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Tag: Gani Fawehinmi

  • NWLR has sustained Gani Fawehinmi’s vision, says Editor

    NWLR has sustained Gani Fawehinmi’s vision, says Editor

    • Publication marks 40 years of law reporting

    Nigeria’s longest-running law reporting publication, the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports (NWLR), has assured Nigerians that the publication has remained consistent with the vision and focus of its founder, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN).

    Established on October 1, 1985, by Chief Fawehinmi, the NWLR has remained consistent for four decades, making it the longest consecutive weekly law report in Nigeria and across Africa.

    Addressing reporters yesterday at the Nigerian Law Publication House in Ikeja, the Chairman of the Anniversary Planning Committee and Editor of the NWLR, Mr. Oluwole Kehinde, said the publication has stayed true to the vision of its founder.

    “Chief Fawehinmi dreamt that the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports would continue even after his demise, and since September 5, 2009, that dream has been sustained,” Kehinde said.

    To mark the milestone, a public lecture will hold on October 9, with the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, chairing the event, while a former Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), will deliver the keynote address.

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    The lecture, with the theme: Safeguarding the Legacy of Law Reporting and Embracing the Future in a Technological Era, will examine the role of law reporting in judicial history while charting a path forward in the digital age.

    The NWLR has undergone a lot of transformation. Before independence, colonial courts issued official law reports, while private initiatives such as the Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (1964–1977) struggled with sustainability.

    By the late 1970s, access to Supreme Court judgments was limited to a privileged few. Fawehinmi petitioned the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Chief Justice over the practice, which led to a historic 1984 declaration that Supreme Court judgments are public property.

    This paved the way for the birth of the NWLR the following year.

    Since then, the NWLR has been published uninterrupted for 40 years and has earned recognition beyond Nigeria, especially across Commonwealth countries that practice common law.

    In 2019, the report went online, broadening access for legal practitioners, academics, and the general public worldwide.

    Kehinde said the publication’s focus is to preserve Nigeria’s legal heritage while embracing innovation in an increasingly technological era.

  • Remembering Gani again

    Remembering Gani again

    While many persons have penned tributes in memory of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, a few things still remain distinct for me. The first was his love for books, that many do not say much about. If he heard of any new book, of whatever subject, he would pick it up.

    For a man enamoured of politics, I was amazed to see books on poetry, drama and novels in his treasured cove. His library was massive. I recall when the chief conducted Femi Ojudu and I through shelf after shelf, a cornucopia of big minds aflare on his walls.

    So enthused were both of us that Ojudu promised to bury his next leave as a staff of Concord Press in between his book covers. I bought my copy of In a Free State by Nobel Prize-winning novelist V.S. Naipaul because it plopped into my eyes from the shelf.

    One day, I ambled into his office with a book I bought from “bend down bookstore,” previously owned by Olu Akaraogun. Immediately he saw it, he grinned in his boyish way and quipped, “That must be about the French Revolution.” He was right. It was a book about Reflections on the French Revolution by Edmund Burke.

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    The other thing was his fascination with dictators. He loved Kemal Ataturk, Joseph Stalin, et al. I challenged him once that Stalin lived for 20 million people to die. His riposte was an aplomb face, and then he said the Soviet leader needed such ruthlessness to build his massive mechanization project. Yet when the Soviet Union fell, he told me its parallel was coming for the IBB regime.

     He somehow managed to remain a closet authoritarian in public. He might not want an Ataturk for Nigeria, I think he might have favoured what political philosophers now call competitive authoritarianism that we now see in places like Turkey and Poland.

     He was IBB’s nemesis, and each January he would say, with sanguine mischief, “this government is going to fall this year. There is no doubt about that at all.”

    I recall his intimacy with Olu Onagoruwa, and how they met for banter and cackles in his house over fried goat meat called asun, and how they travelled together on weekends out of Lagos, Gani going farther to Ondo, while Onagoruwa held the brakes at Ijebu. Up till today, I muse over how the quest for a public good made a mincemeat to a storied friendship.

