Gani: Celebrated in death by friends, foes

updated: Monday 02.11.2009

The body of Chief Gani Fawehinmi being
laid-in-state at the Police College ground,
Ikeja, Lagos, on ThursdayThe funeral ceremonies so far held for the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN, were unique in the sense that participants at the ceremonies comprised those who applauded Gani and opponents of Gani in his lifetime. In this piece, AKEEM NAFIU, recalls how Fawehinmi was celebrated in death by friends and foes.

Many Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the death of the legal icon and great philanthropist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi(SAN) who heeded the divine call on the 5th of September, 2009 at a private hospital in Lagos.

The learned silk popularly referred to by many Nigerians as the Senior Advocate of the Masses died at the age of 71.

Since his demise, messages of condolence have been coming to his family from across the world and as part of the programmes to mark his exit, Chief Gani Fawehinmi was laid in state at the Gallery and Library of the Nigerian Law Publication House, Agidingbi, Ikeja owned by him, on the 8th of September, 2009. The following day, he also visited the Lagos High Court, Igbosere where a valedictory court session was held in his honour by the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) and the Lagos State Judiciary.

The solemn atmosphere in the premises of his Publication House came alive at 2.17 p.m when the sounds of trumpet heralded the arrival of the corpse.

The widows, Ganiat and Abike, were in front of a grey Mercedes Benz conveying his remains. They were closely followed by a procession of lawyers in their professional robes.

Immediately, the lawyers led by the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja chapter chairman, Mr. Dave Ajetunmobi, got to the beginning of the street, they formed two parallel lines, the trumpeters walked at the centre followed by the pall bearers bearing his corpse dressed in white Dansiki and trouser with black shoes and a blue cap.

As soon as the corpse got to the gate of the Publication House, the National Anthem was sung after which it was taken inside for the lying-in- state to begin.

Civil Society Organizations and Trade Unions met the corpse at the gate chanting various solidarity songs.

At the occasion, famous words said by Chief Fawehinmi in his life time were also recited by the Master of the Ceremony, Mr. Femi Aborishade, former General Secretary of the National Conscience Party(NCP).

On the 9th of September, 2009, Chief Gani’s body was again laid in state at a valedictory court session organised for him by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) in conjunction with the Lagos State Judiciary at the premises of the Lagos High Court in Igbosere.

The event which saw all the judges of the Lagos High Court and members of the bar who were fully robbed in attendance, was presided over by the newly sworn-in Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Inumidun Enitan Akande.

In her address at the occasion, Justice Akande, described Chief Fawehinmi as a man of great passion who stood firmly and consistently on the part of justice.

She said although Chief Fawehinmi was no more, he had left behind a worthy legacy, noting that he stood tall as an accomplished legal luminary.

“Gani is a man of many parts and has impacted in so many positive ways in the lives of ordinary Nigerians”, she said.

Justice Akande while expressing her condolences on behalf of her colleagues in the Lagos State Bench to Fawehinmi’s family, regretted that he died while a new chapter was being opened in the Lagos State Judiciary.

Speaking at the event, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Micheal Aondoakaa(SAN) described Chief Fawehinmi as a noble man, a source of hope to the masses and the pride of Nigeria.

He lauded the late senior lawyer whom he said handled more than five thousand (5,000) cases for many Nigerians at no cost during his life time.

The Minister of Justice used the forum to convey the condolences of President Umaru Yar’adua to the deceased’s family.

The President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu(SAN) in his speech titled “GANI FAWEHINMI: A DOGGED FIGHTER DEPARTS IN A BLAZE OF GLORY” lamented the loss occasioned by the death of the legal luminary and noted that the tribe of genuine activists and consistent advocates of the rights of the common man going down in quality and quantity.

“That the gadfly chose this period when despondency hangs thickly in the Nigerian firmament to bid us farewell makes the impact of the departure debilitating”, he said.
Akeredolu stated further that “amidst the torrents of encomiums from both Nigerians and members of the international community on the contributions of this icon in the field of law and, more importantly, on his relentless crusade for the emancipation of the downtrodden, the totality of all this is yet to approximate the essential of Gani.

