option of joining carpet baggers and sought for himself government patronage. Of note too is the role he played in the opening up of the democratic space in Nigeria.
As we mourn the demise of this friend of the poor, we take solace in his representing hope for many Nigerians throughout his lifetime through his selfless commitment to the welfare of the children of the poor as exemplified in his grant of scholarships to indigent students irrespective of where they hail from in the nation; and his outspokenenss on issues that affect the poor and marginalised.
Gani As A Humanist
By Sonny Aragba-Akpore
SHORTLY before he resigned as the chairman of the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON) a coalition of 55 pro-democracy groups and human rights bodies on June 16, 1999, Gani Fawehinmi said "for more than 30 years, I have been involved in the struggle for legal and social justice and genuine democracy in t his country. Today, these ideals of legal and social justice and genuine democracy have not been achieved despite the misguided euphoria that has gripped the country."
This was few days after the inauguration of the third republic and the second coming of Olusegun Obasanjo.
Ten years down the line, the euphoria may have died down and elections may have been won or allegedly stolen, Gani's prophecy appears cast in stone.
Between 1969 and 1996, he was in and out of detention 35 times, arrested for more times, prosecuted several times and as he put it "in all these tribulations and travails, my health has suffered badly. Consequently, I want to take care of my health and in addition, I need a rest." Gani never quite recovered from this. His disappearance from public life may have been a personal tragedy but history and time will conclude that indeed, it was a national tragedy.
He had great dreams for Nigeria and its people but all that ended in the early hours of yesterday.
When he criticised the Abdulsalami Abubakar's transition programme in 1999 which he alleged was going to hand over to the "winners" of the world-wide acknowledged fraudulent election that is meant to stabilise the process and system of the exploitation and repression of the masses under a new form of oppressive government," Gani was rebuffed.
Ten years after, the story and the situation have not changed.
Gani Fawehinmi's human rights activities began from his home.
But his love for humanity and how it could become better transcended his human rights beliefs.
His penchant to correct the ills in society could be likened to those expressed by Thomas Jefferson, who believed that a legitimate government must derive its powers from the people.
Hence, from the very beginning his pathological love for humanity was seen through his family life where for instance, he ranked his mother next to God because he was her only child and expressed this love in the ranking of his family values beginning with his mother who deserved honour because she brought him up alone. His next love was for his children and lastly his two wives Ganiat and Abike.
But despite the fact that he was self-made, tutoring himself law along the line, Gani never allowed this to becloud his love for humanity.
In and out of prison in the course of defence of humanity, Gani was undeterred all through his lifetime. His defence of the rights of humanity spoke volumes and as an advocate of people's rights generally, Gani saw to their defence without any consideration for colour or creed.
He was likened to W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Albert Luthuli, Nelson Madela and Martin Luther King, Jr. because he cared for his fellow men.
As a defender of the defenceless including students who were murdered brazenly either by the state or their agents, Gani ended up being an unrepentant defender of the masses so much that even when the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPC) declined his application for the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank, the masses of the people crowned him Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM).
Curiously, it was this that served as precursor to the decision by the LPC to so honour him with a SAN.
A cursory look at his human rights cases show that he fought on the sides of embattled students in their attempts to oppose obnoxious policies of their institutions. Besides these he also opened a scholarship scheme through which indigent students had a leeway to continue the education of those he referred to as "victims of socio-economic injustice - the poor, the deprived; the denied, the neglected, the ignored and the persecuted."
In 1978, he fought on behalf of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) when Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo as Head of State proscribed the union.
In 1981, when a student at University of Ife, as it then was, Bukunola Arogundade was murdered under suspicious circumstances, Gani stood in the gap to raise fundamental questions about Shehu Shagari's government for its inability to respond to the crisis that led to the death of the student.
Even the death of eight other students who were killed during a protest march by students about their dead colleague did not sway the government one bit and Gani challenged this.
The rustication of Bamidele Aturu and Ebun-Olu Adegbornwa both law students at Ile-Ife in 1991 was stoutly challenged in a law court-leading to the readmission of the duo among others.
As a human right crusader, he had his brush with law enforcement agencies and the state apparatus. In fact between 1969 and 1999, Gani was detained 35 times in various police cells and prisons across Nigeria.
In and out of court in defence of himself and particularly of others, over the years, Gani has become known as conscience of the nation.
The annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections believed to be the freest and fairest in the history of elections in Nigeria pitched Gani headlong with the military junta.
Even the offer of a carrot by the Sani Abacha government for the post of Attorney General of the Federation was turned down thus bringing out the quintessential rebel in Gani.
His advocate of mass action was rebuffed and even his election as leader of the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON) and his chairmanship of the National Conscience Party (NCP) did not in any way change things, so much that when he took a decision that the NCP would not in participate Abdulsalami Abubakar's transition government was resisted by his party members who told him that he was on his own.
The Sovereign National Conference (SNC) that he advocated did not quite sail through and all of these demoralised him till death.
His words on marble
Compiled by Tope Templer Olaiya
His running battle with Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is remarkably famous as the man many love to hate and it is a wonder why he relish keeping a long list of sworn critics. Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi is visibly one of his avowed adversaries both in the former president's public and private life and was a leading voice of opposition throughout Obasanjo's eight-year administration.
In his reaction to a Presidential media chat, Gani had written, "I watched the Presidential Media Chat of Sunday, November 30, 2003. It was one of the worst that I ever saw. It was more sycophantic than searching, more patronizing than critical and more pedestrian than analytical. It was an exercise in trivializing issues of fundamental importance. Apart from occasional bursts of determined and pointed questions, the whole exercise was dull, drab and totally uninspiring. I did not expect that level of poor performance from you as I witnessed on television."
In May 2005, while reviewing six years of democracy, Fawehinmi came down hard on the Obasanjo administration, accusing it of non-performance and had then wondered why the National Assembly had not impeached the president despite, according to him, obvious constitutional breaches. ""This man (Obasanjo) is a disgrace, a catastrophe and a disaster. He has failed in every respect. Nigeria is worse off with this type of man in every manner of governance. He has flouted the constitution on countless occasions and has brought untold hardship to Nigerians."
His prediction of the corruption in the banking industry
When asked in August 2004 if he support the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that banks should increase their capital base to N25 billion, Fawehinmi had categorically replied that it was not the amount that really counted but the monitoring mechanism. He said, "you know Nigerians have a way of manipulating figures, what is relevant is the mechanism to ensure that the banking industry is not fraudulent. Therefore, we cannot have the private sector as the engine of growth because the private sector is as corrupt as the public sector and so; they are one and the same thing.
"So, when you talk of N25 billion, in which atmosphere? The atmosphere of round tripping foreign exchange where nobody is charged to court in the context of fraud that is being perpetuated by the corporate sector. So, let Soludo deal with corporate fraud, which is rampant in Nigeria. You can't tell me that you want to increase bank's capital base without first cleansing the banking industry because they can easily manipulate Nigerians and get the N25 billion in a society that is corrupt. Corporate fraud is at the heart of corruption because it is the corporate sector that is aiding the public sector. My assignment to the CBN governor is to let us know how corrupt the corporate sector is in Nigeria. Until this is resolved, there is no solution. He has not provided any solution at all, he is Soludo without solution.
On the death of his mother
The atmosphere at the Ikeja residence of Gani Fawehinmi on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 was far from somber, as the occupants of the building had just lost a rare gem in the family. It was the death of Gani's beloved mother, Alhaja Munirat Fawehinmi who passed on at the age of 88. When news filtered out that the woman considered by many as the pillar behind irrepressible Gani daring moves had passed on, not a few feared that the high profile of Gani in social crusading might take a downward plunge. Looking subdued, Gani said: "my mother was everything to me. After God, she is next. She was closest to me more than any other being alive and she knows me more than any other human being." Fawehinmi added that his late mother was the go-between him and God. "The bond between us was divine, spiritual and religious."
Why he wanted AGF, Aondoakaa removed
Although in great pain and undergoing medical treatment in London, Fawehinmi in September 2007 wrote to the President on why he was appalled and disturbed by the negative and unconstitutional role being played by the Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa with regards to the anti-corruption war embarked upon by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). "Since his assumption of office on Thursday, July 26, 2007, the chief law officer of the federation and Minister of Justice has been giving the unmistakable impression that the crusade against corruption in Nigeria is not in his agenda and that the activities of the institutions engaged in the war against corruption do not have his support. What he has been doing since coming into office is diametrically against the international accepted role of a nation's Attorney General. He should therefore be removed from office for as long as he remains Nigeria's AGF, we will continue to be a laughing stock in the international community.
Gani Fawehinmi
Giving Law a Human Face
(1938-2009)
By Abimbola Ojenike
The compulsive populist, Gani Oyesola Fawehinmi is naturally not a persona to be admired by people of all manners. Whether or not you think highly of Gani depends on who you are as a person and your posture to the sublime cause for which he lives and would be remembered. You are either up for Gani or against him. For the adversaries of common good, Gani is a mortal enemy, a thorn in the side. For the masses, Gani is a hero and he is undoubtedly so. His pleasurable pain for the people becomes even more appreciated in a time like this when outrage against abuse and illegality is becoming unfashionable except for material trappings. Gani's reward is the happiness that comes with giving law a human face though material success may have come as a supplement.
Gani Oyesola Fawehinmi was born on Friday 22nd April, 1938 in Ondo, Western Nigeria. Ondo, Gani's noble ancestry is known for its people's tenacity and allergy to oppression. Gani's father Chief Saheed Tugbobo Fawehinmi, a timber tycoon and philanthropist was reputed as a vocal opponent of excessive taxation of the poor. Gani's spite for oppression would seem to be congenital. This trait had become obvious from his early years. He had his early education at Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Iyemaja - Ondo from 1947 to 1953 and later Victory College Ikare. On the completion of his secondary education, Reverend Akinrele, his school principal sent a letter to his parents advising that Gani must be encouraged to study Law.
Gani later studied law in England. He returned to Nigeria in September, 1964 and was called to the Bar on January 15, 1965. He became a sole practitioner barely three months after call. Going solo as a new wig is never preferred though a few young associates would plunge into private practice prematurely to avoid the frustrating condition of service under their principals. It is not known that Gani went solo to be able to hold the strings to a swell coffer. Gani would seem to have opted for private practice so early understanding the potential challenge of sustaining his ultimate career objective under a principal who probably would have seen things differently. This was later justified by his subsequent public interest interventions without a financial reward.
Gani's maiden example was in 1969. A randy and mighty senior officer had sexually exploited a poor civil servant's wife and was tormenting him for daring to raise a brow. Gani successful defended the helpless civil servant. Since that encounter, he became well identified with thse poor and the oppressed. He represents the ordinary people without any expectation of financial reward. When they reasonably thought he had become long overdue for the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and none was forthcoming, they elevated him to the more transcendent rank of a Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM). He later became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2001. The assonance notwithstanding, SAM is not a parody of SAN. Unlike the conferment of SAN, the honour of a Senior Advocate of the Masses is not a privilege, it is a hard earned prize for sacrifice; a profound appreciation of Gani's suffering for the people by the people. He remains the only person to be so honoured till today. Who knows; public-spirited Femi Falana might be next in line for the award of SAM.
Gani's human rights exertion was well recognized world over. In 1993, Gani won the Bruno Kreisky Prize for human-rights advocacy but his best was yet to come. In 1998, he was awarded the Bernard Simons Memorial Award of the International Bar Association (IBA). The Bernard Simons award is one of the highest distinctions that may be conferred on a lawyer by his professional colleagues across borders. The Award was instituted in June 1995 in honour of late London solicitor, Bernard Simons to reward outstanding achievements in a criminal law practice which promote, protect and advance human rights, especially the right to live in a fair and just society under the rule of law. Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN was the first Black African to be awarded the prize and he was the third recipient of the highly coveted award. Of course, no one could have been more qualified for the award than Gani.
From the dark days of military tyranny through all the years of our profligate pseudo-democracy, Gani had been a consistent and insuppressible voice against tyranny, executive recklessness and human right abuse. He had put his life on the line for this cause on countless occasions seeking judicial review of governmental policies and action. He was severally arrested, detained, arraigned and brutalized. Gani Fawehinmi does not leave his case in Court and go to sleep till the next adjourned date. The battle continues on the street, the television screen and the pages of the newspaper; an approach critics consider rather brash and ethically questionable but Gani is undaunted. Those who upbraid Gani for his style do not deny the effectiveness of the ultimate outcome. Unquestionably, no Nigerian lawyer has used Court processes to challenge government excesses like he did and this like no other known factor in the evolution of Nigerian jurisprudence has given the law a human face. He is reputed to have filed over two hundred cases challenging government excesses since becoming a lawyer. His worth is not in the plenitude of cases argued but in the compelling court decisions in those cases and how they changed the face of the law.
Dele Giwa's Trial
Sunday October 19, 1986- the ancient church tower stood lonely with its gruff aged bell. The symphony of the recessional hymn had recessed into stillness but for its sustained refrain on happy souls that had gathered for worship in the forenoon. It was Sunday noon; a new week had begun but a dear life had been ended suddenly in the neighbourhood Lagos, No. 25 Talabi Street Ikeja. Dele Giwa was mowed down by a parcel of death. Dele Giwa in the comfort of his home having a brunch when a postman brought a parcel addressed to him. The parcel bearing the seal of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was delivered to his 19 years old son who handed the parcel over to him. "This must be from the president", he assumed. Momentarily, the parcel let off its message, a deadly explosion that blew life out of Dele Giwa, the son of a washerman that strove to prominence. At the time of his death, Dele Giwa was a firebrand against General Ibrahim Babangida's junta and was the Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine, Africa's leading news magazine at the time.
The nation wailed and cried for justice but the State was not interested in prosecuting the suspected marauders. Gani Fawehinmi, the most eloquent advocate of justice for Dele Giwa instituted the action, Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. Akilu & Anor 1988 2 NWLR (pt 67) 122. It was an action to compel the Director of Public Prosecution of Lagos State to charge to Court Col. Halilu Akilu and Lt. Col. A.K. Togun (both top security officers in the General Babangida junta) for conspiracy to murder and the murder of Dele Giwa. A critical question for the Supreme Court's determination was whether Gani Fawehinmi could institute legal action to compel the Director of Public Prosecution to either prosecute an alleged murder or permit a private legal practitioner to prosecute. The Supreme Court held:
"The peace of the society is the responsibility of all persons in the country and as far as protection against crime is concerned, every person in the society is each other's keeper. Since we are all brothers in the society, we are our brother's keeper. If we pause a little and cast our minds to the happenings in the world, the rationale for this rule will become apparent. There have been cases where brother assaults or kills brother, cases where a father assaults or kills his son, where a son kills his father, where a husband kills his wife and where a wife kills her husband. If consanguinity or blood relationship is allowed to be the only qualification for locus standi, then crimes such as are listed above will go unpunished, may become the order of the day and destabilize society. Can it be said that the death of Dele Giwa is not as much a sad and bitter loss to his friend, lawyer and confidant as it is to his family? The answer to the first question, therefore, in my view, is in the affirmative, that is that the appellant has locus standi".
Fawehinmi v. Akilu hatched the brother's keeper theory, giving the law on locus standi a human face. Invariably, it would appear to be the most important of Gani's cases. This is because it set a broader standard of review for locus standi in subsequent legal interventions in which Gani would have been shut out of Court as not possessing the requisite legal interest to sustain an action.
Although, the eventual prosecution of Col. Togun and Halilu Akilu did not bring the justice Nigerians anticipated, Gani is unrelenting. He had instituted several other actions challenging government actions. In Chief Gani Fawehinmi & Anor. v. N.N.P.C & 4 Ors. _Suit No. FHC/L/CS/54/92, he brought an action to force General Babangida's Military Government to render an account of all export earnings realised by Nigeria from the sale of Crude Oil during the Gulf War in 1991. He was averse to the illegality and profligacy of the office of the "First Lady" and contested it in Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. Babangida & OrsSuit No. LD/1092/92. He contested the legality of Chief Ernest Shonekan's Interim National Government after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election. In Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. General Sani Abacha Suit No. FHC/C/CS/458/94 he sought to compel General Abacha and his comrades in power to publicly declare their assets so as to expose corruption in high places. In Chief Gani Fawehinmi & Anor. v. Gen. Sani Abacha & 6 ors. Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1481/97 requested the Court to compel the Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to release all political detainees based on his promise. All these cases were during the military regime.
