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Hero Home and Abroad, Alive and Dead: Nigerians in the US Honour Gani, signal readiness for battle

September 27, 2009

Image removed.Nigerians in the United States turned out in impressive numbers in New York on Saturday, despite the short notice, to honour the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who died recently. 


And they unanimously resolved to jointly and ferociously confront the ruling establishment in Nigeria and push for an end to the misgovernance of the country.

The memorial, organized by the Nigeria Liberty Democratic Forum (NDLF) and Saharareporters, was held at the Mariott Hotel at LaGuardia Airport.  Most of the participants wore customized white T-shirts that bore a large image of a protesting Mr. Fawehinmi in a prison uniform.  They signed a condolence register and later undertook a candlelight procession in honour of the late legal icon.  It was an uncommon celebration of the fearless life of a widely-known hero among people that largely lack heroes. 

Nigerians from various ethnic groupings and callings, who simply call the late lawyer “Gani,” transforming the name into some sort of symbol, jam-packed the hall, speaking in one voice in praise of a remarkable Nigerian.  The crowd included students, journalists, the clergy, artists and political activists.  And there were the young and the old, men and women all of whom remember Gani with tremendous affection and gratitude. 
 
The night of honor for Gani started with religious prayers handled by Muslim and Christian clerics, followed by the introduction by Bukola Oreofe of the NLDF who spoke about the reason there had to be an event for Gani in New York. He stated that Gani had done so much for too many Nigeria. His life has impacted people far beyond the shores of Nigeria.

The tributes then began to fall like one tropical rain after another.

Human rights attorney, Luke Aghanenu, gave a biographical speech about the life of Gani and the courage he displayed as a lawyer and activist. He spoke about the various legal struggles Gani waged and spoke extensively about his confrontation with the military and his pro-bono work for student activists around Nigeria.
 
Tributes poured in from journalists who have written about him, and some that once shared jailed cells with him. The Guardian Bureau chief in New York, Laolu Akande, read from quotes of interviews he had with the late chief, while Alex Kaba, publisher of African Abroad, shared his reminiscences. 
Participants from all over the U.S. praised Mr. Fawehinmi for his work on human rights, law, philanthropy and politics.  And many explored the possibilities of continuing with the battle he started.
 
In a tone laden with disappointment,  Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, told the gathering that Mr. Fawehinmi fought for justice, fairness and equity and that the best way to immortalize him was for all his admirers to continue the good work he started by taking the ruling elite head-on.
 
“The Nigerian people are desperate for the kind of leadership that Gani provided. If we must change our country, what is required is that people must come out boldly and say enough is enough.

“Enough of this incompetence!

“Enough of this injustice! 

“Enough of this mismanagement!

“Enough of the killings.

“Enough of the robberies!”

 
Nigerian political leaders have stolen so much, the former EFCC boss, expressed sadness that a substantial portion of about $700bn earned by Nigeria in the last four decades has gone into private pockets of a few Nigerians. He then asked participants at the event to turn to their neighbours and say, “You can do something about this.”  They did.

It was even more impressive to see some of them pounding their own chests, saying, “I can do something about this!”
 
Mr. Ribadu said that during the discussions with Gani in March this year, Mr. Fawehinmi challenged him (Ribadu) not to waiver in his commitment to the fight against corruption and bad governance.
 
He continued: “The time has come to tell the bad people who are writing our history in a bad way that we have had enough. I promised Gani that we are going to shoulder this responsibility,” Ribadu declared.

He concluded: “We are angry enough to insist that democratically, we want a change in our country. Let us make Gani happy by insisting that our country must be governed responsibly and transparently.”
 
Before Mr. Ribadu took the podium, Professor Okey Ndibe, a professor of literature at Trinity College in Connecticut had told the gathering that even in death, Mr. Fawehinmi would remain alive if his admirers continue to follow in his footsteps.
 
“Not all of us can aspire to the level of Gani’s activism but we should all do the little we can. Let us keep the pressure until all the criminals who wrecked our country are held to account,” Mr. Ndibe said. “We must speak out consistently against the iniquities of our leaders and in favour of oppressed Nigerians.”
 
Adegboyega Dada, chair of the Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum, urged all well-meaning Nigerians to emulate Gani’s consistency, truthfulness, honesty and steadfastness. “Gani had genetic courage and epitomized all the noble characters of a selfless leader.”
 
Mr. Dada lamented that Nigerians had lost “a worthy friend, a trusted defender who could go to any length to stand for them”.
 
While Bukola Oreofe, one of the conveners of the gathering, declared that U.S-based Nigerians “cannot continue to live in the comfort of this country while our country is being destroyed.”

Omoyele Sowore who emceed the event, said he was so enraged by former President Ibrahim Babangida’s condolence message to the Fawehinmi’s that he felt like sending a missile to level his (Babangida’s) mansion in Minna.
 
Others who spoke at the event include Wale Adebanwi, an assistant professor of African Studies at the University of California, Davis; Ladi Olorunyomi, a Maryland-based journalist and writer; Rudolph Okonkwo, and Evans Iwurhue, a former commissioner in Delta State, who was a beneficiary of the Gani Fawehinmi’s scholarship programme.
 
In deference to Mr. Ribadu’s call for action, the organizers of the event have scheduled an “Enough is Enough!” protest march for October 3rd at the Nigerian Consulate in New York. 

The protest, according to Mr. Oreofe, will be used to send a signal to Nigeria’s political elite that Nigerians are tired of their shenanigans and are prepared to take back their country. He added that to keep Mr. Fawehinmi alive, Nigeria’s corrupt and inept leadership must not be allowed to know peace, and that Nigerians everywhere in the world must rise up together and demand change.
 

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