    But pray, how did a Gani go for a swim in a public place like the Sheraton Hotel? How can we say it was not where he ingested what eventually took his life with SSS always trailing him?

  • Remembering my mentor, hero, boss Gani Fawehinmi

    Remembering my mentor, hero, boss Gani Fawehinmi

    By Uba Sani

    In the early hours of September 5, 2009, Nigeria and indeed the entire continent of Africa lost a titan, a man whose life was a testament to courage, unwavering principle, and indefatigable commitment to justice and democracy. Chief Abdulganiyu “Gani” Oyesola Fawehinmi, GCON, SAN, passed into the annals of history, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire generations. His departure was not just the loss of a legal luminary or a pro-democracy crusader; it was the loss of a father figure, a teacher, and a mentor who transformed the lives of many, including my own.

    I first met Chief Gani Fawehinmi in a Nigeria shackled by military authoritarianism, a nation gasping under the weight of repression, censorship, and the truncation of fundamental freedoms. At a time when fear sought to suffocate hope, Chief Fawehinmi emerged as a beacon of fearless resistance, an unwavering voice in the wilderness. It was during the fraught aftermath of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, a watershed moment when the popular mandate of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola was cruelly annulled, that I encountered the formidable spirit of Chief Fawehinmi. The military junta’s cynical efforts to tribalise the struggle and cast the fight for democracy as a parochial Yoruba cause were all-too evident and divisive. Yet, Chief Fawehinmi’s vision was pan-Nigerian, and his commitment to justice transcended all ethnic and regional divides. And of course, Chief M.K.O Abiola’s June 12, 1993 mandate was pan-Nigerian.

    As a young man from Northern Nigeria, vocally opposing the annulment and deeply invested in the struggle for democracy, I found in Chief Gani Fawehinmi not just a comrade but a mentor who treated me with the warmth of a father and the wisdom of a seasoned General. His home in Lagos became my second sanctuary, where I happily shared a room with Comrade Femi Aborisade, one of his closest confidants, and where the seeds of my civil rights activism and  consciousness, already sown during my days as a students’ union leader, were fertilized and hence deep-rooted. It was in those hallowed chambers that I drank deeply from his well of knowledge, courage, and unyielding faith in justice.

    Chief Gani Fawehinmi was more than a lawyer; he was the “Senior Advocate of the Masses,” a relentless champion for the downtrodden, and an indomitable scourge of military dictators. His legal advocacy was a revolution in itself, demonstrating that law, wielded with determination, creativity, and consistency, could become a potent instrument of social and political engineering. In an era when many in the legal profession chose silence or complicity, Chief Fawehinmi stood firm, often misunderstood and isolated by colleagues who failed to grasp the breadth of his vision. But he never faltered. For him, self-help was not an option, and the wheel of justice, though often slow, was inexorable.

    His life was marked by sacrifices that few could endure. The prison cell was a recurring reality: his home away from home; yet even incarceration could not break his spirit. Chief Fawehinmi’s courage in the face of oppression became a rallying cry for millions. He led the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON), a coalition of pro-democracy groups that waged a relentless battle against military authoritarianism. I was honoured to serve as National Vice Chairman of JACON, working closely with him to expand the struggle into Northern Nigeria and forge a united front against dictatorship.

    His patriotism was profound and all-encompassing. Chief Fawehinmi’s humanitarian vision was not confined to any one tribe or region but embraced the entire Nigerian nation. Among his many legacies was a scholarship scheme that reached brilliant but indigent students across Nigeria. I had the privilege of working with him to extend this initiative to Northern Nigeria, where educational deprivation was most acute. This scholarship, initiated in 2000, has empowered over a thousand young Nigerians who have since blossomed into doctors, lawyers, scholars, and leaders. Through this programme, Chief Fawehinmi’s commitment to education became a living, breathing force for national development.