Sustaining the yields of democracy became his focus after transition to democracy. In Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. Gen. Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo & anor, Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/110/99 Gani sought a declaration that the remuneration of former Presidents and Heads of State (and other ancilliary matters) Decree No. 32 of 1999 prescribing outrageous sums as remuneration and allowances and other expensive perquisites of office for former Heads of State or Presidents and Chiefs of General Staff or vice President, their spouses and dependants was illegal and unconstitutional being in conflict with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. He had challenged the same constitution in Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. Head of State and Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria & anor Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/78/99. He contended like most Nigerians did that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 is a nullity and cannot be used to govern Nigeria. In Balarabe Musa & 26 Ors. v. Independent National Electoral Commission & the Attorney-General of the Federation Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/170/2002, Gani as National Chairman of National Conscience Party (NCP) together with other 26 political associations challenged the constitutionality of the registration guidelines issued by INEC for the registration of political associations seeking to register as political parties. The list is inexhaustive.
Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN is also a writer and publisher of the law. His Nigerian Weekly Law Reports is an indispensable companion for every serious legal practitioner. His industry and versatility are highly commended. He was the presidential flag bearer of the National Conscience Party but he was nowhere around the Presidential Villa after the large scale fraud of the 2003 election. Politics is definitely not his forte. But Gani is not without his failings. It was said that Gani is not as much liberal in his private life as he appears in the public eye. Similarly, on occasions that Gani cried when silence would have been more dignifying, he was considered to be on the extreme. His street protests and radical disposition were ethically questioned. All these show at least that Gani is not God, he is human but one thing is sure: he is a sincere public interest lawyer and an enduring motivation for a people-focused practice of the law.
Gani: His Law And His Chamber
Compiled By Tope Templer Olaiya
He practised briefly for three months with his elder brother, now Hon. Justice Rasheed Fawehinmi (Retd) at No.103, Herbert Macaulay Street, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. In April 1965, he established his chambers at No. 116, Denton Street, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. In 1974, he moved the chambers to his house at No. 28, Sabiu Ajose Crescent, Surulere, Lagos. In 1978, he finally moved the chambers to its present site at No. 35, Adeniran Ajao Road, Ajao Estate, Anthony Village, Lagos.
The Chambers is reputed to be the largest Law Chamber in Nigeria. It has a collection of over two hundred and ninety thousand (290,000) law and law-related books on various subjects. The Chambers (and sister organisations including Nigerian Law Publications Ltd) has a staff strength of two hundred and one (201) with nineteen (19) out of the total number as practising lawyers (out of which only 3 are of Ondo origin). The Chambers and the sister organisations are totally detribalised, reflecting the ethnic diversity of the nation.
The most notable characteristics of the Chambers are: highest sense of responsibility to professional duties, deepest commitment to professional ethics, unsurpassed dedication to research, hardwork, truth, honesty, obedience to the rule of law and due process, protection, defence and advancement of fundamental human rights.
Between 1965 and the year 2005, the Chambers has handled about five thousand, seven hundred (5700) briefs. Gani Fawehinmi has personally practised law and appeared in Courts throughout the length and breath of the country.
Gani has an uncontrollable love for the poor, the cheated, the oppressed, the persecuted, the ignored and the students. This passion is responsible for the selfless service he rendered without charging any fees, for the protection, defence and advancement of fundamental human rights of the Nigerian people. He has handled more than one thousand, five hundred (1500) briefs free of all charges for members of his self-defined constituency.
Gani changed the course of legal practice in Nigeria. Never in the history of the Nigerian legal system has one man done so much to democratise the knowledge of law in Nigeria through its accessibility to all and sundry, particularly to the legal practitioners. He practised law, wrote law, and published law. His Nigerian Weekly Law Reports, which he started twenty years ago, a must-read for every Lawyer and Judge, is unprecedented in Africa in innovation, content, style and regularity. Seven Hundred and Eighty (780) parts have been published. Each part is now over 300 (three hundred) pages weekly. He was the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports. Some of his other legal works either as Author or Editor include: Digest of the Supreme Court Cases, Nigerian Law of Habeas Corpus, Nigerian Law of the Press under the Constitution and the Criminal Law, Nigerian Law of Libel and the Press, Law of Contempt in Nigeria, The Bench and the Bar in Nigeria, Murder of Dele Giwa: the Right of a Private Prosecutor, Courts' System in Nigeria - A guide, June 12 crisis - the Illegality of Shonekan's Government, Nigerian Constitutional Law Reports Criminal Law Reports, Commercial Law Reports, Digest of Western States Court of Appeal Cases, High Courts of Nigeria Law Reports, Supreme Court of Nigeria Law Reports in 50 volumes People's Right to free education, Human Rights Law Reports of Africa, Ouster of Courts' Jurisdiction in Nigeria, The Struggle for Genuine Democracy in Nigeria - Thirty Days of Civil Rule in Nigeria (Post-May 29, 1999) What Hope for Democracy?, The Struggle for Genuine Democracy in Nigeria - State of the Nation (After Ninety Days of Civil Rule) and The Dangers Ahead, Commercial Law Reports Quarterly, Volume 2, Criminal Law Reports of Nigeria, Volume 2, Human Rights Law Reports of Africa, Volume 2, Nigerian Constitutional Law Reports, Volume 7, Petrol Price Increases In Nigeria: The Truth You Must Know, Obasanjo: The Absentee President of Nigeria
He has won many national and international awards and he has been honoured by many clubs and associations. Amongst his honours and awards are the following: Made a member of the Ghandi Foundation in 1971, Honourary member of NUJ, in Nigeria 1972, Life member of the University of Benin Students' Union in 1977, Senior Advocate of the Masses OAU on August 27, 1988, Life member, University of Ibadan Student Union, in 1988, NANS life membership in 1990, Bruno Kriesky Award for his contributions to the defence of Human Rights on June 11, 1993, American Bar Association Award for Human Rights in 1996, Naming of the Victory College Ikare Library, his alma-mater, after him after 50 years of its establishment, Prestigious Bernard Simons Memorial Award by the International Bar Association (IBA) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the rule of law in Nigeria in 1998, Times Patriot Award by Daily Times Nigeria Plc. on 1st of June, 2001, Best Humanitarian Award by City People on 25th March, 2001, Worthy Contributions to the Development of Education in Nigeria by Hon. Dr. Willie Ogbeide Scholarship - Trust Fund Merit Award on 2nd December, 2001, Principles of Human Rights Merit Award in his honour for his worthy contributions to the protection of human rights and Fundamental freedoms by Barrister Richard Dubor Books Launching Communitee on 9th December, 2000, Excellence Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the maintenance of law and order, provision of security, crime prevention and control in Nigeria by the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria on 22nd December, 1999, Merit Award on him at Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the Creation of Ondo State by the Ondo State Government on the 16th June, 2001, Award on him for his relentless service and commitment to the Rule of Law in Nigeria by the Nigerian Bar Association (Ikeja Branch) on 15th of June, 2001,
MAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS Named Man of the Year 1988 by African Concord Magazine, Voted Quality Magazine Man of the Year 1988, In 1989, the Weekend Concord named him Man of the Year amongst others, Named lawyer of the Year 1988 by the African Guardian Magazine of January 2, 1989, In 1993, the Weekend Concord named him Man of the Year 1992 amongst others, Named Man of the Year 1996 by Newswatch Magazine, Voted Man of the Year 1996 amongst others by the Nigerian Tribune Newspapers of December 28, 1996, On December 20, 1997 Punch Newspaper named him Man of the Year, 1997, In December 1999, Nigerian Tribune named him Man of the Year amongst others, On December 26, 1999, Hallmark Newspaper named him Man of the Year 1999, On January 8, 2000 Weekend Triumph named him Man of the Year 1999, On January 9, 2000, he was named Man of the Year 1999 by National Times, Named Man of the Year 2000 by the Weekly Trust Newspaper of January 12-18, 2001,
MAN OF THE CENTURY AWARD Named Man of the Century by Weekend Concord on Saturday, December 25, 1999.
On July 25, 2001, he was nominated for the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) and was sworn-in on September 10, 2001.
One of the cases based on the point of law that Gani had against brutal regimes is highlighted in the story of Mr. Minere Amakiri, who was the Rivers State correspondent of the Observer newspaper owned by the Mid-Western State government. Mr. Amakiri had reported teacher's grievances in the Observer of July 30, 1973, which coincided with the birthday of the governor, Naval Commander Alfred Diette Spiff - now a traditional ruler in Niger Delta. The governor's ADC Ralph Iwowari who was furious ordered the reporter to be given 24 strokes of the cane. Amakiri's head was shaved with an old blade and detained. Gani took up the case and he won.
Other landmark cases include the release of Dr. Edwin Madunagu who was a Mathematics lecturer at University of Lagos, now on the Board of The Guardian newspapers, the defence of University of Ibadan students before the Justice Kassim Commission of Inquiry over the killing of Adekunle Adepeju.
Gani Fawehinmi's Secrets
* He cognizes bushmeat in the dark
By Tunde Akingbade
The book: Prisoner J. 60; the Legal struggles
of Gani by Richard Akinnola was presented to the public recently in Lagos . His Excellency, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, Edo State Governor and his counterpart in Ondo State Dr. Olusegun Mimiko sent their Attorney Generals, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana and Mr. Eyitayo Jegede SAN respectively. Major General Muhammadu Buhari former Head of State was represented by Malam Abdallah S. Ayuba. There were several other dignitaries including Professor Yemi Osibanjo (SAN), Mr. Obi Okwusogu SAN, and Mr. Ayo Olanrewaju who had come to honour Gani. Gani's second son, Mr. Sahid Fawehinmi and daughter were present. At the event, Sahid Fawehinmi spoke on behalf of the family. Many people spoke too. But there were certain secrets about Fawehinmi that were revealed at the event. The most poignant part of the event was when Malam Musa Idris spoke on his encounter with Fawehinmi and how the radical lawyer saved the life of six Northern youths who were sentenced to death in a flawed trial without a counsel in Lagos in the mid 1980's. Excerpts of the revelations;
Richard Akinnola:
"Gani Fawehinmi and I love meat. Both of us are voracious meat eaters. We love meat a lot!
One day, Chief Gani Fawehinmi ordered for bushmeat and when the meat was brought he looked at the biggest meat and specifically said to me; Richard, don't touch this particular one! But I wanted that particular meat not knowing that he too really wanted the big one.
Suddenly, it was time to watch the Channels Television News and his attention shifted and he went to switch on the television. I seized the opportunity to change the location of the meat. He was unaware of my moves. But when the returned to where we sat, the first thing he said when he observed the plate was; "Richard, you have done something here. You have done something here!"
I asked him what he meant and he replied; "No, No, No. You cannot hijack my bushmeat. I know bushmeat even in the darkness." Then I tried to feign ignorance and I asked him; "how did you know but you were watching channels television?" He replied; "you know I am older than you. I can recognise bushmeat even in darkness. I remember the time when the security agencies came for me. Chief Fawehinmi just looked at me and said; "Well, it's your turn o. Bye bye o! I hope you have your tooth brush and tooth paste and so on. If you don't have I will find a way of getting them across to you. I have the notion that there is no person that has suffered for the progress of this country than Gani Fawehinmi. The day he was being taken to Gashua prison in 1990, I still have the photographs. After he got to Gashua, he went through a lot and that's why I keep accusing General Babangida (rtd) for being responsible for the ailment which Chief Fawehinmi has today because doctors said his cancer of the lung is a rare case of cancer of a non - smoker. His prison cell in Gashua was sprayed with insecticides regularly and I think the ailment he now has is the cumulative effect of the things sprayed in his cell.
After inhaling the insecticide he collapsed and was rushed to the University of Maiduguri . If we tell our leaders all the time that they are right when we know that they are wrong unconsciously may push them into a chasm that will consume them. In 1985 I criticized in my column in vanguard when General Muhammadu Buhari was in government when the three drug pushers were executed.
In my column, I said it was wrong to execute people with a retroactive law. Because at the time they committed the offence, the law was not in place. But Chief Fawehinmi was unapologetic and he said what the government did was right. And I said no, chief I disagree with you. Later on, Chief Fawehinmi saw me and he said he read my views and he was trying to argue to justify it. But I disagreed. Then a week after a reader from Oshodi sent me a stinker and abused me thoroughly for criticizing Chief Fawehinmi. And I published the rejoinder on June 11, 1985. The man thoroughly abused me saying that he knew I hated Gani Fawehinmi and that was why I criticized him in my column. After I published the rejoinder, I told Chief Fawehinmi that the score of our encounter was one - one draw. I said somebody has abused me on your behalf not knowing my relationship with you. We both laughed about it."
Malam Musa Idris:
"I am sorry I did not attend a school and I am from the Northern part of the country. In the 1980s six boys were condemned to death in Lagos in a trial. During the trial, the boys had no lawyer to represent them, but they were sentenced to death. Chief Gani Fawehinmi was in London at the time. When he read the story of the condemned boys in a foreign newspaper, he was unhappy. He immediately instructed his chambers to take up the matter and represent the boys. An appeal was filed by the chambers.
I explained everything I know about the case. Gani Fawehinmi was at that time in London . His lawyers worked on the matter because Gani said he did not want the boys to be killed. That was how Gani came into the case. The condemned boys were later freed on appeal.
After he won the case for us, we went to show gratitude and greet him for what he did for us. I thought at that time that there was nobody in the country who could help me over the case of these six boys. Our organisation called my attention to the fact that we should repay Gani Fawehinmi him for his efforts. So the organisation at that time gathered N2, 000 which was a lot of money to us to go and give Chief Gani Fawehinmi. When I gave him the money he refused saying; "No, I am not doing it because of money. I am doing to save human life!" he added; "I am supposed to even give your organisation money because you people are together for good."
I am here to talk about this and remind everybody about what Gani did for us. All those who have spoken at the event have forgotten this case. They did not mention this case and our story. Gani Fawehinmi has been fighting for every human being. Salaam alaikun!
Mr. Sahid Fawehinmi (Gani's son)
The great, the powerful, the wealthy and the connected are bestowed by these great virtues by the Almighty. The almighty God gives us all and He takes all. But these virtues are bestowed on the mighty to take care of the less privileged and less connected. My father believes this and he has always practiced these virtues. I also digress today that the likes of our founding father - the late Sardauna of Sokoto - Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe were bestowed with political powers in the North, South West and South East respectively. These are reasons why they remain great influences in their areas and their spheres of influence. They were men with great will and vision. They fought colonialism to liberate people like us. My father's influences have been reflected in the annals of our great republic in the area of the practice and publish of law and of human rights activism.
Most importantly he has featured as a great vanguard of our people. And in his role as the vanguard of our people, he has suffered a great deal. In spite of these he remains resolute and committed in his fight against injustice.
Today he is sick. But he remains very happy
.
Babangida mourns Gani
Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) yesterday described the death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi as "disheartening and utterly discomforting".
In a statement by his media spokesman, Kassim Afegbua said Gani lived a peculiar life and fought many battles addi8ng that he should be celebrated by all.
"He was a man who lived his own peculiar life and fought battles without boundaries. Surely, there can never be another Gani Fawehinmi in Nigeria in the near future. He stood out in his own column throughout his journey of life; a journey that was characterised with fighting battles using the rule of law as a weapon of combat.
"He was not a customary soldier, but a civilian soldier, a legal luminary and courageous Nigerian who was driven by his passions, convictions and beliefs. Even when one has cause to disagree with him on certain issues, it never dampened his spirit and belief. Such was the life of a man that I admired from afar even when we tended to disagree on certain issues. His death came to me as rude shock. I am pained that we have lost such a legal icon, social crusader and human rights advocate at a time when Nigeria is trying to reform her electoral system.
"Chief Gani Fawehinmi needs to be celebrated not just by members of his human rights community but by all Nigerians who have benefitted from his struggles and battles to make life meaningful for mankind.
Babangida also called for his immortalization; "Even though his achievements in life would provide a basis to fondly remember him, he deserves to be formally immortalised for the benefit of the present and unborn generations of Nigerians. And this is my epitaph: "here lies the remains of Gani Fawehinmi, a devout Muslim, a fighter, people's combatant, civilian soldier, social crusader, human rights activist, consumate legal icon, politician, and compassionate family man whose love for mankind defined his journey of life. There is no one that can fit into the big shoes of this impressario whether now or in the near future. May his gentle soul find solace in the hereafter. May Allah grant him paradise,amin . Adieu, GANI THE LAW.", he said as he wished his family the strength to bear with this irreparable lost.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party PDP has described late Gani as one of the nation's greatest human rights crusaders who would be greatly missed by Nigerian people who benefited immensely from his struggle.
