The most prominent, most consistent and most persistent advocate of equity, justice and good governance in Nigeria has departed to rest with his creator!
If the voice of the people is truly the voice of God, he is surely Saint Gani.
Chief Gani Fawehinmi was probably the only Nigerian that commanded respect from most Nigerians irrespective of ethnic origins, political or religious leanings. He was respected not because of his money or political power, but because of his integrity.
As a Christian from the East, I saw him as one great example of the many Nigerian Moslems that appear to me tp live more Christ like than our Christian Bishops.
When I realised a few years ago that Gani was actually a Moslem, the sermon of one of our Reverend Fathers at University of Nigeria Catholic Chaplaincy, in or around 1997, that only God could decide those to make his heaven ( admonishing us against judging those of other religions), began to make real sense to me. This point is crucial to me because I believe Nigerian Christian leaders have a lot to learn from Nigerian Moslems like Gani, Buhari and Idiagbon.
May His clean and gentle soul rest in perfect peace!
I feel most sad that despite his matchless efforts, nothing good is forthcoming in Nigeria. His immediate constituency, the legal profession and the judicial system remain the main fountains of corruption and official wickedness in Nigeria.
The best way to honour him, in my view is for all those that claim to be progressives, civil society etc, including the writer to re-strategise and consider leaving Ya' Adua and other supposedly elected officials, but focus on our corrupt judiciary, corrupt legal profession and corrupt journalism.
I am talking about a commonsense strategy of fighting focused and winnable battles! It easier for lawyers like Femi Falana to make the Nigerian Bar Association a more useful body that can help shape up Nigeria, than to get any Nigerian President or governor loose a sleep over what is written on Sahara reporters.
It is far easier to expose and shame corrupt judges and corrupt journalist than for all the civil societies and so-called progressives to successfully bring down one corrupt federal government appointee!
Nigerian civil right or democracy activists or whatever they call themselves have failed and Gani’s very sad departure must be used as clarion call for self review and redirection!