    With the eventual return of democracy, Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s fight did not cease. Alongside comrades like Femi Aborisade and myself, as Deputy National Chairman (North) of the National Conscience Party (NCP), we waged a legal battle to broaden Nigeria’s political space. We challenged efforts by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister political parties; an affront to the pluralistic democracy we all sought. Our efforts culminated in a landmark Supreme Court ruling affirming the constitutional protections for political parties and safeguarding democratic participation. Our efforts widened the political space and ultimately led to INEC’s regular and periodic registration of new or emergent political parties today. This victory was a testament to Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s enduring belief in the law as a tool for justice. I recall that the lead plaintiff in this matter was the indomitable Mallam Balarabe Musa, the leader of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP);  we were also supported in this legal battle by another formidable political activist, the late M.D Yusuf, the dogged leader of the Movement for Democracy and Justice (MDJ).

    Even now, years after his passing, Chief Fawehinmi  lives vibrantly in the hearts and minds of Nigerians. He remains an icon of resilience, an exemplar of integrity, and a paragon of selflessness. The countless lives he touched, the many he mentored, and the ideals he championed continue to shape Nigeria’s democratic journey.

    Personally, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, GCON, was more than a mentor: he was a father who imparted not only civil rights wisdom but also the ethos of principled struggle. From him, I learnt that the fight for justice demands courage, patience, and strategic engagement. He taught me that democracy is not merely the absence of dictatorship but the presence of justice, accountability, and inclusivity.

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    Today, as Governor of Kaduna State, guided by my reverence for Almighty Allah, a deep fidelity to conscience, and the solemn duties imposed by my oath of office and the Constitution of our great nation, I have remained steadfast in doing all within my power and capacity to honour the legacy of my mentor and teacher, Chief Gani Fawehinmi. It is a path I have embraced with conviction — and one I am resolutely committed to walking for the rest of my days in public service.

    Nigeria and Africa owe Chief Gani Fawehinmi a debt of gratitude. His relentless crusade against military tyranny, corruption, impunity, and human rights abuses paved the way for the freedoms we enjoy today. His life reminds us that democracy is fragile and must be vigilantly protected.

    The challenge before us is to sustain and build upon his legacy. We must continue to expand democratic space, uphold constitutionalism, and remain steadfast in our commitment to social justice. Chief  Fawehinmi ‘s vision was not merely for a moment in time but for a Nigeria where liberty, fairness, and the rule of law are the birthright of every citizen.

    As we commemorate the sixteenth anniversary of his passing, it is not merely a remembrance but a reaffirmation of our commitment to the ideals he embodied. May the soul of our departed mentor rest in eternal peace, and may Almighty Allah grant him the rest befitting a man whose life was a sacrifice for justice and democracy.

    Senator Uba Sani, CON, is the Governor of Kaduna State

  • Developers accused of endangering Fawehinmis’ lives: we followed due diligence

    Developers accused of endangering Fawehinmis’ lives: we followed due diligence

    The landowners and developers of a four-storey apartment alleged to be endangering the lives of the family of late legal luminary, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), has denied the allegations, insisting that their building followed the standards and procedures approved by regulatory authorities.

    A coalition of family members and close friends of the late Fawehinmi at the weekend demanded the demolition of the property in front of Gani’s building on Ademola Close, off Remi Fani Kayode Street, Ikeja GRA.

    In the statement, the coalition alleged that the property was a hotel, adding that a 1,000-litre water tank mounted in the premises had collapsed three times into the late sage’s property, endangering the lives of his family members.

    They alleged that property violated Lagos State Urban Planning Laws, particularly the mandatory three-metre setback between structures.

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    The group raised significant safety and privacy concerns, claiming that the building not only looms over the Fawehinmi compound but also poses a security risk, potentially serving as a surveillance or access point for criminal elements.

    But at a news conference yesterday, the land owners and developers described the allegation as untrue.

    Head of Projects, Morakinyo Abolude, said they got the building permits and ensured that the authorities visited the site at every stage for compliance.

    “It is a fact that building permits can only be granted by the state government through relevant agencies. They determine the type of building/structure approvable in a particular location and the limit in terms of height.

    “An individual cannot be the one to decide what he/she wants to be built around his/her house simply because he/she is a senior citizen.