In a statement issued by the national publicity secretary of the party, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, the party said Gani's death would be felt by Nigeria more so at a time when the ideals he fought for were being realized.
'The Peoples Democratic Party, has received with rude shock the news of death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN in his residence in Lagos today. On behalf of the entire members of the National Working Committee and our members nationwide, the national chairman of the party, Prince Vincent Eze Ogbulafor, offers his deepest condolence to the family and good people of Nigeria who have been the greatest beneficiaries of his social advocacy. By this sad development, one of the greatest crusaders in the history of Nigeria for human rights and social justice has been lost. His demise is even more painful because it has come at a time when some of his ideals are gradually being realized', the party said.
PDP prayed the Almighty Allah to give the family the fortitude to bear the loss.
Gani's death; A minus for democracy, Reps
The House of Representatives yesterday joined other Nigerians in mourning one of the greatest human rights crusaders in the world, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, describing him as one of the pillars of democracy in the country.
Reacting to the death of Gani, in Abuja, the Chief Whip of the House, Emeka Ihedioha, said his death was indeed regrettable as he was in a class of his own.
'Very sad indeed, very regrettable. Gani represented a different thing to Nigeria. Gani was certainly a class of his own. Head always been a man, through his conviction, believed that the society must change for the better and it must be run well. He worked very hard to ensure that we have a democratic government in Nigeria and ensure that there is practice of the rule of law and equally to make life better for the ordinary Nigerian people. He believed in the cause for ordinary Nigerian. He believed in the cause of average Nigerian. He believed in sustenance of democratic culture in Nigeria. Gani's death is a huge loss not only to the human rights community, not only to the legal profession, not only to his state, Ondo state but to Nigeria as a nation, to the people of Nigeria, to the political class and all those who believe in a greater and stable Nigeria', he said.
Ihedioha added that although the National Assembly is on recess currently, all the lawmakers believed that Gani's death would be a major blow to them since the late human right activist fought very hard for the return of democratice rule in Nigeria.
His words; 'The National Assembly is currently on recess but I am sure each and every member of the National Assembly will believe that Gani's death is indeed a major minus in our effort to stabilize democracy. I know that we in the National Assembly will continue to remember him as one of the major actors that fought for the democracy that the country enjoys today and which we are beneficiaries'.
According to him, Nigerians would learn from Gani's death a lesion of commitment to a cause and insistence on the rule of law just as it might be difficult to find a replacement.
'Nigerians will learn from the great Gani the lesson of perseverance, sustenance and adhering to the rule of law, and believing in the right cause. Gani was never known to have compromised his position of providing level playing field for the average Nigerian, of emancipation of the Nigerian people. I recall when there were several efforts for him to be made a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN but he preferred to be the Senior Advocate of the Masses SAM. He was in a different and class and rare breed, a rare gem and perhaps none other has been and may be like Gani. The role Gani played, it is difficult to find a replacement but you never can rule out. Don't forget that at the time Gani emerged, was a period in our national light when the military was oppressing Nigerians. and Gani insisted on enthronement of democracy in the country. In this democratic framework, Gani has also worked hard to ensure that the practice of democracy is in such a way and manner that would enhance the quality of lives of Nigerian people. He, perhaps, was the greatest to have lived in a world of human rights activism in Nigeria and must be remembered for it', the lawmaker said.
The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), eminent lawyers and the civil society yesterday mourned the passage of one of their own, Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi whom they described as a dogged fighter and patriot.
The NBA, Second Republic Justice Minister, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) as well as the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and the Oyo state government however admonished Nigerians to celebrate his death rather than mourning him for impacting his footprints on the sands of time.
through its National President, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) described Fawehinmi's death 'after succumbing to a terminal ailment' as an unkind piece at this point in time.
Akeredolu however said the Bar is consoled by the quality of the deceased consistent and persistent input to national development.
"Gani was a legal icon and public interest litigator per excellence; he fought a good fight, his life is an enduring lesson," Akeredolu said.
Akinjide who spoke from his London office chambers with The Guardian said Fawehinmi's unique contributions to the legal profession through his weekly law reports will forever be remembered.
The nation's former Attorney General said the history of the Nigeria legal profession will not be complete without the contributions of the deceased luminary and civil rights activist.
Akinjide said, "Fawehinmi is one of the Nigerian patriots for whom I have the greatest respect; when I was the President of the NBA between 1970 and 1973, he was the Publicity Secretary. In the legal profession, he made very unique contributions through his weekly law reports which were acknowledged throughout the English speaking world as one of the best law reports.
"He was patriotic, honest and a dogged fighter. He refused to compromise his principles or ideas, even though he has left us, his ideas will never leave us. He made a success of his public life because he was able to make a success of his private life, any public figure that cannot make a success of his private life would not be able to make a success of his public life. We should not mourn the departure of Fawehinmi but we should celebrate it, only God is immortal."
In his reaction, National Chairman of TMG, Moshood Erubami said the death of the rights activist was received with shock within their circle.
Describing the late human rights crusader as a great leader and Nigeria's one man freedom army, Erubami said his death has once again reminded us that death is inevitable.
"Whatever the age, position and wealth, the bell of death shall ring for everybody. What would speak for us is our contribution to the betterment of the society. However, the struggle must continue until the last batch of the political killer squad masquerading as politicians are removed and a new order is built from the rubble of the old."
Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala in a statement described the deceased as a social critic who displayed his 'archetypal uncommon gut by winning the battle in his own way.'
The statement signed by the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Communication, Dotun Oyelade read, "I watched the graceful but inevitable battle of Chief Gani Fawehinmi with death and came up with the summation that he displayed his archetypal uncommon gut by winning the battle in his own way just like he was wont to doing in an epic lifetime. The most successful social critic idealist has just departed a world he loved so much even at the risk of being misunderstood. "
Similarly, the Action Congress (AC) in Oyo state expressed regrets that the Late Fawehinmi failed to accomplish his age-long mission of evolving a truly egalitarian society that will accommodate Nigerian masses.
The party, through its Director of Publicity, Wasiu Olatunbosun said his contributions both to the legal profession and the civil society would remain indelible.
"It is most unfortunate that death could snatch Gani after a long battle with illness during which he did not abandon the struggle to free the average Nigerian from oppression. He was one of the few citizens who desired and fought for a virile Nigeria where respect for the rights of every individual would be guaranteed. He fought many battles with domestic oppressors who took pride in oppression, corruption and violation of the nation's constitution at will to satisfy their whims and caprices. He never allowed ethnic, religious or political sentiments to override his belief in the sanctity of citizen's rights using the weapons of his professional callings, patriotism and altruism to face much opposition and winning numerous battles even against the gun-wielding military who incarcerated him on many occasions.
"AC feels the grief of Gani Fawehinmi's death more when we realize that despite the brilliant and courageous efforts of the departed hero, Nigeria is still not on the right part to the practice of genuine democracy, guarantee of human rights and evolution of an egalitarian society which the deceased stood for.
REMINISCENCES
Tougher times ahead, says Fawehinmi
LEFT to prominent lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), Nigerians might as well put on their sackcloth and begin to mourn as the New Year is ushered in.
Sounding like a Prophet of Doom on Tuesday, he issued a damning prediction that "Nigeria is going to be in total mess in 2009. The year will be one of the most gruelling for the people. In 2009, the country will not be very rich. Corruption may even be upgraded and we will see less of electricity from Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)."
Speaking to The Guardian at his Lagos home on Tuesday, he said that things would be so bad in the energy sector that Nigeria will be worse than even countries at war like Israel and Palestine, which enjoy more stable access to electricity than the country.
"Those who are at war like the Israelis and Palestinians have more electricity than Nigeria. Israel has 10 times more electricity than Nigeria. Even the Palestinians enjoy more than five times the electricity we have in Nigeria and they are at war. We are not at war. The money is flowing but there is no good manager," he said.
According to him: "In 2009, we will see more poverty, more bad roads, decrepit medical institutions and incomes will be substantially reduced. The revenue that the government would have will be substantially reduced. We will have more crises because I don't see how the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) will not pursue its minimum wage crusade.
"The government may attempt to increase the price of petroleum products because of the loss it is sustaining from low revenue from oil."
Despite the picture of gloom, he said that "there are some people in this country who can virtually turn stone into water. It is not only Israel that we have Jews. We have Jews in Nigeria too. In the East, the easterners are extremely hardworking and also some people in parts of the West and North."
In the face of the depression, Fawehinmi said that "we need a very strong President in our country. We need a man who will do what is right for the nation as an entity and for the people. We need a man who will put programmes and policies that will lift the ordinary man from the doldrums of poverty to happiness. We need a man who will stand against all forms of social injustices; the most paramount is corruption.
"We need a man who will deal with corruption with his life. We need a man who will put God first. You put God first when you think of the interest of the man in the street. If you say you are a religious man and you want to put God first, you have to do what Prophet Mohammed did; you have to do what Jesus Christ did. Christ and Mohammed worked for the poor and died for the poor."
Adding further to the gloom, Fawehinmi said that the present leadership of "Yar'Adua is far from all those qualities and characteristics I have put forward. He is not putting God first. To put God first, a President should look at how the people are living, how families are dying from the fumes coming out from generators because there is no electricity.
"You should look at God first by ensuring that people don't die of hunger. You look at God first when you come to the hospital and every hospital is equipped with modern equipment that can diagnose problems and the people have access to the most modern treatment on earth. You look at God first when you don't pick dead bodies on the road as a result of accidents caused by potholes on our bad roads.
"You look at God first when people who want education will get education. You look at God first when you go to the universities, secondary schools and so on and you can say 'I am proud of these institutions. You put God first when the wealth of the nation is used to promote the interest and welfare of the people.
"You put God first from the way you behave and how people around you live. Nigerians are dying from poverty. Their children cannot get access to institutions they want to get to. The country is not being run. We are retrogressing; our country is retrogressing daily."
He noted that the country has found itself in these dire straits because of poor management and lack of foresight.
"A year ago, our major source of income, oil, was selling for $147 per barrel. A good President should have harnessed the proceeds to look at areas he can invest them to combat the poverty of our people. Nothing was done.
"Today, the price of oil is below $40 per barrel. When you cannot perform when oil was $147 per barrel, when money was streaming in and pouring in, will you perform when the stream is drying up? When resources are drying up, you cannot. If I did not perform when I was very strong in health, when I was 30, 40 years, what will I be living on now at 70? When we translate it to governance, it is more serious. There is no governance," he asserted.
According to Fawehinmi, "the country is retrogressing daily."
Citing examples from various sectors, he said that there was nothing to cheer the people about. He said that the government got its fight on corruption on a wrong footing when it sacked and has continued to hound the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu.
He said: "This country has been very bad in terms of corruption and for the first time in many years, one man came, Ribadu came for the first time in the history of Nigeria and dealt with the corrupt people. You could accuse him of anything, but you cannot accuse him of corruption.
"When Ribadu was there, the fear of the EFCC was the beginning of wisdom. Nobody cares about the EFCC now. What is EFCC under Mrs. Farida Waziri? EFCC has lost its custom under Waziri. Ribadu's EFCC should not be treated like Waziri's EFCC. One was focussed, determined, courageous and ready to fight against the big shots. The other, which is Waziri, is prepared to wear the soft gloves: 'well, you know, our position is rule of law.'
"I don't know what they mean by the rule of law. There is something about the rule of law they are parroting. When they get stuck about doing what is right for the people and they don't know what next to do, then they need rule of law.
"Rule of law means the law must rule. The law rules when you have the courts and you have a system, you have the laws that are made, that will give the people hope about solving their problems and so on and so forth.
"But you are talking about rule of law and the President is not giving the workers hope. People have to queue for their pension and some die along the way; people don't have a living wage; people don't have access to good education or good health system. It is provided in sections 16 and 17 of our Constitution that you must give the people these things and you say you are practising rule of law."
The activist, who is fighting lung cancer and rejected the national award of Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) given to him by the Federal Government last month, said that he has no regret in turning down the award.
"All they do is to try to put you into their circle by offering you what they call Ole Federal Republic (OFR). I don't want to be Ole Federal Republic or take any honour from a government that has no honour. Honestly, we are in deep crisis. We will see the crisis more in 2009," he stressed.
GANI'S DEATH DENIES NIGERIA A DEMOCRATIC CRUSADER - UDUAGHAN
I am greatly saddened by the death of one of Nigeria's legal icon, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, this morning. 'Gani', as he is popularly known, made his mark in the bar as a brilliant lawyer, but connected deeply with the people, especially the poor and underprivileged through his onerous crusade for social justice and human rights.
For his beliefs which he had the courage to pursue, Gani suffered greatly, enduring a lot of hardships especially during the military era, which he fought with uncommon courage and dogged zeal.
Today, Nigeria is a democracy, thanks for the enormous contribution of Gani and others like him, even in that, Gani the tireless gadfly continued to campaign for a better democratic practice challenging any aspect that showed disrespect for the people's will and right.
He may not have achieved all his objectives, but he made such monumental impact, a vacuum that will be hard to be filled has been created by his exit. Mercifully, through his long and arduous fight for a better society, many activists sired in his tradition for crusading for social justice would hopefully continue his life of working for a better Nigeria.
The inimitable Gani will be greatly missed by all for he was a freedom fighter of note who always took sides with the society's oppressed and at great personal cost to himself.
On behalf of myself and people of Delta State, I send my heartfelt condolences to his family, the Governor and people of Ondo State and pray that the Almighty God grant them the fortitude to bear the loss of one who deprived himself certain comforts in life so that others may live. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.
GANI: THE MAKING OF A DEFENDER
BY WALE ADEDURO
I had heard so much about his exploits before I finally met him. He had literally grew up with my father in Okegbogi, a quiet but friendly neighbourhood in Ondo town, Ondo State. My father never ceases to regal us with stories of this enfant terrible in their primary school days in Ansarudeen Primary School. My father's favorite tale story about the freedom fighting spirit of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi is woven around an incident that happened in one of their classes. A classmate had a quarrel with another boy I n the class who incidentally was the son of the Headmaster, Mr Abudu. The Headmaster's son abused and cursed the other boy thoroughly. However, out of fear of offending the Headmaster, the boy could not respond to the Headmaster's son insults. Gani was infuriated. He egged on the other boy to stand up to the Headmaster's son. In the process, the row degenerated into a fight. When the Headmaster came into the scene, Gani promptly stepped forward to speak for the disadvantaged boy. He pointedly told the Headmaster that he encouraged the other boy to stand up against his son because "everyone is born equal even if the fathers of some boys are not Headmasters!" Mr Adedeji was amused and impressed by Gani's boldness. "Ganiyu, you will be a great boy in the future." From that moment he was referred to as "defender" among his peers. This action was not an isolated case. There was a time while he was still in the primary school that a teacher caned a child almost to the point of coma. Classmate Gani ran towards the teacher and stopped him from killing the hapless pupil. In his words, "The beating is more than the offence the boy committed."
When I informed my father that his senior in primary school had passed on he hissed "Nigeria has lost a brain." He has very fond memories of the humble human rights activitists.
By the time I met Gani in my secondary school days, he had become a symbol of candour, openness, honesty and protection of the rights of human beings regardless of colour, tribe or economic status. In my school days, in Saint Joseph's College in Ondo, any student who was bold enough to defy a teacher or speak against injustice was referred to as "Gani". More than anything else, Gani typified the free spirit, sense of justice and boldness that the average Ondo indigene grew up with. Gani was sired in a culture where accountability and sincerity were essential ingredients of greatness. He grew up in a culture where a child was allowed to express himself. He would be corrected afterward if necessary. This is no longer so in this generation. Our elders are so afraid to allow children express themselves especially where their opinions are anticipated to be a challenge to an existing order. If a child dares to challenge the son of a headmaster or principal today, the child risks failure if not expulsion from school. We need to allow our youths to express themselves where they perceive injustice is being mete to them. Dissent of opinion will generously make our democracy to become robust. This is why those who are accusing ASUU members or insincerity or extremism on the on-going strike miss the point.
Gani has always been a lover of education. My first close contact with him was when I witnessed the academic scholarship he instituted for some indigent students in Ondo State. I was in secondary school those days. My heart went out to him as I saw one of my friends who could not buy textbooks clutched some books he bought with his award from Gani's foundation.
I later grew up to see him weep openly in court. This did not show that he was a weakling. He was simply a passionate man who was good at his profession. Applying the hedge hog principle, Gani also ran a beneficial human rights crusade.
