Gani Fawehinmi’s Contributions To Human Rights And Public Interest Litigations Is Yet To Be Rivaled By Any Lawyer Dead Or Alive Says Ubani

Monday O. Ubani, the former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch Chairman and Former 2nd Vice President of NBA had poured encomiums at the eminent human rights lawyer, Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN during an Annual event which held in honor of the indefatigable doyen tagged “Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture” at Airport Hotel, Ikeja on the 15th of January, 2020.

Monday Ubani in his welcome address at the event which was made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL) says Fawehinmi’s contributions to human rights and public interest litigations is immeasurable and no lawyer has rivaled such achievement. He said:

“No lawyer whether dead or alive is yet to rival his immeasurable contributions to issues of human rights and public interest litigations. He was second to none and his legacy remains the treasure of the legal community until the end of our time.”

He commended Femi Falana, SAN for following the footsteps of Gani Fawehinmi and particularly cited the efforts of the learned silk in securing the release of Omoyele Sowore from DSS detention. He said history will vindicate him for fighting to keep rule of law alive. He said:

“Our choice of the Moderator in the person of Mr Femi Falana SAN is strategic. He is a protege of the late legal guru, he was tutored, mentored and brought up by the late Gani for times like this. He has not been disappointing. He was with Late Gani in most of the struggles while alive. His last dogged fight to extricate Yele Sowore of #RevolutionNow from indefinite detention by the Department of State Security DSS that acted contrary to several court orders is well documented. History will vindicate him for taking the lead in the human rights community to ensure respect and obedience to the dictates of the rule of law and court orders by the present government. Late Gani in his grave will surely be happy that the light he ignited in Nigeria has not been allowed to go dim one second. The Human Rights Community in Nigeria is awake and alive to the glory of our time.”

Speakers during the event were Olisa Agbakoba SAN and Tayo Oyetibo SAN. While Olisa Agbakoba SAN spoke on the Nigerian federal structure, Tayo Oyetibo addressed the issue of judiciary and whether it is under serious threat presently. Ubani said both were all Students of Late Gani’s school of Philosophy. Two of them had one thing or the other to do with late Gani. One was an associate in the various struggles to liberate Nigeria under the military dictatorial regimes while the other was an employee and later a friend to the late legal guru.

“They were with him consistently in his persistent fight to liberate Nigerians from bad governance and dictatorship. In their individual rights they are qualified to speak on the topics assigned to them.”

Monday Ubani also commended the Chairman of the event, Ugochukwu Anthony Ogakwu, J.C.A. He said:

“The choice of the Chairman is another topic for another day. His brilliance at the Appellate Jurisdiction stood him out. His landmark decision in the case of Faith Okafor Vs Lagos State Government reported in 2016, 4 NWLR Part 1556 at Page 404 is a classical case where the judiciary protected a citizen against unlawful violations of fundamental rights of citizens by the State Government. In that case the learned jurist with other justices declared the restriction in movement on environmental sanitation on every last Saturday as a violation of the fundamental right to freedom of movement and unconstitutional. The judgement was delivered on 4th of November, 2016. Three weeks later on 23rd November, 2016, the Lagos State Government in reaction and in due compliance with the judgment formally abolished every last Saturday of the month as Environmental clean up exercise in the State.
“When I informed the stakeholders about his choice as the Chairman, I was applauded for the choice. He is admired and respected by several lawyers of different persuasions. We are grateful for his acceptance.”

He appreciated the wife of late Gani, Mrs Ganiyat Fawehinmi and son Mohammed Fawehinmi and the daughter for their untiring effort to always be at this annual event. He said it shows love and commitment to the good husband and good father Late Gani was to these people.

He also appreciated the Chief Host, Mr Dele Adesina SAN, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Lagos State, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN, the new Chief Judge of Lagos State Hon Justice Kazeem Alogba and all the NBA Ikeja executives, membership, invited guests, men and women, students, journalists, titled Chiefs, traditional rulers, religious leaders, colleagues, learned Seniors, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, judges of all courts and friends”