  • Friends, Associates protest threat to late Gani Fawehinmi’s home, call for demolition

    Friends, Associates protest threat to late Gani Fawehinmi’s home, call for demolition

    A coalition of friends and associates of the late legal icon, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), has demanded the immediate demolition of a four-storey apartment building erected beside his residence in Ikeja GRA, Lagos, describing it as a dangerous structure that threatens the safety of the family and desecrates his legacy. 

    At a press conference and protest on Friday, April 25, 2025, the group decried what they described as a “brazen act of recklessness and injustice”, the construction of a four-storey apartment building directly beside Chief Fawehinmi’s residence in Ikeja GRA.

    According to the group, the four-storey building, referred to as a “so-called apartment” but identified as a hotel, was erected with blatant disregard for Lagos State’s urban planning laws, particularly the mandatory three-metre minimum setback between buildings.

    The event, organised shortly after Fawehinmi’s 87th posthumous birthday on April 22, was aimed at drawing public attention to the matter and demanding corrective action.

    In a statement by leading activists and lawyers including Femi Falana (SAN), Clement (SAN), Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), Adindu Ugwuzor, Richard Akinnola, Edetaen Ojo, Bayo Alabidun, and Lanre Arogundade, the group emphasised that the gathering “marks the beginning of series of actions we might be compelled to embark upon until we attain that goal of justice.”

    “We wish to reiterate that Chief Gani uncommonly devoted almost his entire legal, social and political life to the advocacy for the rule of law, respect for the Constitution and the defence of the rights of Nigerians, especially the deprived and downtrodden masses, all in the quest for good governance and a country that we can all be proud of,” they said.

    The coalition lamented that despite Fawehinmi’s sacrifices, his family continues to face threats and intimidation:

    “Against the above background, the least that we expect is that his soul would be allowed to rest in peace; while members of his family who equally suffered the pains and pangs of his incessant harassment and incarceration would be allowed to live peacefully without any form of threat, intimidation or needless endangerment whatsoever.”

    The group condemned the developers of the structure, accusing them of flouting building regulations and acting either out of impunity or with the support of corrupt officials.

    “So brazen were the dare-devil builders or developers that they ignored family warnings and chose to build their structure almost on top of Chief Gani’s fence.

    ” It is possible that they believe they are above the law or perhaps, they bear some grudge against Chief Gani and his family and therefore do not see anything wrong in their brazen act of recklessness and injustice but, whoever they think they are and whatever their motive, our stance is that this injustice should not, cannot and must not be allowed to stand.”

    The coalition also raised alarm over the risk posed by the building to lives and property. 

    It claimed a 1000-litre water tank installed atop the apartment building had collapsed three times into Fawehinmi’s compound, citing the repeated incidents as evidence of the immediate danger.

    “We are fortunate that no one has so far been hurt or killed as a result of these incidents but these repeated incidents themselves show without doubt how dangerously close this structure is to Chief Gani’s house and demonstrate the critical nature of this issue as the lives of Chief Gani’s family members are indeed in clear danger.

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    “As a matter of fact, it was only providential that the cited incidents have so far not led to fatalities. We do not want to wait until any such catastrophe occurs before taking action. We have, therefore, chosen to speak out now before deadlier incidents occur,” the statement reads

    The coalition outlined their demands clearly:

    That the four-storey apartment building should be demolished for violating Lagos State urban development regulations, particularly regarding mandatory setbacks.

    That the building should be removed because it presents security risks, offering a vantage point to criminal elements due to its proximity and commercial nature.

    That urgent action is needed to prevent the permanent threat the structure poses to lives and property at Chief Gani’s residence.

    The group pledged to continue their advocacy until justice is fully achieved.

    “This is not just about a building. It is about protecting a legacy, preserving justice, and honouring the memory of a man who gave everything for the rights of others. This injustice must not stand, we will not rest until justice is served,” the coalition declared.

  • Winners emerge in Gani Fawehinmi Impact And Integrity Awards (GFIIA) 2023

    Winners emerge in Gani Fawehinmi Impact And Integrity Awards (GFIIA) 2023

    Winners have emerged in the annual Gani Fawehinmi Impact and Integrity Awards (GFIIA)Impact and Integrity Awards (GFIIA), which was held on Sunday, December 10, at the Colossus Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos.