Gani was not only a human rights activist. He was a propagator and enabler of affordable quality education.
In his death, the Nigerian child will miss a model in honest and selfless human rights advocacy. Young Nigerians should endeavour to be inspired by those who are good, passionate and achieve great results (profit) in their pursuits in life.
_ WALE ADEDURO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF CASHCOW MICROFINANCE BANK LIMITED
Gani, Lawyers, Reforms & I
By Deji Toye
I just heard that one of my personal heroes is dead - Gani Fawehinmi. It was his book - The Death of Dele Giwa: The Right of a Private Prosecutor - which I saw as a secondary school student that threw Law into my baggage of options for a career. And it was him, almost singlehandedly, that would confer on the Nigerian lawyer the inexorable image of a social crusader. Today, when you introduce yourself as a lawyer, people immediately perceive you as a social crusader, quick to defend the right of the underdog against the excesses of the system. It was not always so. Traditionally, the legal profession is a conservative one, high up there along with the Clergy and the Army as upholders of the status quo. This was the legal tradition perpetrate by the Rotimi Williamses and it is beginning to make a rebound with clear vanguards now emerging in the election petition cases since 1999. Gani presaged the generation of the Agbakobas, Ayo Obes, Nwankwos who would later institutionalise human rights activism and social advocacy.
That notion of the legal professional followed me into the university where I helped in leading a university protest that would later be mired in the national politics in the Abacha era and see to the mass sack of students and all professors on campus, judicial pronouncements regardless. When I eventually got called to bar, I had spent exactly ten years in two universities and was six years late in being admitted into the profession.
Something else has changed - I had decided that I was going to be a commercial lawyer! This certainly required some justification. As I wrote to an American university some months back:
"After all, I had matured into the Nigeria of the 1980s and 1990s with its musical chair of military juntas replete with human rights abuses and profligate leadership. In such an atmosphere, social dialogues were reduced to savage confrontations and the search for national consensus could not rise above the bare quest for decency in governance. The only lawyer with any putative claim to social conscience was the ubiquitous constitutional and human rights lawyer who shuttled between the court and the prison-yard - at the former to obtain injunction for a victim, at the latter to serve term for his efforts. Because of the close association of business with corruption, the commercial lawyer was regarded with some suspicion and mostly wore the pin of a colluder on the lapel of his pin-stripe."
And my career in commercial law has actually exposed me to the crying need for reform-minded commercial lawyers who could help shape reforms required for national development. Afterall, it is not only human rights and political expressions that are suppressed in repressive regimes, thus requiring transitional justice. An equal victim of repression is free enterprise and commercial transparency. See the latest crises in the banking industry and capital market for example. As Hernando De Soto mordantly put it:
"In theory, the legal community should favour reform because it will expand the rule of law. But, in fact, most lawyers in developing and former communist countries have been trained not to expand the rule of law but to defend it as they found it. Lawyers are the professionals most involved in the day-to-day business of property. They sit in key government offices where they can suppress major decisions. No group - aside from terrorists - is better positioned to sabotage capitalist expansion. And unlike terrorists, the lawyers know how to do it legally."
This may appear like a digression, but the point is that, for the pin-stripe suit wearing commercial lawyer, when we do decide to make the appropriate change, the irrepressible spirit of Gani would still be there to guide us.
Adieu Gani.
I have had cause to dedicate two poems to him, in 1996 and in 1999. Find them below.
Horse of His Own Earth
(For Gani at 60)
Ride on
Tireless horse
Upon this earth
Your earth
This earth you call your own
Ride on
Horse
On this earth
Against the thorns and thickets
That claim its fertile parts
Ride on
Horse
Not prize horse
Are race mares not minions spent
To tend the gambler's greed?
Nor drab horse
Mere mule glorified
Eyes blinkered to light and choice
Nor war horse
Suicide standard bearer
To ruse and intrigue
Ride on
Wild horse
Untamed
Unreined
Un-Harness-dressed
Nay, not durbar-draped
To serve avarice's end
Ride on
Upon your earth
This track
Unlaid
Unshaped
Un-carpeted red
To ease your journey home
Ride on
Unpacified
Unmollified
Upon this earth
This earth YOU call YOUR own
And your like's too
And the people's too
And our children's too
And our children's children's
Ride on
And beat us path
To its fertile parts
This earth YOU call OUR own
Against the lust of thorns
That grasp its fruitful patch
Ride on
Tireless horse
And we shall ride too
Shod
Unshod
Roughshod
Against the thorns that ruin
This earth WE call OUR own.
Saturday 4 July, 1998
Vigil of the Manger Dog
For Gani Fawehinmi
The village has gone to bed
Only a lone moon now holds court
In the terraces of the sky
The village has gone to bed
Women have left their heaths
Embers ashening
Men long left their oars
For the bosoms of their wives
Even children are now long snoring
Who serenaded the moon into being
Leaving their playmate dog behind
Wagging
Waging flimsy wars on phantoms
The village has gone to sleep
Again
Only a lone dog now stirs the peace
Of a watchless night.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ONLINE
President Yar'Adua, who described the death as a "great national loss" said the late Chief Fawehinmi was an "eminent lawyer and renowned crusader for social justice in Nigeria".
Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Mr Olusegun Adeniyi, said in a Press Statement that "President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua received with sadness and a deep feeling of great national loss news of the passing away today of the eminent lawyer and renowned crusader for social justice in Nigeria, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
"The President extends his heartfelt condolences to Chief Fawehinmi's family. He urges them to be comforted by the knowledge that the late legal luminary lived a fulfilled and remarkable life dedicated to the unrelenting pursuit of good governance, equity and justice for all Nigerians.
"President Yar'Adua joins other Nigerians in praying that Almighty Allah will reward Chief Fawehinmi's earthly labours with eternal rest in Paradise."
PDP mourns Gani
Gani lived an illustrious life - ENAHORO
ELDER statesman and convener of the Mega Summit Movement, Chief Anthony Enahoro (CFR) has condoled with the family and associates of Chief Gani Oyesola Fawehinmi, who passed on early yesterday morning at his Ikeja residence in Lagos.
Gani Fawehinmi, according to Chief Enahoro, has always been an inspiration to the progressive movement since he first met him in the 80's; serving as the rallying point of the peoples' struggles at various times and making unimaginable sacrifices on each occasion of his rare intervention.
Instructing Wale Okunniyi, from his Benin country home this morning, the octogenarian politician who chairs Pro National Conference Organization, PRONACO; a pro democracy platform for which Gani Fawehinmi, also made invaluable contributions, alongside literary Icon, Prof Wole Soyinka and late Beko Ransome Kuti said
"Make sure you give my sympathy to Gani's family today without fail, and also ensure that our people are there to commiserate with the family. The peoples' constitution of PRONACO, among other good works of Gani, is a testimony that he lived an illustrious life. Oh, boy! You, people must be ready to advance the cause of the people beyond his time"
Okunniyi while commiserating with some close associates this morning on behalf of the Mega Summit Movement, MSM said Chief Fawehinmi will be greatly missed at the forthcoming National Summit on Democracy scheduled for next month in Abuja. He described Gani as the all time hero of the students' movement of Nigeria, which produced him and others who are today leading the pro democracy movement.
Confirming the news of Gani's demise to journalists this morning in lagos, the PRONACO Spokesman said "An icon of the revolutionary movement, a hero of the downtrodden, a defender of the peoples' rights, a foremost change champion, Senior Advocate of the Masses, Gani Oyesola Fawehimi is no more with is us but note that the essence of his life remains in our midst, Gani lives on!"
Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan
Governor, Delta State.
Mrs Farida Waziri
Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC
Mrs Farida Waziri has described the death of human rights activist and lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN as not only The death of Gani Fawehinmi is not only a great loss to his family but to the nation as a whole.
Gani was 'a principled, dogged, and unrelenting crusader, fully committed to any course he believes in. I am convinced that his death at this point in our nation building process will be missed by all. This is because his contributions not only to the development of the legal profession but to the socio-economic and political advancement of our country have been enormous. His type is rare, his personal sacrifices and selfless services are uncommon.
'Soon after I won the case he instituted against my appointment at the Federal High Court, Abuja, I planned to meet him to commend his courage and fighting spirit, but his death has surely denied me the great opportunity of telling him face to face my admiration of his person.
It is my prayer that the Almighty God will grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss.'
Gani's Death, Monumental Loss To The Nation - Bankole
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Dimeji Bankole, has described the death of iconic lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, as a grievous and monumental loss to the nation.
Specifically, he said the death of the self-principled and social crusader at this time when the nation is making efforts to consolidate democracy through electoral reform is a tragedy of immense proportion.
Disclosing this in a press statement by his media adviser, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, the speaker said the legal luminary would be greatly missed in the stimulating and robust debate on the electoral reform.
Recounting some of the giant strides of the deceased, Bankole said the crusader was among the principal actors that dominated Nigeria's legal landscape for decades.
He said the Nigerian masses have lost a friend, an ally and a messiah as Gani fought many valiant fights for them while he lived.
The Speaker prayed God to grant the Fawehinmi family the fortitude to bear the colossal loss as he prayed for the repose of the soul of the luminary.
Abu Salami
National President, NASFAT
Nasrullahi il Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) has expressed sadness on the demise of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Human Rights activist, fighter in the cause of the oppressed, constitutional law expert, social mobiliser and leader in the war against corruption and advocate of a better society.
"Chief Fawehinmi died at a time that Nigeria is still in dire need of a social mobiliser to lead its people against the many ills that have afflicted the country and stunted its growth in all ramifications.
"We surely missed what would have been his reactions and actions on the breach of trust by five major Banks and their managements as discovered by a recent Central Bank's special examination of their books, the Boko Haram incident, the Niger Delta crisis, the ASUU/FG face off, which has led to the closure of the Nigerian Universities for over two months now among others. We condole with his family and pray that God will continue to be with them. Gani will surely be remembered by all. We also pray that God should over look his short-comings and grant him Aljanat firdaus. Gani will surely be remembered by all, especially the many students that have benefited from his annual scholarship awards, the oppressed Nigerian masses and the silent majority that benefited from his benevolence
Sound Bites on Gani
I always see people like Gani (Fawehinmi) dealing with the society like a knocked engine...He is the ultimate motor mechanic who is always trying to fix the knocked engine called Nigeria
Professor Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate
"Any Public crusader or any intellectual moves from the ordinary to the great at the point when he is prepared to die for a cause. Once that point is reached, opposition becomes irrelevant. Gani reached that point long ago in his struggle for social justice"
Professor Yemi Osinbajo, S.A.N. Partner, Simmons Cooper Partners and Former Lagos Attorney-General.
If there were a Nobel Prize for human rights, it would have been given to Gani
Dr. Walter Omowale Carrington, Former U.S. Ambassador.
His consistency, doggedness, sacrifice and rebellion. Gani is rebellious, there is no way you can make progress in any society without questioning the status guo and Gani has consistently objected to the status quo. He even risked his life in defence of the rights of other Nigerians.
Mr. Femi Falana, Renowned Human Rights Lawyer and President, West African Bar Association.
Gani is a man of resilience. He has done a lot for the country and for the democracy we are enjoying, he is one of those who fought and won it for the people of this country. Gani Fawehinmi is a liberator, father of the masses and advocate par excellence
Rotimi Akeredolu, S.A.N President, Nigerian Bar Association
In both his words and his deeds, Chief Fawehinmi has always struggled to expand the frontiers of freedom, liberty and justice in Nigeria"
Balarabe Musa, former Governor of Kaduna State
Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN is one Nigerian whose numerous exploits cannot be conveniently placed in one pigeon hole. He is a lawyer per excellence, indeed one of the greatest Advocates of our times. He is also a politician of an uncommon value. He is a Political Activist and Human Crusader. He is a philanthropist. He is a citizen of the world championing with uncommon zeal, the values that bind humanity together
Professor Ademola Popoola, Dean, Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University.
Gani's death is the greatest loss to Nigeria at this time. He was a fearless fighter, lover of justice and uncompromising human right advocate, defender of people's right, supporter of the poor and the down trodden. He was also a patriot of no mean order. I am consoled by his good work and I belief in his rest after long suffering. May Allah grant him place in Aljana Amen.
IDOWU SOFOLA, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The news of Gani Fawehinmi's death is a big blow not only to me but also to a millions of Nigerians. He was one of a kind, coming once in a life time. I remember him personally because he defended me in a sedition charge at his own expense in 1978 when I was an editor of the Daily Star. It was absolutely his own initiative. He was totally committed to what he believed in. his great soul is surely in Heaven. Adieu My good friend.
Dr. BEL MOLOKWU, Ikorodu, Lagos
Bayelsa lawyers, AC mourns Gani
From Willie Etim (Yenagoa)
Legal Practitioners in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital have joined thousands of Nigerians across the country to mourn the sudden death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, an astute legal luminary whose sudden death today took everybody by surprise.
Mr Kikile Dan Esueme, a human rights lawyer based in the Yenagoa, in a reaction the news of Chief Fahewhimi's death, said his death is a great loss to the legal profession and the Nigeria nation.
He said Gani was the conscience of the nation, fighter against injustices, defender of the defendless and a personification human, political and economic right crusade.
Mr Osome Macbere also a practicing lawyer in Yenagoa; lamented by the death of Gani most lawyers have lost their mentor and a role model.
"He was a great lawyer who had shown the younger generation the part to selfless services to the down trodden and standing up for the people. He interest cuts across ethnic boundaries" he said.
The Bayelsa state chapter of the Action Congress (AC), in a statement by its Secretary Mr Ebikibina Miriki, described the death of Chief Fawehinmi as a great loss to Nigeria, the NBA and the political class and indeed the human and civil liberty organisation.
He the late chief will be remember for firm stand against injustice, abuse of fundamental rights of people with regards to the various autocratic and anti people government both in the reign of the military junta and past and present civil government.
He said, " his activities no doubt has rekindle the hope of the down trodden, while his philanthropic nature has put smiles on the faces of many Nigerians whom he had defended on cases of injustices without charging them for services rendered."
"While we mourn an icon, true democrats and a selfless comrade with substance, the A family in the state commensurate with the National Conscience Party on the demise of their Founder and party leader" he said.
Daniel, Alani Bankole, Ogun NBA, Okurounmu Mourn Gani
Was impeccable voice of the voiceless- Okurounmu
Great Advocate, great interpreter to the bench and great supporter to Islam- Bankole
He inspired us in Ogun- Daniel
Gone with sound and robust advocacy- NBA
Charles Coffie Gyamfi (Abeokuta)
In Ogun state tributes poured in from across section of the society. Those who spoke included Governor Gbenga Daniel, politicians and lawyers in the state.
All agreed that Nigeria had not only lost an icon but a great human rights activist but also a great contributor to the development of democracy in Nigeria.
Daniel in a statement through his Information and Orientation Commissioner, Mr. Kayode Samuel said he had developed a personal relationship with Fawehinmi since 30 years ago. According to the statement, during Daniel's University days, he and other undergraduates looked up to him for inspiration.
"He inspired us in Ogun state to commence the development of the Trauma and Diagnostic Centre as a direct challenge to the fact that he was not correctly diagnosed locally. We had hoped he would be alive to see the completion of this major centre of health care excellence in Ogun state" Daniel said
He prayed that God would grant the deceased's family and "millions of lives that he touched the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss".
Chief Alani Bankole, a People's Democratic Party Chieftain and also the father of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole in his comment described Gani's death as an irreparable loss to Nigeria and the legal profession.
Said he "to the bar he was a great advocate, to the bench he was a great interpreter and to the Muslim community he was a great supporter".
"His contribution to the development of democracy and human rights in Nigeria is unequal, especially during the military era. He will be missed by all" Bankole stated.
Senator Femi Okurounmu in his tribute described Gani as a man of impeccable character who laid his life for the masses, saying he was not only a gem but also an icon.
"Gani never pursued money but pursued justice for the average man. He was an impeccable voice for the masses" Okurounmu said.
The Senator, who stated that Nigeria would greatly miss the deceased, urged Nigerians especially those in the legal profession to emulate him.
The Chairman of the Abeokuta Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olu Akinleye described the death as a very sad loss for the country and humanity.
He stated "We have lost a gem, an icon". To him the implication of Fwaehinmi's death to the legal profession is that "we are going to miss sound and robust advocacy".
"On behalf of me and my colleagues we sympathize with the family and pray that God would give them the grace to bear the irreparable loss" he said.
Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN)
Attorney General of Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice
Expressing shock and sadness over Fawehinmi's demise,
Aondoakaa described him as "Nigeria's most illustrious and foremost legal luminary, who lived and died fighting for an egalitarian society and always on the side of the down-trodden."
Abdul Ibrahim
Chairman of the NBA (Abuja Branch)
"Fawehinmi's death was a serious blow to the entire nation.
His death is a serious blow, not only to the legal profession but also to the whole nation. We have lost a rare breed of a truly patriotic and nationalistic citizen.
"This is a loss that will be felt in our jurisprudence and a blow to the struggle to enthrone the rule of law, good governance and the promotion and protection of human rights. May Allah grant him Aljannah Fidausi," Ibrahim said.
Jacob Edi
Chairman, NUJ, Abuja Council
"Fawehinmi is an exceptional Nigerian, a patriot and defender of the defenseless, who has left an intimidating large shoe that other lawyers must strive to fill.
He was a man, who stood courageously against oppression of the masses by successive military regimes. For such selfless service, he sacrificed the comfort of his home for several military detention camps.
"Even while contending with cancer, he remained unbowed in his crusade, as he still found his voice upon return from London where he went for cancer therapy, to warn against one-party rule in the wake of defection of politicians to the Peoples Democratic Party.
"Without doubt, Chief Fawehinmi deserves his name on a national monument for his exceptional and unselfish contribution across board to Nigeria. The law profession will miss him, the masses will miss him."
Chief Adegboyega Solomon Awomolo (SAN)
"Chief Fawehinmi did not die, he defeated death at last and translated to become a saint.
"He will live forever because his good works follow him forever. He was a leader, who reproduced himself in integrity, learning and excellence in many juniors. May God comfort his family and keep them at peace. God is the greatest."
Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN)
Member of the Inner Bar
"Fawehinmi is a legend, who contributed robustly to the entrenchment of good governance and promotion of human rights.
"He was a legal enigma of unparalleled proportion, a consummate, dogged and rugged legend whose advocacy would make one break-dance.
"We have lost a rare legal gem and a human rights crusader. He cannot be replaced in the immediate future."
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary
Action Congress
The death of Gani Fawehinmi is definitely one of the biggest losses to Nigeria in recent times!
A known thorn in the flesh of dictatorship, he fought relentless for the enthronement of democracy in our country, mostly at the expense of his personal liberty.
His belief in constitutionality and the rule of law helped propel many of his actions against impunity, and he did not discriminate between civilian and military leaders in picking his targets when it comes to ensuring a strict adherence to the rule of law, rather than the rule of the jungle.
An unabashed campaigner for human rights, he stood
shoulder-to-shoulder with other campaigners to seek respect for human dignity. Nigerians owe him a ton of gratitude for whatever freedoms they are enjoying today. As a lawyer, he was one of the most accomplished advocates ever, using
the powerful platform offered by one of the most respected professions as a bully pulpit of sorts to confront dictators and anarchists.
It is a shame that he had to travel abroad several times, sometimes spending months, to get access to good medical
treatment. What an irony for a man who never missed an opportunity to goad the government of the day to use the
country's huge resources for the benefit of the people.
We call on the Federal Government to immoratlise this relentless 'senior advocate of the poor', a friend of the lowly
and the oppressed and a legal colossus.
But we make bold to say that there can be no better way to immortalize this great Nigerian than making life more meaningful for Nigerians. Afterall, that is what he lived and died for!
Governor Olusegun Mimiko
Ondo State
"Gani's death is painful and an irreparable loss coming at this stage of our development in Ondo State when we needed his wealth of knowledge.
"On behalf of the people of this state, I most sincerely thank the good Lord for giving us this distinguished man in Ondo State.
"He was an eminent Nigerian, a global personality of the finest cast who, no doubt, lived a life of social struggle. His was a selfless life dedicated wholly to the advancement of justice and the defense of the common man.
"His contributions to the development of our jurisprudence predicated upon a deep sense of revulsion at injustice and oppression remain unprecedented.
The Gani Fawehinmi phenomenon had helped substantially to define the nature and image of the Ondo State personality as a dedicated defender of the truth."
Mrs. Olukemi Mimiko
Wife of Ondo State Governor
"This is the end of an era for the oppressed Nigerians. He lived and died for the masses."
Dr. Tunji Abayomi
Human Rights Activist and Legal Practitioner
"He was a dogged fighter. Though most Nigerians do not wish to loose him, they have to abide by the dictates of death.
Chief Olu Falae
Former Presidential Candidate and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)
Chief Olu Falae, described Fawehinmi's death as a national tragedy, saying it was a sad blow to the nation's blossoming democracy.
"This man has suffered so much for this nation. He will forever be remembered for his courage and outspokenness in the face of oppression and intimidation.
"Fawehimi stood on the side of the masses in their dogged fight to enthrone democracy in this land, it is just a pity that he had to die at this time in the history of our great nation."
Dr Joseph Akinlaja
Deputy National Chairman of Labour Party
"We have witnessed great development through his constructive criticism. The multi-party system Nigeria has in place today was Fawehinmi's handiwork. If he had not taken the fight up to the Supreme Court, may be we would have been practicing one party system now and but for him the INEC would have become too powerful a tool in the hands of some politicians."_
GANI, THE UNFORGETTABLE HUMANIST: ADIEU
Bamidele Aturu Esq
Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi, irrepressible friend of the subjected, rejected, dejected, suppressed, repressed, oppressed and dehumanized underclass everywhere in the world is gone. Born in 1938 into doubtless aristocracy (his father was a successful timber merchant), he shunned and fought privileges with an unparalleled zeal. In spite of his considerable wealth derived from his brilliant and painstaking professional practice, Gani's real friends were the dispossessed of the earth, the physically challenged, indeed the proletariat of the world. His advocacy for the underprivileged was not restricted to the courtroom where in his inimitable fiery advocacy he won for them notable and significant victories. He advocated for the poor at the barricades- once, in a rare and yet unexampled display of sacrificial commitment to principles, he lay on the road daring the armoured tank of the military to crush him at Yaba during a protest against one of the military
governments; he fought for them in the mass media; he defended their cause in all the organizations he has been privileged to be a member or to found.
His struggles were complex and multi-dimensional. This was not surprising given the fact that the events that impelled him to become a social crusader and those which he helped shape are equally varied and complex. We do not require a prophet to know that long after Gani must have departed from this world his works and times would continually inspire scholarly and revolutionary writings.
Understandably, he provoked extremes of passion in people depending on their perspectives or their positions in the economy. Whether Gani is seen as a gadfly, an irritant, conscience of the nation or a social crusader, even his most uncharitable critic would admit that he is a militant with a cause and a militant that is at once irresistible and unforgettable.
In the practice of law his footprints are indelible. He democratized the practice of law by commencing in 1985 the publication of his authoritative Nigerian Weekly Law Reports. Hitherto, judgments of the superior courts, particularly those of the Supreme Court, were treated as an exclusive property of one or two influential lawyers. As litigant or as counsel, he fought and won many landmark cases thus helping to advance the country's jurisprudence.
Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi, the lion of Nigerian law, an indisputable colossus of humanism may be gone but his deeds and contributions to the struggle against oppression and for the emancipation of the masses are indelible. Gani lived, fought and died for the people. He was a fearless and tireless tormentor of those who imposed themselves as rulers on the hapless people of Nigeria. He was God's gift to Nigeria.
We must resist the temptation to mourn Gani. His was a fulfilled life richly and fully lived in accordance with his philosophy and love for the oppressed. His achievements in his chosen field are monumental, his impact as the conscience of the nation undeniable, his legacy for posterity unforgettable. He has left a void that will be difficult to fill in our collective struggle for a better country. Our hearts are with his wives and children, both biological and otherwise.
Pretenders to power who dot our government houses must learn from Gani the virtues of selflessness, honesty and commitment to principles. For those of us in the broad pro-democracy movement necessity is laid upon us to carry on from where he stopped. The struggle sure continues.
Mallam Shehu Sanni
Leader, Northern Civil Society Coalition and Chairman, Socialist Front (S.F)
First of all, it is demeaning for the Federal Government to award Chief Fawehinmi, the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), which is fourth in category of all the awards. This was a man who has spent the most part of his life fighting against the military dictatorship before the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria. This was a man who had been incarcerated more than any other Nigerian, in the struggle to free Nigerians from the shackles of military dictatorship and for the realization of other collective dreams of democracy. In fact, this is a man whose struggle has taken serious toll on his life and whose life was tied to the struggle. And to give this man a position of the Officer of the Federal Republic is demeaning. I repeat it.
Secondly, it is insulting for the federal Government to give such a flagship of struggle, a living legend, a man who is a flag bearer and the holder of the torch of freedom of Nigerians, the position of the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR), and at the same time place discredited former governors, ministers and advisers above him. It is also an insult to the collective will of the people of Nigeria. It is an insult to the conscience of Nigerians and the struggle to which all of us have sacrificed and paid a dear price for our beliefs. The national award does not carry any appellation of honour. It is simply an annual ritual whereby the government dishes out such awards to cronies and people in the corridors of power, sycophants, party members, special advisers, special assistants and nominee of state governors. So, it is not worthy of its name and since 1999, about 7000 persons have been given such an award for their so-called contributions to the socio-economic and political development of our country, while that has not reflected on the pervasive insecurity, poverty, hunger, destitution and social infrastructural collapse, social injustice and an atmosphere of hopelessness that exist in our own very country.
In a country whereby the immediate and urgent need of the people, their upliftment from hunger and poverty, their freedom from the clutches of false promises by politicians are not met, it is ironic for any person to award himself or to give any award to individuals. What the country needs is not awards to eulogize and elect some people who do not deserve it. What the nation needs is a government that is able to perform and deliver. The highest award you can give to the Nigerian nation is to ensure that their quality of life has improved and their living standard has improved; and they have security for their lives and property and the economy is put in the right shape and they have a fair share of the resources of their own Country. So, Chief Gani Fawehinmi is well commended for his rejection of this award. He has the highest award in the hearts of Nigerians for standing up, fighting military dictatorship and struggling to ensure the sanitization of the democratic process. Gani does not need an award. Nigerians have already appreciated his effort and struggle. The National award has become a concept of patronage of members of the ruling party and cronies of state governors. National award is not an award of honour.
As far as President Umaru Yar'adua is concerned, someone needs to draw his attention to the fact that no one out of all those who were slated for that award can match the resume, the credentials and contributions of Gani Fawehinmi. The government is acting in a contradictory manner by promising to prosecute former governors and pursuing it to logical conclusion, and at the same time giving national honour and awards to them. You cannot mix gari and sand together and expect to have a palatable dish.
Dr. Hussaini Abdu
Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria
"The death of this selfless and committed patriot who committed his adult life to the service of his motherland is one of the greatest losses suffered by the postcolonial Nigeria.
Fawehinmi who for decades, consistently stood for justice, equity and was committed to the cause of the poor, would be remembered for his dogged pursuit of democracy.
At ActionAid Nigeria, we celebrate this deceased compatriot who for years had remained unbent and untainted as he became a thorn in the flesh of irresponsible governments, military and civilian, in Nigeria.
We will for many years continue to remember his self sacrifice and his loyalty to the cause of building a great nation, in spite of the assault on his person, the brutality he suffered, several attempts at breaking his body, soul and spirit by repressive regimes in Nigeria.
Chief Fawehinmi, even at death will continue to tower above his peers in his standing firm till the end, when he could have taken the option of joining carpet baggers and sought for himself government patronage. Of note too is the role he played in the opening up of the democratic space in Nigeria.
As we mourn the demise of this friend of the poor, we take solace in his representing hope for many Nigerians throughout his lifetime through his selfless commitment to the welfare of the children of the poor as exemplified in his grant of scholarships to indigent students irrespective of where they hail from in the nation; and his outspokenenss on issues that affect the poor and marginalised.
Gani As A Humanist
By Sonny Aragba-Akpore
SHORTLY before he resigned as the chairman of the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON) a coalition of 55 pro-democracy groups and human rights bodies on June 16, 1999, Gani Fawehinmi said "for more than 30 years, I have been involved in the struggle for legal and social justice and genuine democracy in t his country. Today, these ideals of legal and social justice and genuine democracy have not been achieved despite the misguided euphoria that has gripped the country."
This was few days after the inauguration of the third republic and the second coming of Olusegun Obasanjo.
Ten years down the line, the euphoria may have died down and elections may have been won or allegedly stolen, Gani's prophecy appears cast in stone.
Between 1969 and 1996, he was in and out of detention 35 times, arrested for more times, prosecuted several times and as he put it "in all these tribulations and travails, my health has suffered badly. Consequently, I want to take care of my health and in addition, I need a rest." Gani never quite recovered from this. His disappearance from public life may have been a personal tragedy but history and time will conclude that indeed, it was a national tragedy.
He had great dreams for Nigeria and its people but all that ended in the early hours of yesterday.
When he criticised the Abdulsalami Abubakar's transition programme in 1999 which he alleged was going to hand over to the "winners" of the world-wide acknowledged fraudulent election that is meant to stabilise the process and system of the exploitation and repression of the masses under a new form of oppressive government," Gani was rebuffed.
Ten years after, the story and the situation have not changed.
Gani Fawehinmi's human rights activities began from his home.
But his love for humanity and how it could become better transcended his human rights beliefs.
His penchant to correct the ills in society could be likened to those expressed by Thomas Jefferson, who believed that a legitimate government must derive its powers from the people.
Hence, from the very beginning his pathological love for humanity was seen through his family life where for instance, he ranked his mother next to God because he was her only child and expressed this love in the ranking of his family values beginning with his mother who deserved honour because she brought him up alone. His next love was for his children and lastly his two wives Ganiat and Abike.
But despite the fact that he was self-made, tutoring himself law along the line, Gani never allowed this to becloud his love for humanity.
In and out of prison in the course of defence of humanity, Gani was undeterred all through his lifetime. His defence of the rights of humanity spoke volumes and as an advocate of people's rights generally, Gani saw to their defence without any consideration for colour or creed.
He was likened to W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Albert Luthuli, Nelson Madela and Martin Luther King, Jr. because he cared for his fellow men.
As a defender of the defenceless including students who were murdered brazenly either by the state or their agents, Gani ended up being an unrepentant defender of the masses so much that even when the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPC) declined his application for the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank, the masses of the people crowned him Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM).
Curiously, it was this that served as precursor to the decision by the LPC to so honour him with a SAN.
A cursory look at his human rights cases show that he fought on the sides of embattled students in their attempts to oppose obnoxious policies of their institutions. Besides these he also opened a scholarship scheme through which indigent students had a leeway to continue the education of those he referred to as "victims of socio-economic injustice - the poor, the deprived; the denied, the neglected, the ignored and the persecuted."
In 1978, he fought on behalf of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) when Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo as Head of State proscribed the union.
In 1981, when a student at University of Ife, as it then was, Bukunola Arogundade was murdered under suspicious circumstances, Gani stood in the gap to raise fundamental questions about Shehu Shagari's government for its inability to respond to the crisis that led to the death of the student.
Even the death of eight other students who were killed during a protest march by students about their dead colleague did not sway the government one bit and Gani challenged this.
The rustication of Bamidele Aturu and Ebun-Olu Adegbornwa both law students at Ile-Ife in 1991 was stoutly challenged in a law court-leading to the readmission of the duo among others.
As a human right crusader, he had his brush with law enforcement agencies and the state apparatus. In fact between 1969 and 1999, Gani was detained 35 times in various police cells and prisons across Nigeria.
In and out of court in defence of himself and particularly of others, over the years, Gani has become known as conscience of the nation.
The annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections believed to be the freest and fairest in the history of elections in Nigeria pitched Gani headlong with the military junta.
Even the offer of a carrot by the Sani Abacha government for the post of Attorney General of the Federation was turned down thus bringing out the quintessential rebel in Gani.
His advocate of mass action was rebuffed and even his election as leader of the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON) and his chairmanship of the National Conscience Party (NCP) did not in any way change things, so much that when he took a decision that the NCP would not in participate Abdulsalami Abubakar's transition government was resisted by his party members who told him that he was on his own.
The Sovereign National Conference (SNC) that he advocated did not quite sail through and all of these demoralised him till death.
His words on marble
Compiled by Tope Templer Olaiya
His running battle with Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is remarkably famous as the man many love to hate and it is a wonder why he relish keeping a long list of sworn critics. Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi is visibly one of his avowed adversaries both in the former president's public and private life and was a leading voice of opposition throughout Obasanjo's eight-year administration.
