Truly, “Life is not counted by its duration but its donation to a good cause for humanity”

Gani really gave his all to the good of all in the course of promoting humanity, human rights, democracy and good governance. He gave his life, time, wealth, health, higher class status, home, office, profession, sleep, intellectual capacity to the good course he believed and he never wavered till he exited fifteen years ago on September 5, 2009.

But Gani continued to live in our minds as his comrades, followers, associates, co-human rights and pro-democracy activists, in the minds of Nigerians and millions of people globally who never met him in person but through his huge records, weekly law reports, as a principled, ever consistent giant and leader of the struggles. Gani was an exceptionally fantastic committed person who left his indelible footprints on the sand of time.

I remember my last visit to the great man in his house shortly after he returned from UK where he was diagnosed and being treated for a terminal illness of lung cancer. Lung cancer ke? This was a man of simple and careful social lifestyle, who never smoked or drank alcohol all his life. Most people thought that only smokers are liable to die of lung cancer but Gani’s death proved that wrong.

The Gani I saw on that day receiving some bishops who came to pay him solidarity visit, was a man at the “departure hall” waiting for his final exit. As usual with the barricade commander, Gani looked unperturbed with his usual strong will despite knowing his exit day was near. He displayed so much courage typical of Gani while addressing and thanking the bishops for their visit. He clenched his fist intermittently with a raised voice that had lost much of its protest and barricade decibel. Gani was Gani till he died.

So Gani would going to the ultimate journey of no return? I asked myself. Tears started dropping from my eyes. I quickly left his sitting room where he used to host us before ending up at his dinning table for sumptuous meals in those days. Gani was a lover of good traditional food and he loved to host us, his political and human right associates, particularly after successful protests, court victories, for discussions, or when preparing for the next actions . (Honestly, I don’t know why no one among us is doing that now) Of course, eating with Chief was another forum for a mini-seminar on national issues and how to ensure the sustainance of anti-millitary struggles or to promote anti-corruption good governance in civil rule.

Where I sat in his compound with heavy heart, thoughts of his great achievements and the deadly risks he took, despite being a very comfortable man, in fighting freely for the oppressed, the vulnerable, the unknown and the nameless started flowing in my mind. I remembered his many legal battles pro bono since the 70s during Gowon military dictatorship when he had to defend a journalist whose hair was shaven off forcefully on the order of a power crazy military governor.

I remembered his legal defence of the illegally expelled student activists of University of Maiduguri under a very petulant, arrogant vice chancellor, Prof. Jubil Aminu.

I remembered his free defence of 60 OAU students including my humble self, a second illegal expulsion even when I was still in prison detention with three other members of the OAU 4, Abass Ayodeji – Aleshinloye, Afolabi Selfpikin and Anthony Fasayo (Tony Fash).

I remembered his landmark case he handled and the outstanding legal illumination on Tinubu’s Chicago University certificate forgery scandal and how his profound erudition “defeated” their immunity and impunity under Section 308 of the 1999 constitution. It was his legal victory at the Appeal Court that removed the “boju boju” scale from citizens’ eyes which revealed to us that a sitting president, his vice, governor and his vice, can be investigated while in office even though they have immunity from prosecution but they can be investigated by the police and other relevant security agencies and tried later after their tenure. It was a rear great feat. The trial of Yaya Bello, former rascally governor of Kogi State, now a fugitive of law because of his high profile corruption trial by the EFCC but unfortunately being defended because of “Egunje” by some some self acclaimed Gani’s followers, is a gain of that Gani’s victory that governors, presidents and their deputies can be investigated while in office. Where is Yaya sef? Aso Rock, Kogi Governor’s lodge, Sango, Ikorodu, Agege or where?

I remembered his legal victory at the Supreme Court during the long drawn milestone legal battle to get the National Conscience Party, (NCP) and other parties registered. I personally considered this as Gani’s most valuable legal landmark. It was a watershed in the nation’s political history that got many other parties registered and widened the vista of popular participation in democracy against the bourgeois ruling class and INEC dictatorship in restricting parties formation to the circle of moneybags, the corrupt and accredited privileged public thieves.

