The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Immortalise

  • Family urges Fed Govt to immortalise Adedibu

    The family of the late strong man of Ibadan politics, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, has urged the Federal Government to immortalise its patriarch “in recognition of his contributions to the nation’s political growth”.

    The family spoke during the fifth year Fidau for the deceased at his Molete home in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    They urged those who have benefited from the late Adedibu’s “political wisdom” to immortalise him.

    Speaking on behalf of the family, Senator Kamoru Adedibu, urged the Federal Government to name a street in Abuja after his father.

    He said hardly is there any political office holder today, who did not, in one way or the other, pass through his father’s home.

    The senator said: “My father contributed immensely to political stability in Nigeria. Baba was part of the struggle that returned the nation to civil rule. Naming a street after him in Abuja is not too much, as well as a post-humous national award.”

    The late Adedibu’s former Personal Assistant, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, urged the Federal Government to declare June 12 a public holiday in honour of the late Adedibu and Chief MKO Abiola, saying “they are both pillars of democracy”.

    He said: “Baba’s footprints in politics were rated higher than that of the late Abiola.”

     

  • Immortalise Justice Araka, family urges Obi

    Immortalise Justice Araka, family urges Obi

    The family of the former Chief Judge of the old Anambra State, the late Justice Emmanuel Nnanyelugo Oseloka Araka has asked the governor of Anambra State, Chief Peter Obi, to immortalise him in view of his contribution to the development of the judiciary.

    The Late Justice Araka, who became a Queens Counsel (QC) in 1963, was chief judge of the old Anambra State from 1978 till 1985 when he retired and died on January 21, this year at the age of 87.

    His son, Martin Araka, a lawyer, told a news conference in Lagos, on behalf of the Araka family of Odoje quarters, Onitsha, that the family had forwarded their request to the state government and that they got a condolence letter from the government in return.

    “We have a little wish to ask from the government. We expect the state to immortalise him. A street or a complex could be named after him to immortalise him,” he said.

    Justifying the request of the family, Martins argued that the tenure of his late father as chief judge of the old Anambra State was remarkable adding, “as Chief Judge, he held an admirable tenure until his retirement in March, 1985. In 1983, he was conferred with the honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by President Shehu Shagari. As a judge, several cases he handled stand out. His legal mind was legendary and always a point of reference.”

    Martins argued further that his late father was also a very distinguished and courageous judge while in office and listed some of the landmark cases he decided to include that of Chief Jim Nwobodo versus Chief Onoh, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe versus FEDECO on payment of tax, Chief Micheal Ajasin versus Chief Akin Omoboriowo among others, to buttress his assertion.

    Martins, who is the chief mourner, also named the contemporaries of the late Justice Araka to include Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, Dr. Dike Nwokedi, Chief M.T. Mbu, G.C. M. Onyiuke and the late Chief Rotimi Williams while his classmates include the late Justice Kayode Eso, Chief F.A. Ajayi (SAN) and Ambassador Haastrup, a lawyer, among others.

    He disclosed that the family has fixed April 13 for the burial of the old Anambra State(now Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi states) while the event would be preceded by a valedictory court session in his honour on April 12, at the Anambra State High Court.

    The late Justice Araka was born at Agbor, Delta State on September 16, 1925. He attended Hope Waddel Training Institute, Calabar for his secondary education between 1939 and 1942. He finished his secondary education at Ilesha Grammar School in 1943.

    In 1946, he proceeded to Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland and graduated in 1950 and was enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in March 1951.

    In 1962, he was a member of the Federal House of Representatives. He became a judge of the High Court of the East Central State in 1972 after being sworn in with the likes of Justice Rowland Okagbue,Justice Francis Nwokedi, Justice A.I. Aseme, Justice Abai Ikwechegh and Justice T.C. Umezinwa.

     

  • Immortalise Dele Giwa, says Soyinka

    The Africa Today Group publisher, Mr Kayode Soyinka, a very close associate of Dele Giwa, who was with the late journalist when the letter bomb exploded, said justice eluded the mother as the killers were never found or brought to book in her life. He also called for Giwa’s immortalisation.

    He said: “We saw her last on the day Dele was buried at his village near Auchi in Edo State. She was a very strong mother whose pain was the most harrowing, especially being alive not just to witness the death of her son, but seeing the most heartless way in which he was killed. And she lived through the almost 27 years after Dele’s letter bomb assassination in hope of getting justice for the killing of her son. But justice eluded her.

    “When we marked the 25th Anniversary of Dele’s death, I wrote a personal letter to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, appealing to him to do something in Lagos to immortalise Dele Giwa – just like Beko Ransome-Kuti, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, to mention but a few. Dele deserves it.

    “But my letter to the governor was not even dignified with a response and that pained me. I want to believe that the governor did not receive it. Mind you, I deliberately made it private then and did not give it to the press.

    “Now that mama has now gone to join her iconic son, I appeal to all Nigerians to join me in begging our amiable Lagos State Governor to erect a statue in an appropriate garden in Lagos State, may be near where he was assassinated, in memory of Nigeria’s Prince of Press Freedom – Dele Giwa. May mama’s soul rest in peace. God Bless her soul.”