In his reaction to a Presidential media chat, Gani had written, "I watched the Presidential Media Chat of Sunday, November 30, 2003. It was one of the worst that I ever saw. It was more sycophantic than searching, more patronizing than critical and more pedestrian than analytical. It was an exercise in trivializing issues of fundamental importance. Apart from occasional bursts of determined and pointed questions, the whole exercise was dull, drab and totally uninspiring. I did not expect that level of poor performance from you as I witnessed on television."
In May 2005, while reviewing six years of democracy, Fawehinmi came down hard on the Obasanjo administration, accusing it of non-performance and had then wondered why the National Assembly had not impeached the president despite, according to him, obvious constitutional breaches. ""This man (Obasanjo) is a disgrace, a catastrophe and a disaster. He has failed in every respect. Nigeria is worse off with this type of man in every manner of governance. He has flouted the constitution on countless occasions and has brought untold hardship to Nigerians."
His prediction of the corruption in the banking industry
When asked in August 2004 if he support the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that banks should increase their capital base to N25 billion, Fawehinmi had categorically replied that it was not the amount that really counted but the monitoring mechanism. He said, "you know Nigerians have a way of manipulating figures, what is relevant is the mechanism to ensure that the banking industry is not fraudulent. Therefore, we cannot have the private sector as the engine of growth because the private sector is as corrupt as the public sector and so; they are one and the same thing.
"So, when you talk of N25 billion, in which atmosphere? The atmosphere of round tripping foreign exchange where nobody is charged to court in the context of fraud that is being perpetuated by the corporate sector. So, let Soludo deal with corporate fraud, which is rampant in Nigeria. You can't tell me that you want to increase bank's capital base without first cleansing the banking industry because they can easily manipulate Nigerians and get the N25 billion in a society that is corrupt. Corporate fraud is at the heart of corruption because it is the corporate sector that is aiding the public sector. My assignment to the CBN governor is to let us know how corrupt the corporate sector is in Nigeria. Until this is resolved, there is no solution. He has not provided any solution at all, he is Soludo without solution.
On the death of his mother
The atmosphere at the Ikeja residence of Gani Fawehinmi on Tuesday, September 9, 2003 was far from somber, as the occupants of the building had just lost a rare gem in the family. It was the death of Gani's beloved mother, Alhaja Munirat Fawehinmi who passed on at the age of 88. When news filtered out that the woman considered by many as the pillar behind irrepressible Gani daring moves had passed on, not a few feared that the high profile of Gani in social crusading might take a downward plunge. Looking subdued, Gani said: "my mother was everything to me. After God, she is next. She was closest to me more than any other being alive and she knows me more than any other human being." Fawehinmi added that his late mother was the go-between him and God. "The bond between us was divine, spiritual and religious."
Why he wanted AGF, Aondoakaa removed
Although in great pain and undergoing medical treatment in London, Fawehinmi in September 2007 wrote to the President on why he was appalled and disturbed by the negative and unconstitutional role being played by the Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa with regards to the anti-corruption war embarked upon by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). "Since his assumption of office on Thursday, July 26, 2007, the chief law officer of the federation and Minister of Justice has been giving the unmistakable impression that the crusade against corruption in Nigeria is not in his agenda and that the activities of the institutions engaged in the war against corruption do not have his support. What he has been doing since coming into office is diametrically against the international accepted role of a nation's Attorney General. He should therefore be removed from office for as long as he remains Nigeria's AGF, we will continue to be a laughing stock in the international community.
Gani Fawehinmi
Giving Law a Human Face
(1938-2009)
By Abimbola Ojenike
The compulsive populist, Gani Oyesola Fawehinmi is naturally not a persona to be admired by people of all manners. Whether or not you think highly of Gani depends on who you are as a person and your posture to the sublime cause for which he lives and would be remembered. You are either up for Gani or against him. For the adversaries of common good, Gani is a mortal enemy, a thorn in the side. For the masses, Gani is a hero and he is undoubtedly so. His pleasurable pain for the people becomes even more appreciated in a time like this when outrage against abuse and illegality is becoming unfashionable except for material trappings. Gani's reward is the happiness that comes with giving law a human face though material success may have come as a supplement.
Gani Oyesola Fawehinmi was born on Friday 22nd April, 1938 in Ondo, Western Nigeria. Ondo, Gani's noble ancestry is known for its people's tenacity and allergy to oppression. Gani's father Chief Saheed Tugbobo Fawehinmi, a timber tycoon and philanthropist was reputed as a vocal opponent of excessive taxation of the poor. Gani's spite for oppression would seem to be congenital. This trait had become obvious from his early years. He had his early education at Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Iyemaja - Ondo from 1947 to 1953 and later Victory College Ikare. On the completion of his secondary education, Reverend Akinrele, his school principal sent a letter to his parents advising that Gani must be encouraged to study Law.
Gani later studied law in England. He returned to Nigeria in September, 1964 and was called to the Bar on January 15, 1965. He became a sole practitioner barely three months after call. Going solo as a new wig is never preferred though a few young associates would plunge into private practice prematurely to avoid the frustrating condition of service under their principals. It is not known that Gani went solo to be able to hold the strings to a swell coffer. Gani would seem to have opted for private practice so early understanding the potential challenge of sustaining his ultimate career objective under a principal who probably would have seen things differently. This was later justified by his subsequent public interest interventions without a financial reward.
Gani's maiden example was in 1969. A randy and mighty senior officer had sexually exploited a poor civil servant's wife and was tormenting him for daring to raise a brow. Gani successful defended the helpless civil servant. Since that encounter, he became well identified with thse poor and the oppressed. He represents the ordinary people without any expectation of financial reward. When they reasonably thought he had become long overdue for the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and none was forthcoming, they elevated him to the more transcendent rank of a Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM). He later became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2001. The assonance notwithstanding, SAM is not a parody of SAN. Unlike the conferment of SAN, the honour of a Senior Advocate of the Masses is not a privilege, it is a hard earned prize for sacrifice; a profound appreciation of Gani's suffering for the people by the people. He remains the only person to be so honoured till today. Who knows; public-spirited Femi Falana might be next in line for the award of SAM.
Gani's human rights exertion was well recognized world over. In 1993, Gani won the Bruno Kreisky Prize for human-rights advocacy but his best was yet to come. In 1998, he was awarded the Bernard Simons Memorial Award of the International Bar Association (IBA). The Bernard Simons award is one of the highest distinctions that may be conferred on a lawyer by his professional colleagues across borders. The Award was instituted in June 1995 in honour of late London solicitor, Bernard Simons to reward outstanding achievements in a criminal law practice which promote, protect and advance human rights, especially the right to live in a fair and just society under the rule of law. Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN was the first Black African to be awarded the prize and he was the third recipient of the highly coveted award. Of course, no one could have been more qualified for the award than Gani.
From the dark days of military tyranny through all the years of our profligate pseudo-democracy, Gani had been a consistent and insuppressible voice against tyranny, executive recklessness and human right abuse. He had put his life on the line for this cause on countless occasions seeking judicial review of governmental policies and action. He was severally arrested, detained, arraigned and brutalized. Gani Fawehinmi does not leave his case in Court and go to sleep till the next adjourned date. The battle continues on the street, the television screen and the pages of the newspaper; an approach critics consider rather brash and ethically questionable but Gani is undaunted. Those who upbraid Gani for his style do not deny the effectiveness of the ultimate outcome. Unquestionably, no Nigerian lawyer has used Court processes to challenge government excesses like he did and this like no other known factor in the evolution of Nigerian jurisprudence has given the law a human face. He is reputed to have filed over two hundred cases challenging government excesses since becoming a lawyer. His worth is not in the plenitude of cases argued but in the compelling court decisions in those cases and how they changed the face of the law.
Dele Giwa's Trial
Sunday October 19, 1986- the ancient church tower stood lonely with its gruff aged bell. The symphony of the recessional hymn had recessed into stillness but for its sustained refrain on happy souls that had gathered for worship in the forenoon. It was Sunday noon; a new week had begun but a dear life had been ended suddenly in the neighbourhood Lagos, No. 25 Talabi Street Ikeja. Dele Giwa was mowed down by a parcel of death. Dele Giwa in the comfort of his home having a brunch when a postman brought a parcel addressed to him. The parcel bearing the seal of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was delivered to his 19 years old son who handed the parcel over to him. "This must be from the president", he assumed. Momentarily, the parcel let off its message, a deadly explosion that blew life out of Dele Giwa, the son of a washerman that strove to prominence. At the time of his death, Dele Giwa was a firebrand against General Ibrahim Babangida's junta and was the Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine, Africa's leading news magazine at the time.
The nation wailed and cried for justice but the State was not interested in prosecuting the suspected marauders. Gani Fawehinmi, the most eloquent advocate of justice for Dele Giwa instituted the action, Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. Akilu & Anor 1988 2 NWLR (pt 67) 122. It was an action to compel the Director of Public Prosecution of Lagos State to charge to Court Col. Halilu Akilu and Lt. Col. A.K. Togun (both top security officers in the General Babangida junta) for conspiracy to murder and the murder of Dele Giwa. A critical question for the Supreme Court's determination was whether Gani Fawehinmi could institute legal action to compel the Director of Public Prosecution to either prosecute an alleged murder or permit a private legal practitioner to prosecute. The Supreme Court held:
"The peace of the society is the responsibility of all persons in the country and as far as protection against crime is concerned, every person in the society is each other's keeper. Since we are all brothers in the society, we are our brother's keeper. If we pause a little and cast our minds to the happenings in the world, the rationale for this rule will become apparent. There have been cases where brother assaults or kills brother, cases where a father assaults or kills his son, where a son kills his father, where a husband kills his wife and where a wife kills her husband. If consanguinity or blood relationship is allowed to be the only qualification for locus standi, then crimes such as are listed above will go unpunished, may become the order of the day and destabilize society. Can it be said that the death of Dele Giwa is not as much a sad and bitter loss to his friend, lawyer and confidant as it is to his family? The answer to the first question, therefore, in my view, is in the affirmative, that is that the appellant has locus standi".
Fawehinmi v. Akilu hatched the brother's keeper theory, giving the law on locus standi a human face. Invariably, it would appear to be the most important of Gani's cases. This is because it set a broader standard of review for locus standi in subsequent legal interventions in which Gani would have been shut out of Court as not possessing the requisite legal interest to sustain an action.
Although, the eventual prosecution of Col. Togun and Halilu Akilu did not bring the justice Nigerians anticipated, Gani is unrelenting. He had instituted several other actions challenging government actions. In Chief Gani Fawehinmi & Anor. v. N.N.P.C & 4 Ors. _Suit No. FHC/L/CS/54/92, he brought an action to force General Babangida's Military Government to render an account of all export earnings realised by Nigeria from the sale of Crude Oil during the Gulf War in 1991. He was averse to the illegality and profligacy of the office of the "First Lady" and contested it in Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. Babangida & OrsSuit No. LD/1092/92. He contested the legality of Chief Ernest Shonekan's Interim National Government after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election. In Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. General Sani Abacha Suit No. FHC/C/CS/458/94 he sought to compel General Abacha and his comrades in power to publicly declare their assets so as to expose corruption in high places. In Chief Gani Fawehinmi & Anor. v. Gen. Sani Abacha & 6 ors. Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1481/97 requested the Court to compel the Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to release all political detainees based on his promise. All these cases were during the military regime.
Sustaining the yields of democracy became his focus after transition to democracy. In Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. Gen. Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo & anor, Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/110/99 Gani sought a declaration that the remuneration of former Presidents and Heads of State (and other ancilliary matters) Decree No. 32 of 1999 prescribing outrageous sums as remuneration and allowances and other expensive perquisites of office for former Heads of State or Presidents and Chiefs of General Staff or vice President, their spouses and dependants was illegal and unconstitutional being in conflict with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. He had challenged the same constitution in Chief Gani Fawehinmi v. Head of State and Commander- in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria & anor Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/78/99. He contended like most Nigerians did that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 is a nullity and cannot be used to govern Nigeria. In Balarabe Musa & 26 Ors. v. Independent National Electoral Commission & the Attorney-General of the Federation Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/170/2002, Gani as National Chairman of National Conscience Party (NCP) together with other 26 political associations challenged the constitutionality of the registration guidelines issued by INEC for the registration of political associations seeking to register as political parties. The list is inexhaustive.
Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN is also a writer and publisher of the law. His Nigerian Weekly Law Reports is an indispensable companion for every serious legal practitioner. His industry and versatility are highly commended. He was the presidential flag bearer of the National Conscience Party but he was nowhere around the Presidential Villa after the large scale fraud of the 2003 election. Politics is definitely not his forte. But Gani is not without his failings. It was said that Gani is not as much liberal in his private life as he appears in the public eye. Similarly, on occasions that Gani cried when silence would have been more dignifying, he was considered to be on the extreme. His street protests and radical disposition were ethically questioned. All these show at least that Gani is not God, he is human but one thing is sure: he is a sincere public interest lawyer and an enduring motivation for a people-focused practice of the law.
Gani: His Law And His Chamber
Compiled By Tope Templer Olaiya
He practised briefly for three months with his elder brother, now Hon. Justice Rasheed Fawehinmi (Retd) at No.103, Herbert Macaulay Street, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. In April 1965, he established his chambers at No. 116, Denton Street, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. In 1974, he moved the chambers to his house at No. 28, Sabiu Ajose Crescent, Surulere, Lagos. In 1978, he finally moved the chambers to its present site at No. 35, Adeniran Ajao Road, Ajao Estate, Anthony Village, Lagos.
The Chambers is reputed to be the largest Law Chamber in Nigeria. It has a collection of over two hundred and ninety thousand (290,000) law and law-related books on various subjects. The Chambers (and sister organisations including Nigerian Law Publications Ltd) has a staff strength of two hundred and one (201) with nineteen (19) out of the total number as practising lawyers (out of which only 3 are of Ondo origin). The Chambers and the sister organisations are totally detribalised, reflecting the ethnic diversity of the nation.
The most notable characteristics of the Chambers are: highest sense of responsibility to professional duties, deepest commitment to professional ethics, unsurpassed dedication to research, hardwork, truth, honesty, obedience to the rule of law and due process, protection, defence and advancement of fundamental human rights.
Between 1965 and the year 2005, the Chambers has handled about five thousand, seven hundred (5700) briefs. Gani Fawehinmi has personally practised law and appeared in Courts throughout the length and breath of the country.
Gani has an uncontrollable love for the poor, the cheated, the oppressed, the persecuted, the ignored and the students. This passion is responsible for the selfless service he rendered without charging any fees, for the protection, defence and advancement of fundamental human rights of the Nigerian people. He has handled more than one thousand, five hundred (1500) briefs free of all charges for members of his self-defined constituency.