When I read the high court judgment which we lost, it occurred to me that integrity & courage to uphold justice made a good judge more than the wig. Even as a layman, it was obvious that the judge ran away from law and facts as Gani copiously presented in court, and he decided to embrace frivolous legal technicalities. But his seniors at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court upturned his ridiculous judgment. The unanimous Supreme Court judges castigated the high court Judge for running away from justice in a very clear case that presented a rare opportunity for him to have advanced jurisprudence but he lost the opportunity questionably.

I remembered my telephone conversation with Gani to congratulate him a day after the remarkable judgment. “Chief Chief” as I liked to call the great leader. Congratulations sir for this great victory for us”. “Thank you, thank you Aluta Father, Aluta Father …” was part of his response from his elated voice . He liked to always call me “Aluta Father! Aluta Father, he didn’t tell me why. Can you imagine that? The greatest grandfather of Aluta referring to a humble me, an admirer and critical follower as “Aluta Father”. Such was Gani’s humility, friendship and recognition of his associates, to encourage us to do more.

In his amiable nature, Gani had nicknames or special ways of calling his very close associates. Femi Aborishade – “Femco” Lanre Arogundade – “Laruse” Femi Falana – “Fem Fem” Olumide Fusika – “Olumighty”, Segun Aderemi Sango – Sangoooo! and a host of other associates. I remembered our post victory dinner at his Ikeja home. Gani was ever a good host for dinner and he cracked jokes a lot when in very good mood. A trait many didn’t know about this always busy man. At dinner he would call his guests attention to different meals, meats and different types of vegetables available to be “demolished”, a way of encouraging his guests to eat to their fill. Of course, the meals and fruits served were always unfinishable.

In my lonely state of deep thoughts and recollection of the life and times of Gani, I recalled his great sacrifice, his uncountable detention experiences, prosecution for many ridiculous offences like “treason”, attempt to forcefully overthrow military regimes, (now being repeated under Tinubu regime), arson for alleged burning of his own house in order to embarrass Babangida military dictatorship. Laughable! A ridiculous allegation that Prof. GG Darah, a profound wordsmith, once described as “Ganicidal Self Combustion” while reading the citation at the confirment of the prestigious title of “Senior Advocate of the Masses” (SAM) to Fawehinmi by the Great Ife students in 1988. His harassment and several threats to his life, his several legal defence (pro bono) to many victimised student activists, uncountable oppressed Nigerians, labour leaders including Ayodele Akele who was unjustly sacked by the then Gov. Bola Tinubu, for his principled uncompromised leadership of Lagos workers in their struggle for a minimum living wage. It was a historic struggle that has become a reference on how workers can be well mobilised for struggle and led faithfully by a very principled committed leader.

I went back to his sitting room to subconsciously bid Gani my final farewell mutely with a clenched right fist, a salutation for his great giant strides at the barricades of several struggles and protests for masses liberation, economic betterment of citizens and in the court rooms using law as a tool for social engineering. It was to be my last salutation to acknowledge a great hero and it was my last to see my ” Chief, Chief”.

Indeed, a great giant bird had taken his last, ultimate flight of no return, shedding its plume for us to behold as a testimony that there was once an irreplaceable, ever consistent very principled great man called Gani Fawehinmi (SAM, SAN), a friend / defender of the poor, a true Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM) who gave his all when he was here.

Flying higher the banner of freedom, social justice, human rights, democracy and good governance with total principled commitment is the best tribute we all, as his associates and all Nigerians of good conscience, can pay to the memory of Gani Fawehinmi. A good family man and dedicated servant&leader of the people who actually gave his all.

Let the struggle continue, victory is certain. If we fight, we shall win, if we don’t, we have lost. Solidarity Forever.

*(This piece is dedicated to Comrade Michael Lenin, Sodiq and other lawful EndBadGovernance Protesters detained. Free Them Now!

Adeola Soetan
Member, Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM)
08037207856.
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*PS: The writer, a former Students Union President, Great Ife (1989/90), wrote his WAEC Exams and left secondary School , Rev. Kuti Memorial Grams, Abeokuta before he was 18 years. Tragic enough, 18 is the new exhumed diversionary magic age now under Tinubu regime, below which no student, no matter how brilliant, will be allowed to sit for the same WAEC Exams the author sat for 45 years ago. They are only putting Nigeria on a reverse gear. But sadly, under 18 girls are mature enough for the elders’(Agbaya)laps for intercourse and marriage.