Pebbles, with Igbotako Nowinta.
“How can anybody imagine a situation where confirmed looters with the abundance of evidence against them are allowed to roam the country and leave for Europe, America and Asia to savor their loots in foreign vaults and yet return to the country and nothing happens to them? Therefore, all these talk about anti corruption crusade is nothing but balderdash; what the Americans call bullshit?”
- Gani Fawehinmi, quoted in Nowinta’s book-WHERE WE ARE (Page xiii)
Many Nigerians, especially the ordinary people of Nigeria will agree with me that the life of Chief Gani Fawehinmi is an inexhaustible and classical subject.
Also, many citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will not dispute the fact that when chief Gani Fawehinmi succumbed to the cold hands of death on September 5th, 2009, the masses wept uncontrollably.
With the death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi at the age of 71 years, as a result of complications from lung cancer, the entire nation indeed witnessed the exit of a mighty fighter for freedom, human rights and democracy.
Therefore, it is absolutely necessary for me to say a few things concerning my former political leader and extraordinary activist on the occasion of the 5th year anniversary of his painful demise.
On this column today, the great Gani Fawehinmi is on my mind, even as there are lots of issues to be addressed. Nevertheless, readers will permit me to divert a bit to raise these issues as the indefatigable Gani had done when he was around with us, before I will resort to the original topic for today’s discussion.
If Gani is with us today, he would have furiously spoken against a character like Dimeji Bankole, the former speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, who is presently eyeing the number one position in Ogun State in the forth coming general elections in 2015.
Giving what we know about Bankole – how he was humiliated and chased about (both in the law court and outside) immediately the House of Representatives ended its sitting in 2011, it is absurd and really out of place that such a guy will be given the opportunity to govern Ogun State so soon.
It is really tragic that most of our so called politicians are shameless, parochial and brazen in their selfish and bravado agenda to always be in position where they will be accessing public funds without regards to the wishes and aspirations of the greatest number of the ordinary people who are languishing in untold hardship.
If we are truly in a society where the electoral system is sanitized and fool proof, where votes of the ordinary citizens count at every stage of election, the likes of Dimeji Bankole dare never to aspire to be governor of an enlightened people like Ogun State.
Agreed that Bankole has been able to “settle” many of the accusations leveled against him in and outside the court by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others, it offends common sense that he is now aspiring to rule Ogun State so early, after his much publicized ‘persecution’ and questionable character.
So much for Bankole and Ogun politics, Gani Fawehinmi would have raised eyebrows too about the recent revelations making rounds about those that have been alleged to be sponsoring Boko Haram’s heinous and unfathomable brutality.
Gani would have raised hell and brimstones against the duo of Ali Modu Sheriff (Former Governor of Borno State) and General Azubuike Ihejirika (former Army Chief).
Personally, I think the recent allegations against Sheriff and Ihejirika are too weighty and far reaching to be waved aside by those who hold the reins of power at the Presidential Palace in Aso Rock, Abuja.
If the crimes being committed against the Nigerian nation by Shekarau and his evil gang are simply beyond pardon, it is the more reason President Jonathan must apply every stringent procedure to investigate and ultimately bring all sponsors of Boko Haram to book.
Well, if nothing serious comes out of the latest revelations by Davis Sampson then, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) must be held responsible at all times for the unspeakable atrocities being unleashed against our country.
Gani Fawehinmi reminds me of the great tasks ahead – that of salvaging our nation from insane politicians who are putridly corrupt, and who do not care a bit about the accelerated development of the country.
Indeed, Gani’s steadfastness, integrity and commitment to the cause of the oppressed and the general good of the society are unbeatable in the sands of time.
Who is this icon of the struggle, which operated within the confines of the law; who proved marvelously as a girdle to the weak and a scourge to the wicked?
Chief Gani Fawehinmi decided to enter this world on Friday, 22 of April 1938. He hailed from Ondo State, precisely Ondo town.
He was at An sar udeen Primary School, Iyemaja, Ondo State, where he had his elementary school, from 1947 and 1953. He had his secondary school at Victory College, Ikare from 1954-1958, also in Ondo State. Having acquired his secondary school certificate in 1961, he sojourned to United Kingdom, where he read law at Holborn College of Law.
With a law degree in 1964, he was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar on the 13th of January 1965, after he had graduated from the Nigerian Law School.
Gani started the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports in 1985 as founder and editor-in-chief. Nigerian students bestowed on him ‘Senior Advocate of the Masses’ (SAM) because of his unprecedented commitment to the cause of the ordinary people.
Chief Gani Fawehinmi founded the National Conscience Party (NCP) on October 1st 1994. I met him several times, when I was chairman of NCP Edo State. Our country is still in a very deep mess, only if progressives can remain consistent like Gani, then the revolution which he shouldered ceaselessly will become stunning reality in no distant time. That is why Gani is on my mind today.