    The Gani Fawehinmi Award which is in its sixth year was organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), and supported by the MacArthur Foundation.

    According to HEDA, “The award aims to encourage, promote, celebrate and protect the uncommon principles of openness, honesty, probity, accountability and transparency in public and private life and whistleblowing to deserving persons and bodies.”

    The ceremony was preceded by a lecture, titled: “Corruption, Transparency, Accountability, and Good Governance: A Review of the Current Socio-Economic Challenges and Reality in Nigeria,” by Professor Omotoye Olorode.

    Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, commended HEDA for sustaining the award on an annual basis, noting that the award is a way of encouraging people and a way of challenging the awardees.

    Falana highlighted the need for Nigerians to continue to speak up at this period of economic hardship in the country.

    Also present at the event are, Dr Muiz Banire SAN, Mr Femi Aborisade, Wahab Shittu SAN, Dr Tunde Akanni, Mr Wale Adeoye, amongst others.

    Dr Tajudeen Odetayo, a former Rector of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree beat two other nominees Ojo Aderemi Ayotunde and Saheed Ololade to emerge winner of the Outstanding Integrity Awards.

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    Elated Odetayo expressed happiness emerging as the winner of the category and urged the organisers to continue at it, noting that it is a way of encouraging the youths.

    Investigative journalist, David Hundenyin won the Valuable Whistle Blower category, defeating the only contender comrade Ibrahim Ali.

    Dr Oludare David Adetoro won the Nigeria in Diaspora award category while the Outstanding Impact Award which also had three nominees Michael Awo Ejeh, James Chijioke Ume, and ACP Mailafia Yakubu was won by James Chijioke Ume, the publisher of TheWhistler.ng.

    Ume, who won the award for his philanthropic works, said: “The award stands for so many things to me. One of which is a call for service.

    “It also shows that no matter the little things you do for humanity, people are watching, and they are recognising the things you are doing.

    “It also means that you must monitor every one of your activities, and everything you are doing, because people are seeing it, and they are observing you and taking records.”

    Michael Awo Ejeh said he felt great to be part of the nominees who also got awarded, he urged the organizers to sustain the tempo and seek more partnerships so the award will have a larger spread.

  • Remembering Gani Fawehinmi

    Today marks another posthumous birthday anniversary of the late legal icon, Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi, SAN. Gani, as he was fondly called, was many virtues personified and positively too. Indeed, his greatest love was fighting against oppression in any form, especially on the side of the government and tackling corruption. What perhaps sharpened his resolve was his training as a lawyer and his experience while growing up. Gani abhorred cheating in any form and was ready to lay down his life to fighting the scourge of corruption.

    He meant different things to different people, depending on where you belong. To the government, he was seen as an interloper, a busy-body and trouble maker, but to the masses, he was their mouthpiece and defender of the oppressed. One of the greatest lessons that could be learnt from his life is that he was a firm believer in using non-violent means in fighting perceived injustice. He was a classic example of using the law to fight his many battles, most of which were about the ordinary people. This should not be surprising in view of the fact that he lost his father at a young age, making him come face to face with poverty and deprivation, with only his mother left to cater for him. His conviction that he could achieve so much as a lawyer contributed immensely to whatever he later became in life.

    Gani dared the lion in its den severally, even under the worst military dictatorships at the expense of his life. Courage, determination and an uncommon belief in the instrumentality of the law saw him swimming successfully against the tide. As a man who was steadfast in his beliefs, Gani took the battle to the enemies’ camp alongside some of his comrades. These were friends from different backgrounds who were of the same school of thought with the Ondo – born lawyer. These included the late Alao Aka Bashorun, Dr Olu Onagoruwa, Chima Ubani, Dr Tai Solarin, Dr Beko Ramsome-Kuti, Baba Omojola, Femi Aborishade, Femi Falana, Fela Anikulapo – Kuti, Prof. Wole Soyinka etc.

