A PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO GANI

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).