Fawehinmi ... ‘The people mourn, who’s left?’

Ondo, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area, Ondo State, was throbbing with life yesterday.

Traffic was slow. Residents lined the streets, waving excitedly.

It was all for the funeral of the late legal luminary and irrepressible human rights crusader, Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi (SAN).

The body of the social critic and Lomafe of Ondo Kingdom was interred at his palatial home in Oka at exactly 3.22p.m.

The interment followed a lying-in-state at the Oba Adesanoye Civic Centre and prayers for the repose of his soul at the Ondo Central Mosque in Oke-Otunba.

A mammoth crowd followed the body everywhere it was taken, amidst singing, drumming and dancing.

Thousands of Ondo residents lined both sides of the streets as the funeral train left the residence of the Fawehinmis for the Oba Adesanoye Civic Centre where eminent Nigerians, including Governors Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa) paid tributes to Nigeria’s foremost rights activist.

As the funeral train moved slowly to the Civic Centre, the crowd was getting bigger.

The hearse was surrounded by members of the National Conscience Party (NCP) founded by the late legal icon. They carried the red-white-blue flag of the party.

The body, which was placed in a golden casket, was removed by six pall-bearers from the hearse at exactly 10.27 am. They made several stunts with the body on their way to the Civic Centre where a massive crowd was waiting.

The first son of the late Fawehinmi, Mohammed, who rode in a green Toyota Land Cruiser Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), led other family members to the place where another round of tributes was paid to the fallen hero.

The body arrived at the Civic Centre at exactly 10.37a.m. Many struggled to enter the expansive hall, pushing and shoving. Part of the complex’s glass door was shattered.

The body was received by lawyers, led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who is a product of the Gani Fawehinmi Chambers, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo.

The Chairman of Ondo Development Committee (ODC), Prof I.O. Oladapo, opened the floodgate of tributes, describing Fawehinmi’s death as a big loss not only to the Ondo community but to Nigeria.

Mr. Yemi Adefulu, who delivered a speech on behalf of the Gani Fawehinmi Chambers Alumni (GAFCA), described the eminent lawyer as a "multidimensional person who meant many things to many people".

"He was an enigma, he drove us like jackals and he was an emotional person who cried from time to time on the situation in Nigeria and he used law to ensure that we have an egalitarian society in Nigeria," Adefulu said.

Oyetibo, who spoke on behalf of the Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), said the whole nation was honouring the late Fawehinmi because of the work of his hands.

He noted that the late Fawehinmi criticised and exposed governmental inefficiency and corruption in high places, adding that he used his wealth, energy and time to improve the lot of the poor.

The late Fawehinmi’s body was interred in a plastered and tiled grave beside his mother’s, Alhaja Munirat Ajimo Fawehinmi, who died on September 2, 2003.

His two wives, Ganiyat and Abike wore mournful looks. His first son Mohammed wiped tears off his eyes many times. The second son, Saheed Fawehinmi, could not hold back his tears. The other children, wept. The scenario was tense.

As the gold casket was lowered, Fawehinmi’s second daughter laid her hands on it, weeping and saying O dabo bami (farewell daddy).

The officiating Imam, Alfa Alimi, the chief Imam of Ondo Central Mosque, urged people not to weep for Fawehinmi, but rather pray for the repose of his soul.

Members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) interjected the sermon with solidarity songs.

Mrs. Joe Oke-Odumakin, executive director, Campaign for Democracy (CD), read a tribute sent in by the Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, who is said to be away in California.

It reads: "After Gani, weighed beneath loss; the people mourn, who next? Alas, the streets and pavings cry: ‘Who’s left’? Signed: WS a.k.a. Egbon Prof"... as Gani used to call the literary guru.

As Odumakin ended the reading, she presented the wreaths sent in by Soyinka and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The crowd surged forward, with people anxious to catch a glimpse of the casket.

Students burst into a song: Gani teri yen, hero lo je o (The Fawehinmi we’re talking about remains our hero...)

Prof Itse Sagay, a renowned Law teacher and one of the late Fawehinmi’s close associates, said: "Chief Gani Fawehinmi has fought a good fight; has run his own race successfully; he has accomplished his purpose on earth and has left us behind to carry on the struggle. And the only way we can truly honour him is to carry on the struggle because he has laid the foundation. So, please, let us build on it successfully and to the end."

Mr Femi Falana, President, West African Bar Association (WABA), looked directly at the coffin and said: "Chief, please, as you are leaving us, let your spirit strengthen us, let your spirit energise us, to keep up the struggle from where you left us so that we can build a new Nigeria... And I promise you now that we shall never betray you... Let your dreams come to pass... Thank you chief for saving us and we shall keep up the struggle." The students gave a loud chorus of "Amen" to Falana’s prayers.

The crowd pushed and pressed against one another. Many lost cash and mobile telephone handsets.

The Chief Imam thanked God for giving Nigerians Fawehinmi, adding that God would raise another person with the same spirit, dedication and commitment to fight the cause of the poor. He said: "The testimony today and the revelations of what people are saying about you spoke clearly that God Almighty will not deny you Alujanah Fidau. Your presence here testifies to the fact that (Fawehinmi) you were a man of everything. A brother, a speaker for the oppressed and we really thank Almighty Allah for giving us, you, Gani Oyesola Fawehinmi, Alujonnu (spirit), Omo Tugbobo."

He then went into a long recital of Quranic prayers.

Students were singing: We have decided to hold the struggle; we have decided to hold the struggle; we have decided to hold the struggle, no turning back; no turning back...

The Chief Imam warned that no one should make a "god" out of Gani. "Let me tell you, all those Ogun, Oya and other gods that you all know today were human beings like us. It was after they died that people made them into gods and that is why they (the gods) missed Alujanah.

"So, I beg you that if you love Gani, don’t turn him into a god. Let him just go to his God and find favour with God. None of you must also fight here or after this place. Let Gani rest in peace, if you really love him." More prayers and the body was dropped into the grave.

Mimiko said: "Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the good people of Ondo State, I say goodbye to Chief Gani Fawehinmi. By our deeds, we can keep your memory alive forever."