    On some occasions, he fought his battle all alone, relying on his conviction. In this connection, he was severally arrested, detained and even jailed, along with his colleagues in dehumanizing prisons, but he was never cowed. As Prof Bolaji Akinyemi rightly puts it, “It said that a tree does actually make a forest, but Gani’s tree actually strove assiduously to make a forest in the struggle for social justice and freedom”

    Like other humans, the late lawyer had his weaknesses, but that does not include not standing up for what he was convinced about. According to Femi Falana, SAN who was his close ally for decades, “He (Gani) stood up for his conviction by tirelessly offering the public ideas to some socio-economic and political problems. It is to the eternal credit of the late Fawehinmi that he fought and won the battle to widen political space by getting more parties registered to vie for elections using the instrumentality of the law. Though the idea might have been abused by some unscrupulous politicians, there is no doubt that it has provided a platform for the likes of Kingsley Moghalu, Omoyele Sowore, Oby Ezekwesili, Donald Duke etc to take a shot at the presidency.

    Gani may not be alive today; however, his contributions to legal research will remain indelible. As a firm believer in the documentation, Gani through his company, Nigerian Law Publications enriched the practice of law by printing books on cases regularly for use by lawyers, judicial officers and researchers. Though it is unfortunate that the company is not doing well today, it will not be a bad idea for friends and associates of Gani, especially those who learnt under the feet of the legal icon to rise to the occasion by joining his family to restore the company’s lost glory. Sadly too, Gani’s death has created a lacuna in the fight against corruption being prosecuted by the present administration. Aside from lacking the much-needed support from lawyers, even some of those close to Gani are sworn enemies of the war against corruption. This is rather unfortunate as the Gani we know would have thrown his weight behind this great opportunity to rid our country of a monster that has held us back for decades.

    The good thing, however, is that the current administration has shown an uncommon passion to face headlong a battle Gani fought with the last drop of his blood. Recall that the late legal icon had after unsuccessfully realizing his presidential ambition told Nigerians to back Buhari for president. The ongoing battle against corruption is the continuation of a battle to rid this country of a malaise that has held us down for years.

    As we mark another posthumous birthday anniversary of the late legal icon, the greatest legacy we owe this country is to join hands with the Buhari administration to ensure Gani’s dreams come to fruition for the betterment of our society. This has become expedient going by the experience of the Buhari administration in its task of fighting corruption in the last four years. The humongous amounts of money, both in local and foreign currencies recovered from officials of the immediate administration should fire the adrenaline of all to tackle corruption. Like Gani, we need to fight to bring to an end, all impediments in the way of a just and equitable society using all legal means available. No doubt this was what Gani’s ally and former attorney – general and minister for justice, Dr Olu Onageruwa saw when he said poverty, corruption and democracy are strange bedfellows. According to him, the corruption of our rulers escalated poverty in Nigeria, adding that there is no moral edification for the poor. Who would not be angry that $400 billion of development assistance that flowed into Nigeria since independence was squandered? Surely, it is only in Nigeria that people are cheated and the same people look the other way as if nothing happened.

    The beauty of it all is that Gani has shown the way, but the greatest challenge is for us all not to allow his struggle to be in vain. We must, therefore, rise to the challenge by taking up the gauntlet from where the late legal icon dropped it and forge ahead. Though there may never be another Gani, we must however ever rekindle the flame for social justice by joining forces with the Buhari administration towards uprooting corruption and other social vices which Gani lived and died for in our interest and that of our future generation.

     

    • Umohinyang, a social commentator and political analyst, wrote in from Lagos.

  • Gani Fawehinmi integrity awards holds in Lagos on Monday

    In its bid to promote anti-corruption campaign and inspire generations, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) will on Monday in Lagos hold the maiden edition of Gani Fawehinmi Impact and Integrity Awards.

    HEDA said the award is in recognition of individuals who promote honour, integrity and who also stand tall in the crusade against corruption in Nigeria, a country said to lose billions of naira to graft and financial crimes every year.

    The award was instituted by HEDA in memory of the late anti-corruption icon, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who was born on April 22, 1938 but died of lung cancer on September 8, 2009.

    He was arguably the most incarcerated Nigerian on account of his fearless battles for good governance and transparency.