Gani changed the course of legal practice in Nigeria. Never in the history of the Nigerian legal system has one man done so much to democratise the knowledge of law in Nigeria through its accessibility to all and sundry, particularly to the legal practitioners. He practised law, wrote law, and published law. His Nigerian Weekly Law Reports, which he started twenty years ago, a must-read for every Lawyer and Judge, is unprecedented in Africa in innovation, content, style and regularity. Seven Hundred and Eighty (780) parts have been published. Each part is now over 300 (three hundred) pages weekly. He was the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports. Some of his other legal works either as Author or Editor include: Digest of the Supreme Court Cases, Nigerian Law of Habeas Corpus, Nigerian Law of the Press under the Constitution and the Criminal Law, Nigerian Law of Libel and the Press, Law of Contempt in Nigeria, The Bench and the Bar in Nigeria, Murder of Dele Giwa: the Right of a Private Prosecutor, Courts' System in Nigeria - A guide, June 12 crisis - the Illegality of Shonekan's Government, Nigerian Constitutional Law Reports Criminal Law Reports, Commercial Law Reports, Digest of Western States Court of Appeal Cases, High Courts of Nigeria Law Reports, Supreme Court of Nigeria Law Reports in 50 volumes People's Right to free education, Human Rights Law Reports of Africa, Ouster of Courts' Jurisdiction in Nigeria, The Struggle for Genuine Democracy in Nigeria - Thirty Days of Civil Rule in Nigeria (Post-May 29, 1999) What Hope for Democracy?, The Struggle for Genuine Democracy in Nigeria - State of the Nation (After Ninety Days of Civil Rule) and The Dangers Ahead, Commercial Law Reports Quarterly, Volume 2, Criminal Law Reports of Nigeria, Volume 2, Human Rights Law Reports of Africa, Volume 2, Nigerian Constitutional Law Reports, Volume 7, Petrol Price Increases In Nigeria: The Truth You Must Know, Obasanjo: The Absentee President of Nigeria
He has won many national and international awards and he has been honoured by many clubs and associations. Amongst his honours and awards are the following: Made a member of the Ghandi Foundation in 1971, Honourary member of NUJ, in Nigeria 1972, Life member of the University of Benin Students' Union in 1977, Senior Advocate of the Masses OAU on August 27, 1988, Life member, University of Ibadan Student Union, in 1988, NANS life membership in 1990, Bruno Kriesky Award for his contributions to the defence of Human Rights on June 11, 1993, American Bar Association Award for Human Rights in 1996, Naming of the Victory College Ikare Library, his alma-mater, after him after 50 years of its establishment, Prestigious Bernard Simons Memorial Award by the International Bar Association (IBA) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the rule of law in Nigeria in 1998, Times Patriot Award by Daily Times Nigeria Plc. on 1st of June, 2001, Best Humanitarian Award by City People on 25th March, 2001, Worthy Contributions to the Development of Education in Nigeria by Hon. Dr. Willie Ogbeide Scholarship - Trust Fund Merit Award on 2nd December, 2001, Principles of Human Rights Merit Award in his honour for his worthy contributions to the protection of human rights and Fundamental freedoms by Barrister Richard Dubor Books Launching Communitee on 9th December, 2000, Excellence Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the maintenance of law and order, provision of security, crime prevention and control in Nigeria by the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria on 22nd December, 1999, Merit Award on him at Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the Creation of Ondo State by the Ondo State Government on the 16th June, 2001, Award on him for his relentless service and commitment to the Rule of Law in Nigeria by the Nigerian Bar Association (Ikeja Branch) on 15th of June, 2001,
MAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS Named Man of the Year 1988 by African Concord Magazine, Voted Quality Magazine Man of the Year 1988, In 1989, the Weekend Concord named him Man of the Year amongst others, Named lawyer of the Year 1988 by the African Guardian Magazine of January 2, 1989, In 1993, the Weekend Concord named him Man of the Year 1992 amongst others, Named Man of the Year 1996 by Newswatch Magazine, Voted Man of the Year 1996 amongst others by the Nigerian Tribune Newspapers of December 28, 1996, On December 20, 1997 Punch Newspaper named him Man of the Year, 1997, In December 1999, Nigerian Tribune named him Man of the Year amongst others, On December 26, 1999, Hallmark Newspaper named him Man of the Year 1999, On January 8, 2000 Weekend Triumph named him Man of the Year 1999, On January 9, 2000, he was named Man of the Year 1999 by National Times, Named Man of the Year 2000 by the Weekly Trust Newspaper of January 12-18, 2001,
MAN OF THE CENTURY AWARD Named Man of the Century by Weekend Concord on Saturday, December 25, 1999.
On July 25, 2001, he was nominated for the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) and was sworn-in on September 10, 2001.
One of the cases based on the point of law that Gani had against brutal regimes is highlighted in the story of Mr. Minere Amakiri, who was the Rivers State correspondent of the Observer newspaper owned by the Mid-Western State government. Mr. Amakiri had reported teacher's grievances in the Observer of July 30, 1973, which coincided with the birthday of the governor, Naval Commander Alfred Diette Spiff - now a traditional ruler in Niger Delta. The governor's ADC Ralph Iwowari who was furious ordered the reporter to be given 24 strokes of the cane. Amakiri's head was shaved with an old blade and detained. Gani took up the case and he won.
Other landmark cases include the release of Dr. Edwin Madunagu who was a Mathematics lecturer at University of Lagos, now on the Board of The Guardian newspapers, the defence of University of Ibadan students before the Justice Kassim Commission of Inquiry over the killing of Adekunle Adepeju.
Gani Fawehinmi's Secrets
* He cognizes bushmeat in the dark
By Tunde Akingbade
The book: Prisoner J. 60; the Legal struggles
of Gani by Richard Akinnola was presented to the public recently in Lagos . His Excellency, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, Edo State Governor and his counterpart in Ondo State Dr. Olusegun Mimiko sent their Attorney Generals, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana and Mr. Eyitayo Jegede SAN respectively. Major General Muhammadu Buhari former Head of State was represented by Malam Abdallah S. Ayuba. There were several other dignitaries including Professor Yemi Osibanjo (SAN), Mr. Obi Okwusogu SAN, and Mr. Ayo Olanrewaju who had come to honour Gani. Gani's second son, Mr. Sahid Fawehinmi and daughter were present. At the event, Sahid Fawehinmi spoke on behalf of the family. Many people spoke too. But there were certain secrets about Fawehinmi that were revealed at the event. The most poignant part of the event was when Malam Musa Idris spoke on his encounter with Fawehinmi and how the radical lawyer saved the life of six Northern youths who were sentenced to death in a flawed trial without a counsel in Lagos in the mid 1980's. Excerpts of the revelations;
Richard Akinnola:
"Gani Fawehinmi and I love meat. Both of us are voracious meat eaters. We love meat a lot!
One day, Chief Gani Fawehinmi ordered for bushmeat and when the meat was brought he looked at the biggest meat and specifically said to me; Richard, don't touch this particular one! But I wanted that particular meat not knowing that he too really wanted the big one.
Suddenly, it was time to watch the Channels Television News and his attention shifted and he went to switch on the television. I seized the opportunity to change the location of the meat. He was unaware of my moves. But when the returned to where we sat, the first thing he said when he observed the plate was; "Richard, you have done something here. You have done something here!"
I asked him what he meant and he replied; "No, No, No. You cannot hijack my bushmeat. I know bushmeat even in the darkness." Then I tried to feign ignorance and I asked him; "how did you know but you were watching channels television?" He replied; "you know I am older than you. I can recognise bushmeat even in darkness. I remember the time when the security agencies came for me. Chief Fawehinmi just looked at me and said; "Well, it's your turn o. Bye bye o! I hope you have your tooth brush and tooth paste and so on. If you don't have I will find a way of getting them across to you. I have the notion that there is no person that has suffered for the progress of this country than Gani Fawehinmi. The day he was being taken to Gashua prison in 1990, I still have the photographs. After he got to Gashua, he went through a lot and that's why I keep accusing General Babangida (rtd) for being responsible for the ailment which Chief Fawehinmi has today because doctors said his cancer of the lung is a rare case of cancer of a non - smoker. His prison cell in Gashua was sprayed with insecticides regularly and I think the ailment he now has is the cumulative effect of the things sprayed in his cell.
After inhaling the insecticide he collapsed and was rushed to the University of Maiduguri . If we tell our leaders all the time that they are right when we know that they are wrong unconsciously may push them into a chasm that will consume them. In 1985 I criticized in my column in vanguard when General Muhammadu Buhari was in government when the three drug pushers were executed.
In my column, I said it was wrong to execute people with a retroactive law. Because at the time they committed the offence, the law was not in place. But Chief Fawehinmi was unapologetic and he said what the government did was right. And I said no, chief I disagree with you. Later on, Chief Fawehinmi saw me and he said he read my views and he was trying to argue to justify it. But I disagreed. Then a week after a reader from Oshodi sent me a stinker and abused me thoroughly for criticizing Chief Fawehinmi. And I published the rejoinder on June 11, 1985. The man thoroughly abused me saying that he knew I hated Gani Fawehinmi and that was why I criticized him in my column. After I published the rejoinder, I told Chief Fawehinmi that the score of our encounter was one - one draw. I said somebody has abused me on your behalf not knowing my relationship with you. We both laughed about it."
Malam Musa Idris:
"I am sorry I did not attend a school and I am from the Northern part of the country. In the 1980s six boys were condemned to death in Lagos in a trial. During the trial, the boys had no lawyer to represent them, but they were sentenced to death. Chief Gani Fawehinmi was in London at the time. When he read the story of the condemned boys in a foreign newspaper, he was unhappy. He immediately instructed his chambers to take up the matter and represent the boys. An appeal was filed by the chambers.
I explained everything I know about the case. Gani Fawehinmi was at that time in London . His lawyers worked on the matter because Gani said he did not want the boys to be killed. That was how Gani came into the case. The condemned boys were later freed on appeal.
After he won the case for us, we went to show gratitude and greet him for what he did for us. I thought at that time that there was nobody in the country who could help me over the case of these six boys. Our organisation called my attention to the fact that we should repay Gani Fawehinmi him for his efforts. So the organisation at that time gathered N2, 000 which was a lot of money to us to go and give Chief Gani Fawehinmi. When I gave him the money he refused saying; "No, I am not doing it because of money. I am doing to save human life!" he added; "I am supposed to even give your organisation money because you people are together for good."
I am here to talk about this and remind everybody about what Gani did for us. All those who have spoken at the event have forgotten this case. They did not mention this case and our story. Gani Fawehinmi has been fighting for every human being. Salaam alaikun!
Mr. Sahid Fawehinmi (Gani's son)
The great, the powerful, the wealthy and the connected are bestowed by these great virtues by the Almighty. The almighty God gives us all and He takes all. But these virtues are bestowed on the mighty to take care of the less privileged and less connected. My father believes this and he has always practiced these virtues. I also digress today that the likes of our founding father - the late Sardauna of Sokoto - Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe were bestowed with political powers in the North, South West and South East respectively. These are reasons why they remain great influences in their areas and their spheres of influence. They were men with great will and vision. They fought colonialism to liberate people like us. My father's influences have been reflected in the annals of our great republic in the area of the practice and publish of law and of human rights activism.
Most importantly he has featured as a great vanguard of our people. And in his role as the vanguard of our people, he has suffered a great deal. In spite of these he remains resolute and committed in his fight against injustice.
Today he is sick. But he remains very happy
.
Babangida mourns Gani
Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) yesterday described the death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi as "disheartening and utterly discomforting".
In a statement by his media spokesman, Kassim Afegbua said Gani lived a peculiar life and fought many battles addi8ng that he should be celebrated by all.
"He was a man who lived his own peculiar life and fought battles without boundaries. Surely, there can never be another Gani Fawehinmi in Nigeria in the near future. He stood out in his own column throughout his journey of life; a journey that was characterised with fighting battles using the rule of law as a weapon of combat.
"He was not a customary soldier, but a civilian soldier, a legal luminary and courageous Nigerian who was driven by his passions, convictions and beliefs. Even when one has cause to disagree with him on certain issues, it never dampened his spirit and belief. Such was the life of a man that I admired from afar even when we tended to disagree on certain issues. His death came to me as rude shock. I am pained that we have lost such a legal icon, social crusader and human rights advocate at a time when Nigeria is trying to reform her electoral system.
"Chief Gani Fawehinmi needs to be celebrated not just by members of his human rights community but by all Nigerians who have benefitted from his struggles and battles to make life meaningful for mankind.
Babangida also called for his immortalization; "Even though his achievements in life would provide a basis to fondly remember him, he deserves to be formally immortalised for the benefit of the present and unborn generations of Nigerians. And this is my epitaph: "here lies the remains of Gani Fawehinmi, a devout Muslim, a fighter, people's combatant, civilian soldier, social crusader, human rights activist, consumate legal icon, politician, and compassionate family man whose love for mankind defined his journey of life. There is no one that can fit into the big shoes of this impressario whether now or in the near future. May his gentle soul find solace in the hereafter. May Allah grant him paradise,amin . Adieu, GANI THE LAW.", he said as he wished his family the strength to bear with this irreparable lost.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party PDP has described late Gani as one of the nation's greatest human rights crusaders who would be greatly missed by Nigerian people who benefited immensely from his struggle.
In a statement issued by the national publicity secretary of the party, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, the party said Gani's death would be felt by Nigeria more so at a time when the ideals he fought for were being realized.
'The Peoples Democratic Party, has received with rude shock the news of death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN in his residence in Lagos today. On behalf of the entire members of the National Working Committee and our members nationwide, the national chairman of the party, Prince Vincent Eze Ogbulafor, offers his deepest condolence to the family and good people of Nigeria who have been the greatest beneficiaries of his social advocacy. By this sad development, one of the greatest crusaders in the history of Nigeria for human rights and social justice has been lost. His demise is even more painful because it has come at a time when some of his ideals are gradually being realized', the party said.
PDP prayed the Almighty Allah to give the family the fortitude to bear the loss.
Gani's death; A minus for democracy, Reps
The House of Representatives yesterday joined other Nigerians in mourning one of the greatest human rights crusaders in the world, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, describing him as one of the pillars of democracy in the country.
Reacting to the death of Gani, in Abuja, the Chief Whip of the House, Emeka Ihedioha, said his death was indeed regrettable as he was in a class of his own.
'Very sad indeed, very regrettable. Gani represented a different thing to Nigeria. Gani was certainly a class of his own. Head always been a man, through his conviction, believed that the society must change for the better and it must be run well. He worked very hard to ensure that we have a democratic government in Nigeria and ensure that there is practice of the rule of law and equally to make life better for the ordinary Nigerian people. He believed in the cause for ordinary Nigerian. He believed in the cause of average Nigerian. He believed in sustenance of democratic culture in Nigeria. Gani's death is a huge loss not only to the human rights community, not only to the legal profession, not only to his state, Ondo state but to Nigeria as a nation, to the people of Nigeria, to the political class and all those who believe in a greater and stable Nigeria', he said.
Ihedioha added that although the National Assembly is on recess currently, all the lawmakers believed that Gani's death would be a major blow to them since the late human right activist fought very hard for the return of democratice rule in Nigeria.
His words; 'The National Assembly is currently on recess but I am sure each and every member of the National Assembly will believe that Gani's death is indeed a major minus in our effort to stabilize democracy. I know that we in the National Assembly will continue to remember him as one of the major actors that fought for the democracy that the country enjoys today and which we are beneficiaries'.
According to him, Nigerians would learn from Gani's death a lesion of commitment to a cause and insistence on the rule of law just as it might be difficult to find a replacement.
'Nigerians will learn from the great Gani the lesson of perseverance, sustenance and adhering to the rule of law, and believing in the right cause. Gani was never known to have compromised his position of providing level playing field for the average Nigerian, of emancipation of the Nigerian people. I recall when there were several efforts for him to be made a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN but he preferred to be the Senior Advocate of the Masses SAM. He was in a different and class and rare breed, a rare gem and perhaps none other has been and may be like Gani. The role Gani played, it is difficult to find a replacement but you never can rule out. Don't forget that at the time Gani emerged, was a period in our national light when the military was oppressing Nigerians. and Gani insisted on enthronement of democracy in the country. In this democratic framework, Gani has also worked hard to ensure that the practice of democracy is in such a way and manner that would enhance the quality of lives of Nigerian people. He, perhaps, was the greatest to have lived in a world of human rights activism in Nigeria and must be remembered for it', the lawmaker said.
The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), eminent lawyers and the civil society yesterday mourned the passage of one of their own, Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi whom they described as a dogged fighter and patriot.
The NBA, Second Republic Justice Minister, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) as well as the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and the Oyo state government however admonished Nigerians to celebrate his death rather than mourning him for impacting his footprints on the sands of time.
through its National President, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) described Fawehinmi's death 'after succumbing to a terminal ailment' as an unkind piece at this point in time.
Akeredolu however said the Bar is consoled by the quality of the deceased consistent and persistent input to national development.
"Gani was a legal icon and public interest litigator per excellence; he fought a good fight, his life is an enduring lesson," Akeredolu said.
Akinjide who spoke from his London office chambers with The Guardian said Fawehinmi's unique contributions to the legal profession through his weekly law reports will forever be remembered.
The nation's former Attorney General said the history of the Nigeria legal profession will not be complete without the contributions of the deceased luminary and civil rights activist.
Akinjide said, "Fawehinmi is one of the Nigerian patriots for whom I have the greatest respect; when I was the President of the NBA between 1970 and 1973, he was the Publicity Secretary. In the legal profession, he made very unique contributions through his weekly law reports which were acknowledged throughout the English speaking world as one of the best law reports.
"He was patriotic, honest and a dogged fighter. He refused to compromise his principles or ideas, even though he has left us, his ideas will never leave us. He made a success of his public life because he was able to make a success of his private life, any public figure that cannot make a success of his private life would not be able to make a success of his public life. We should not mourn the departure of Fawehinmi but we should celebrate it, only God is immortal."
In his reaction, National Chairman of TMG, Moshood Erubami said the death of the rights activist was received with shock within their circle.