“This selfless advocate of the masses, public litigator par excellence, philanthropist, who acted as if condemned to do good, the scourge of deluded potentates and megalomaniac pimps, pious yet unobtrusive with hypocritical display of holiness, erected monuments in good deeds which promise to lock time in a fierce battle in the centuries ahead”, he stated further.

Akeredolu while condoling with Fawehinmi’s family stated that those who appealled to government to immortalise him should hold their breath saying “the best form of reminding ourselves that this strange strand of the human specie passed through this place on the planet is to continue his good deeds.”

On Thursday the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola ( SAN) hosted dignitaries from all walks of life at a glorious farewell ceremony for the late Social Crusader and foremost lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

Dignitaries at the Police College, Ikeja venue of the lying in State ceremony which was jointly organized by the Lagos State Government and Civil Society Organizations included former Governors Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos , Olusegun Osoba of Ogun State, Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti , former Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa,former Governor Chris Ngige, Retired General Alani Akinrinade, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Dr Frederick Fasheun, Mr Ledum Mitee, Mr Femi Falana, top Nigerian artistes and members of the civil society.

Speaking at the event, Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) urged all Nigerians to chart a new beginning for the country from the death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), saying: “We must not let Gani’s life struggles end here. It must be the rallying point for all men of goodwill, young and old”

“If we did not listen to him while he was alive, we must listen to him from the grave in. If truly Nigeria must be great again, we could not ask for a better rallying point. A pledge to be a better Nigerian made from here today as a memorial to Gani’s honour which will represent the first building blocks of a new Nigerian life”, he added.

In his tribute, former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said for him and his political family, the greatest tribute they can pay to Gani is to continue the struggle for the liberation and freedom of the Nigerian people along the line that Gani fought.

Said he: “Please reassure our comrade brothers, M.K.O Abiola, Alao Aka-Bashorun, Bala Usman, Beko Ransome-Kuti, Pa Adekunle Ajasin, Senator Abraham Adesanya and many of the unknown defenders of our freedom when you meet them. We shall carry the torch forward and continue to light the candle for the true freedom and liberation of the people”.

In his tribute, former Governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba of Ogun State said late Chief Fawehinmi was one of the greatest supporters of the cause of journalism who contributed significantly to the growth of the profession.

He added that several times he took up briefs on cases against journalists without taking any legal fees and described him as Commander –In –Chief of the Unarmed Forces of Nigeria.

Former Chief of Defence Staff and Pro-democracy activist, Chief Alani Akinrinade, described the late Chief Fawehinmi as the best and most brilliant General that the pro-democracy setting in Nigeria has ever had.

General Akinirinade said he was a man who cared for the ordinary man on the streets and went to jail several times on behalf of the people but never compromised.

A former Military Administrator of Lagos State and pro-democracy activist, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, said the death of the legal icon should remind all Nigerians of the need to go back to the drawing board and let all jointly rebuild the nation into a united and federal Nigeria without any discrimination.

The founder of the Oodua People Congress, Dr Frederick Fasehun, said Chief Fawehinmi was the greatest detainee that was never convicted and also confronted the Police authority to institutionalize the rule of law.

Former Governor of Kaduna State and Chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, said Gani was many persons rolled into one and who represented many things to many people.

He added that his preoccupation was fighting for the weak and giving nightmare to many tin-gods who paraded the corridors of power in Nigeria and touched the lives of many.

A leader of the Niger Delta, Mr Ledum Mitee in his tribute said the legal struggle of Chief Gani during the dark days of the Abacha regime was responsible for his still being alive today.

He said Gani was a man who should be celebrated, adding that the spirit of Ganism would be celebrated by the people of Ogoni who have fixed the 26th of this month for the celebration of Gani and his life.

An associate of late Chief Fawehinmi, Mr Femi Falana called for an investigation into the death of the human rights activist, saying in the past he has had several brushes with the authority which has had a toll on his health.

Mr Falana added that Gani never believed in violence but was always insistent on using the instrumentality of the law to change the society.