    In a statement issued yesterday, HEDA Chairman, Mr Lanre Suraj, said the Impact and Integrity Awards are borne out of the desire to celebrate outstanding Nigerians who have demonstrated exemplary leadership and citizenship.

    The Awards in three categories are for people in any area of human endeavors that earn recognition for Outstanding Integrity Award (OIA), Outstanding Impact Award (OIA) and Whistles Blower Award (WBA).

    Recipients for the three categories of awards for the maiden edition emerged following the decision of a wide spectrum of Nigerians who responded to HEDA’s call for nomination spanning a period of more than two months beginning from September when the nomination was launched in the mainstream and social media.

    He said at the close of nomination on October 10, 123 entries were received for the two categories of the Awards respectively as 114 entries for Outstanding Integrity and Impact Awards (OIA) and nine entries for Whistles Blower Award (WBA).

    Mr Suraj said over the years, Nigeria has faced dwindling fortunes in global anti-corruption rating.

    He said: “The negative image our dear country has acquired is no doubt symptomatic of the deep-rooted integrity-deficit and culture of impunity that pervade every sphere of our national life.”

    He stated further that the ugly scenario of corruption and integrity-deficit could better be imagined when searchlight is beamed on daily activities in both the public and private sectors.

  • Remembering Gani Fawehinmi

    IT is another anniversary of the death of Chief Abdul–Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi, first class lawyer, frontline activist, humanist, publisher, author and philanthropist. Gani died on September 5, 2009.

    Even those who disagreed with him – they were many – will agree that we all miss the Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM), a title conferred on him by unprecedented popular acclamation, forcing the authorities to recognize that he was more than qualified for Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He was bold in fighting rights abuses but soft in his dealing with the poor and deprived. His philanthropy was not loud but it resonated far away from his Lagos base. He carried no gun yet he was as brave as a lion.

    If only the dead could talk. Gani would have railed against many of his colleagues who storm the courts to proudly defend very bad corruption cases for cash. To them, it is “actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea” (the action does not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty).

    Not for Gani the legal joke that ” a good lawyer knows the law; a great lawyer knows the judge”. He faced every legal battle with remarkable erudition, passionate delivery and scholarship. His life is a challenge to lawyers who see law

  • A dying art

    What would you do if opportunity beckons for you to come back home to Nigeria after spending years in the United States of America (USA)? From what you can gather, the level of intellectual discourse you were used to before you left is a far cry from what is presently obtained. Should you remain in the US with its state-of-the art education facilities or return to contribute your quota toward the development of Nigeria? This is the dilemma a former colleague faces as he determines to take a decision that could make or mar his future.

    I saw in him an individual who truly loves Nigeria. After spending close to an hour on phone discussing about intellectuals and social critics in both countries, he was baffled that things are worse now than when he left. “All the news I seem to hear from Nigeria is practically about negative news; what is really happening on ground, are the news true”? How did we derail and get to the ridiculous level I hear and read about? He queried.

    He told me that there is not a university in the US or Canada where you will not find, at a minimum, one Nigerian professor or professional. There is not a single hospital where you will not find Nigerian medical doctors and or nurses and other professionals. There is not a single private or public institution anywhere in the US that you will not find Nigerian students. He said the same may be true of the UK. These intellectuals and professionals dispersed when the environment gradually gave way to mediocrity and sycophancy.

    Those of us who grew up listening to – and reading – the likes of the late Gani Fawehinmi; Beko Ransome-Kuti; Yusuf Bala Usman, J. F. Ade-Ajayi; Eskor Toyo; Biodun Jeyifo; Claude Ake; Olatunji Dare; Kole Omotosho; Tam-David-West; Tai Solarin; Grace Alele Williams; Niyi Osundare and a host of others would’ve been appalled that intellectual pursuit and social criticism is a dying art in Nigeria. These and other individuals I cannot all mention because of space would never remain silent in the midst of injustice. Beko and Gani, for instance, spent times in detention because they refused to remain quiet. Their times in detention aggravated their health challenges.