Describing the late human rights crusader as a great leader and Nigeria's one man freedom army, Erubami said his death has once again reminded us that death is inevitable.
"Whatever the age, position and wealth, the bell of death shall ring for everybody. What would speak for us is our contribution to the betterment of the society. However, the struggle must continue until the last batch of the political killer squad masquerading as politicians are removed and a new order is built from the rubble of the old."
Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala in a statement described the deceased as a social critic who displayed his 'archetypal uncommon gut by winning the battle in his own way.'
The statement signed by the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Communication, Dotun Oyelade read, "I watched the graceful but inevitable battle of Chief Gani Fawehinmi with death and came up with the summation that he displayed his archetypal uncommon gut by winning the battle in his own way just like he was wont to doing in an epic lifetime. The most successful social critic idealist has just departed a world he loved so much even at the risk of being misunderstood. "
Similarly, the Action Congress (AC) in Oyo state expressed regrets that the Late Fawehinmi failed to accomplish his age-long mission of evolving a truly egalitarian society that will accommodate Nigerian masses.
The party, through its Director of Publicity, Wasiu Olatunbosun said his contributions both to the legal profession and the civil society would remain indelible.
"It is most unfortunate that death could snatch Gani after a long battle with illness during which he did not abandon the struggle to free the average Nigerian from oppression. He was one of the few citizens who desired and fought for a virile Nigeria where respect for the rights of every individual would be guaranteed. He fought many battles with domestic oppressors who took pride in oppression, corruption and violation of the nation's constitution at will to satisfy their whims and caprices. He never allowed ethnic, religious or political sentiments to override his belief in the sanctity of citizen's rights using the weapons of his professional callings, patriotism and altruism to face much opposition and winning numerous battles even against the gun-wielding military who incarcerated him on many occasions.
"AC feels the grief of Gani Fawehinmi's death more when we realize that despite the brilliant and courageous efforts of the departed hero, Nigeria is still not on the right part to the practice of genuine democracy, guarantee of human rights and evolution of an egalitarian society which the deceased stood for.
REMINISCENCES
Tougher times ahead, says Fawehinmi
LEFT to prominent lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), Nigerians might as well put on their sackcloth and begin to mourn as the New Year is ushered in.
Sounding like a Prophet of Doom on Tuesday, he issued a damning prediction that "Nigeria is going to be in total mess in 2009. The year will be one of the most gruelling for the people. In 2009, the country will not be very rich. Corruption may even be upgraded and we will see less of electricity from Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)."
Speaking to The Guardian at his Lagos home on Tuesday, he said that things would be so bad in the energy sector that Nigeria will be worse than even countries at war like Israel and Palestine, which enjoy more stable access to electricity than the country.
"Those who are at war like the Israelis and Palestinians have more electricity than Nigeria. Israel has 10 times more electricity than Nigeria. Even the Palestinians enjoy more than five times the electricity we have in Nigeria and they are at war. We are not at war. The money is flowing but there is no good manager," he said.
According to him: "In 2009, we will see more poverty, more bad roads, decrepit medical institutions and incomes will be substantially reduced. The revenue that the government would have will be substantially reduced. We will have more crises because I don't see how the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) will not pursue its minimum wage crusade.
"The government may attempt to increase the price of petroleum products because of the loss it is sustaining from low revenue from oil."
Despite the picture of gloom, he said that "there are some people in this country who can virtually turn stone into water. It is not only Israel that we have Jews. We have Jews in Nigeria too. In the East, the easterners are extremely hardworking and also some people in parts of the West and North."
In the face of the depression, Fawehinmi said that "we need a very strong President in our country. We need a man who will do what is right for the nation as an entity and for the people. We need a man who will put programmes and policies that will lift the ordinary man from the doldrums of poverty to happiness. We need a man who will stand against all forms of social injustices; the most paramount is corruption.
"We need a man who will deal with corruption with his life. We need a man who will put God first. You put God first when you think of the interest of the man in the street. If you say you are a religious man and you want to put God first, you have to do what Prophet Mohammed did; you have to do what Jesus Christ did. Christ and Mohammed worked for the poor and died for the poor."
Adding further to the gloom, Fawehinmi said that the present leadership of "Yar'Adua is far from all those qualities and characteristics I have put forward. He is not putting God first. To put God first, a President should look at how the people are living, how families are dying from the fumes coming out from generators because there is no electricity.
"You should look at God first by ensuring that people don't die of hunger. You look at God first when you come to the hospital and every hospital is equipped with modern equipment that can diagnose problems and the people have access to the most modern treatment on earth. You look at God first when you don't pick dead bodies on the road as a result of accidents caused by potholes on our bad roads.
"You look at God first when people who want education will get education. You look at God first when you go to the universities, secondary schools and so on and you can say 'I am proud of these institutions. You put God first when the wealth of the nation is used to promote the interest and welfare of the people.
"You put God first from the way you behave and how people around you live. Nigerians are dying from poverty. Their children cannot get access to institutions they want to get to. The country is not being run. We are retrogressing; our country is retrogressing daily."
He noted that the country has found itself in these dire straits because of poor management and lack of foresight.
"A year ago, our major source of income, oil, was selling for $147 per barrel. A good President should have harnessed the proceeds to look at areas he can invest them to combat the poverty of our people. Nothing was done.
"Today, the price of oil is below $40 per barrel. When you cannot perform when oil was $147 per barrel, when money was streaming in and pouring in, will you perform when the stream is drying up? When resources are drying up, you cannot. If I did not perform when I was very strong in health, when I was 30, 40 years, what will I be living on now at 70? When we translate it to governance, it is more serious. There is no governance," he asserted.
According to Fawehinmi, "the country is retrogressing daily."
Citing examples from various sectors, he said that there was nothing to cheer the people about. He said that the government got its fight on corruption on a wrong footing when it sacked and has continued to hound the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu.
He said: "This country has been very bad in terms of corruption and for the first time in many years, one man came, Ribadu came for the first time in the history of Nigeria and dealt with the corrupt people. You could accuse him of anything, but you cannot accuse him of corruption.
"When Ribadu was there, the fear of the EFCC was the beginning of wisdom. Nobody cares about the EFCC now. What is EFCC under Mrs. Farida Waziri? EFCC has lost its custom under Waziri. Ribadu's EFCC should not be treated like Waziri's EFCC. One was focussed, determined, courageous and ready to fight against the big shots. The other, which is Waziri, is prepared to wear the soft gloves: 'well, you know, our position is rule of law.'
"I don't know what they mean by the rule of law. There is something about the rule of law they are parroting. When they get stuck about doing what is right for the people and they don't know what next to do, then they need rule of law.
"Rule of law means the law must rule. The law rules when you have the courts and you have a system, you have the laws that are made, that will give the people hope about solving their problems and so on and so forth.
"But you are talking about rule of law and the President is not giving the workers hope. People have to queue for their pension and some die along the way; people don't have a living wage; people don't have access to good education or good health system. It is provided in sections 16 and 17 of our Constitution that you must give the people these things and you say you are practising rule of law."
The activist, who is fighting lung cancer and rejected the national award of Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) given to him by the Federal Government last month, said that he has no regret in turning down the award.
"All they do is to try to put you into their circle by offering you what they call Ole Federal Republic (OFR). I don't want to be Ole Federal Republic or take any honour from a government that has no honour. Honestly, we are in deep crisis. We will see the crisis more in 2009," he stressed.
GANI'S DEATH DENIES NIGERIA A DEMOCRATIC CRUSADER - UDUAGHAN
I am greatly saddened by the death of one of Nigeria's legal icon, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, this morning. 'Gani', as he is popularly known, made his mark in the bar as a brilliant lawyer, but connected deeply with the people, especially the poor and underprivileged through his onerous crusade for social justice and human rights.
For his beliefs which he had the courage to pursue, Gani suffered greatly, enduring a lot of hardships especially during the military era, which he fought with uncommon courage and dogged zeal.
Today, Nigeria is a democracy, thanks for the enormous contribution of Gani and others like him, even in that, Gani the tireless gadfly continued to campaign for a better democratic practice challenging any aspect that showed disrespect for the people's will and right.
He may not have achieved all his objectives, but he made such monumental impact, a vacuum that will be hard to be filled has been created by his exit. Mercifully, through his long and arduous fight for a better society, many activists sired in his tradition for crusading for social justice would hopefully continue his life of working for a better Nigeria.
The inimitable Gani will be greatly missed by all for he was a freedom fighter of note who always took sides with the society's oppressed and at great personal cost to himself.
On behalf of myself and people of Delta State, I send my heartfelt condolences to his family, the Governor and people of Ondo State and pray that the Almighty God grant them the fortitude to bear the loss of one who deprived himself certain comforts in life so that others may live. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.
GANI: THE MAKING OF A DEFENDER
BY WALE ADEDURO
I had heard so much about his exploits before I finally met him. He had literally grew up with my father in Okegbogi, a quiet but friendly neighbourhood in Ondo town, Ondo State. My father never ceases to regal us with stories of this enfant terrible in their primary school days in Ansarudeen Primary School. My father's favorite tale story about the freedom fighting spirit of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi is woven around an incident that happened in one of their classes. A classmate had a quarrel with another boy I n the class who incidentally was the son of the Headmaster, Mr Abudu. The Headmaster's son abused and cursed the other boy thoroughly. However, out of fear of offending the Headmaster, the boy could not respond to the Headmaster's son insults. Gani was infuriated. He egged on the other boy to stand up to the Headmaster's son. In the process, the row degenerated into a fight. When the Headmaster came into the scene, Gani promptly stepped forward to speak for the disadvantaged boy. He pointedly told the Headmaster that he encouraged the other boy to stand up against his son because "everyone is born equal even if the fathers of some boys are not Headmasters!" Mr Adedeji was amused and impressed by Gani's boldness. "Ganiyu, you will be a great boy in the future." From that moment he was referred to as "defender" among his peers. This action was not an isolated case. There was a time while he was still in the primary school that a teacher caned a child almost to the point of coma. Classmate Gani ran towards the teacher and stopped him from killing the hapless pupil. In his words, "The beating is more than the offence the boy committed."
When I informed my father that his senior in primary school had passed on he hissed "Nigeria has lost a brain." He has very fond memories of the humble human rights activitists.
By the time I met Gani in my secondary school days, he had become a symbol of candour, openness, honesty and protection of the rights of human beings regardless of colour, tribe or economic status. In my school days, in Saint Joseph's College in Ondo, any student who was bold enough to defy a teacher or speak against injustice was referred to as "Gani". More than anything else, Gani typified the free spirit, sense of justice and boldness that the average Ondo indigene grew up with. Gani was sired in a culture where accountability and sincerity were essential ingredients of greatness. He grew up in a culture where a child was allowed to express himself. He would be corrected afterward if necessary. This is no longer so in this generation. Our elders are so afraid to allow children express themselves especially where their opinions are anticipated to be a challenge to an existing order. If a child dares to challenge the son of a headmaster or principal today, the child risks failure if not expulsion from school. We need to allow our youths to express themselves where they perceive injustice is being mete to them. Dissent of opinion will generously make our democracy to become robust. This is why those who are accusing ASUU members or insincerity or extremism on the on-going strike miss the point.
Gani has always been a lover of education. My first close contact with him was when I witnessed the academic scholarship he instituted for some indigent students in Ondo State. I was in secondary school those days. My heart went out to him as I saw one of my friends who could not buy textbooks clutched some books he bought with his award from Gani's foundation.
I later grew up to see him weep openly in court. This did not show that he was a weakling. He was simply a passionate man who was good at his profession. Applying the hedge hog principle, Gani also ran a beneficial human rights crusade.
Gani was not only a human rights activist. He was a propagator and enabler of affordable quality education.
In his death, the Nigerian child will miss a model in honest and selfless human rights advocacy. Young Nigerians should endeavour to be inspired by those who are good, passionate and achieve great results (profit) in their pursuits in life.
_ WALE ADEDURO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF CASHCOW MICROFINANCE BANK LIMITED
Gani, Lawyers, Reforms & I
By Deji Toye
I just heard that one of my personal heroes is dead - Gani Fawehinmi. It was his book - The Death of Dele Giwa: The Right of a Private Prosecutor - which I saw as a secondary school student that threw Law into my baggage of options for a career. And it was him, almost singlehandedly, that would confer on the Nigerian lawyer the inexorable image of a social crusader. Today, when you introduce yourself as a lawyer, people immediately perceive you as a social crusader, quick to defend the right of the underdog against the excesses of the system. It was not always so. Traditionally, the legal profession is a conservative one, high up there along with the Clergy and the Army as upholders of the status quo. This was the legal tradition perpetrate by the Rotimi Williamses and it is beginning to make a rebound with clear vanguards now emerging in the election petition cases since 1999. Gani presaged the generation of the Agbakobas, Ayo Obes, Nwankwos who would later institutionalise human rights activism and social advocacy.
That notion of the legal professional followed me into the university where I helped in leading a university protest that would later be mired in the national politics in the Abacha era and see to the mass sack of students and all professors on campus, judicial pronouncements regardless. When I eventually got called to bar, I had spent exactly ten years in two universities and was six years late in being admitted into the profession.
Something else has changed - I had decided that I was going to be a commercial lawyer! This certainly required some justification. As I wrote to an American university some months back:
"After all, I had matured into the Nigeria of the 1980s and 1990s with its musical chair of military juntas replete with human rights abuses and profligate leadership. In such an atmosphere, social dialogues were reduced to savage confrontations and the search for national consensus could not rise above the bare quest for decency in governance. The only lawyer with any putative claim to social conscience was the ubiquitous constitutional and human rights lawyer who shuttled between the court and the prison-yard - at the former to obtain injunction for a victim, at the latter to serve term for his efforts. Because of the close association of business with corruption, the commercial lawyer was regarded with some suspicion and mostly wore the pin of a colluder on the lapel of his pin-stripe."
And my career in commercial law has actually exposed me to the crying need for reform-minded commercial lawyers who could help shape reforms required for national development. Afterall, it is not only human rights and political expressions that are suppressed in repressive regimes, thus requiring transitional justice. An equal victim of repression is free enterprise and commercial transparency. See the latest crises in the banking industry and capital market for example. As Hernando De Soto mordantly put it:
"In theory, the legal community should favour reform because it will expand the rule of law. But, in fact, most lawyers in developing and former communist countries have been trained not to expand the rule of law but to defend it as they found it. Lawyers are the professionals most involved in the day-to-day business of property. They sit in key government offices where they can suppress major decisions. No group - aside from terrorists - is better positioned to sabotage capitalist expansion. And unlike terrorists, the lawyers know how to do it legally."
This may appear like a digression, but the point is that, for the pin-stripe suit wearing commercial lawyer, when we do decide to make the appropriate change, the irrepressible spirit of Gani would still be there to guide us.
Adieu Gani.
I have had cause to dedicate two poems to him, in 1996 and in 1999. Find them below.
Horse of His Own Earth
(For Gani at 60)
Ride on
Tireless horse
Upon this earth
Your earth
This earth you call your own
Ride on
Horse
On this earth
Against the thorns and thickets
That claim its fertile parts
Ride on
Horse
Not prize horse
Are race mares not minions spent
To tend the gambler's greed?
Nor drab horse
Mere mule glorified
Eyes blinkered to light and choice
Nor war horse
Suicide standard bearer
To ruse and intrigue
Ride on
Wild horse
Untamed
Unreined
Un-Harness-dressed
Nay, not durbar-draped
To serve avarice's end
Ride on
Upon your earth
This track
Unlaid
Unshaped
Un-carpeted red
To ease your journey home
Ride on
Unpacified
Unmollified
Upon this earth
This earth YOU call YOUR own
And your like's too
And the people's too
And our children's too
And our children's children's
Ride on
And beat us path
To its fertile parts
This earth YOU call OUR own
Against the lust of thorns
That grasp its fruitful patch
Ride on
Tireless horse
And we shall ride too
Shod
Unshod
Roughshod
Against the thorns that ruin
This earth WE call OUR own.
Saturday 4 July, 1998
Vigil of the Manger Dog
For Gani Fawehinmi
The village has gone to bed
Only a lone moon now holds court
In the terraces of the sky
The village has gone to bed
Women have left their heaths
Embers ashening
Men long left their oars
For the bosoms of their wives
Even children are now long snoring
Who serenaded the moon into being
Leaving their playmate dog behind
Wagging
Waging flimsy wars on phantoms
The village has gone to sleep
Again
Only a lone dog now stirs the peace
Of a watchless night.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ONLINE
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