    One thing is certain; there is a price to be paid for silence and cowardice in the face of oppression and injustice. What we see today is the majority looking the other way as things deteriorate. Nigeria is now paying the price for abandoning intellectual pursuits. We already see the decay in the system. We see this in our national priority. We see it in how and what our country is becoming. And we see it in the pervasiveness of hopelessness and in the moral and political corruption that have come to characterise our country. Is this our Nigeria?

    Why do I love intellectuals? I do because they are men and women who have committed their lives and times to the pursuit and or dissemination of rigorous ideas and serious knowledge. They can be found in all areas of life – including music, arts and culture, medicine, mathematics, economics, politics, law, philosophy, and literary criticism.

    Beside the university or institution-based intellectuals, there are the public intellectuals who, for the most part, are engaged in very public discourses within the public sphere. However, it should be pointed out that there are times when it is difficult to differentiate between public intellectualism and political activism — or between political activists and social critics. The lines are sometimes blurred; however, all exist to make society better.

    I still recollect the days of military rule when many of these men and women were labelled “radicals” or “leftists.” Retired Colonel Lawan Gwadabe was once quoted as saying the government abhors “undue radicalism.” But those who knew better knew that these were the salt of our nation. They were the nation’s conscience.

    Many – during the military era- were prosecuted, persecuted, harassed, jailed, or sent into exile. Civilian administrations also contributed to the malaise. In the end, some of our best and brightest who could not stand mediocrity left in search of stability and greener pastures elsewhere.

    That was how our decent into infamy began. Gradually, the distasteful and impermissible became permissible and sacred. It became the norm to not only steal, but to loot. It became acceptable to be a professional “intellectual” sycophant. They revere men and women with inferior IQ and dubious character, all because of crumbs from the master’s table.

    Those who study how societies develop and progress know too well that we need a bourgeoning class of intellectuals to highlight alternative paths to development and social progress. Without them, our society may stagnate, regress or even disintegrate. Even as brutal and repressive and unpredictable as some military regimes were, the Nigerian intellectual class, along with a budding class of social critics, helped to keep the government in check. But today, things have changed. Nigeria is different.

    Intellectuals have always played major roles in society, from the philosophers of old such Plato and Aristotle who articulated thoughts about government, science, and biology to modern intellectuals who go about speaking truth to power and working toward informing and empowering average people.

    Currently, intellectuals are split into three camps: public, private, and dual intellectuals. The public intellectual is usually a university professor who researches, writes, and shares his ideas in the public sphere via books, conferences, and being guests on radio and television shows. While this may seem to be a positive occurrence, much of this information remains in the realm of academia or academia-related areas with little of it becoming truly disseminated to the mainstream public. The danger in this is that the books may be published and the conferences occur, but the only people who know about them are mainly people who are either in that field professionally or already have an interest in that area of study.

    The private intellectual, on the other hand, is one who uses his intellect for the benefit of private groups, corporations, or individuals. This intellectual is mainly concerned with passing his knowledge to a select few, mainly big time corporations and businesses who are often established for profit purposes. He earns hefty fees in return.

    Dual intellectuals are members of the intelligentsia that have one foot in both worlds, occupying the space of a public intellectual and also being, or having been, a private intellectual. Intellectuals within this fold are arguably the most powerful as not only do they have the connections and power that comes from being in the private sector, but they also have major sway over the collective consciousness of a society. Dual intellectuals can make their ideas public, put them out into the mainstream society, and because they also have a background as a public intellectual, the public is much more willing to trust them as they see such people as experts.

    We have lost fair grounds already, but we can still make amends for future generations by repositioning our universities to take their rightful place in the knowledge economy. We can incorporate the Japanese example where graduate teachers are the best paid public servants. There was a time in Nigeria when the salaries of professors were in tandem with that of a federal permanent secretary.  Today however – and despite the increased workload of professors – a distinct pay differential has emerged between apex positions in the civil service and those of senior academics.  Ironically, it is this sense of unfair disparity that has turned our academics into perpetual agitators with destructive consequences for the academic calendar.

    I am yet to hear from my former colleague if he has decided to leave the safety nest of the US for the unpredictable waters of Nigeria.