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An
Elegy to Chief Gani Fawehinmi -
Yemi Adegbite
At last, the cold hand of death has snatched away the
true friend of the people; Gani will live forever
in the minds of countless Nigerians who are the
beneficiaries of his magnanimity. Those who knew
him closely will agree with me that, his type is
a rare gift to any nation; Gani’s type comes
once in a generation, we do not know when our nation
can be blessed with another Gani fawehinmi. He
stood out among his peers, the first among equals!
Always fighting for the powerless, defending the
defenseless, standing up for the less privileged,
sharing his wealth among the poor and the down
trodden people! He fought for Liberty, Humanity,
Justice, Equality, he represented hope for the
countless hopeless and down trodden.
“The Senior Advocate of the Masses” is gone forever. It is difficult
to fathom Nigeria without you, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, though you are gone, your
good deeds would live on. You carved out a notch for yourself in your profession,
your name would be carved with stone on the sand of time.
He showed passion in everything he did in his life.
As a father, he showed passion, as a lawyer, he
demonstrated knowledge and as a fighter he showed
courage, as
a Nigerian, he showed commitment and patriotism. A selfless, fearless, relentless
and indefatigable friend of the people, who can blame Gani for putting his
life down for what he believed in? He has gone to where there is perfection,
contentment,
grace and justice and he would need to struggle no more. All these are the
reasons why Gani fought here on earth with all his passion and courage; even
his adversary
in-chief confessed that, he was a nemesis!
The masses of Nigeria have lost a good friend, a bold
defender, and a shoulder to cry on, vanguard of
the people, and a thorn in the flesh of corrupt
leaders.
A fearless crusader and an icon of patriotism! His death has left a wide
gulf that can never be filled. Over the years, Chief Gani Fawehinmi fought
many
battles against the corrupt regimes both military and civilian, at his
own peril, he
faced them head on. Gani had fought more battles on behalf of the masses
more than any Nigerian general dead or alive, and he paid the price with
joy and
gallantry.
In a miserly world, Gani gave all he had, in a craven
world, he showed courage, in a treacherous world,
Gani demonstrated loyalty, in a wavering
world, he
stood firm, in this cruel world, Gani showed mercy, in a biased world,
he acted justly,
in our shameless society, Gani lived nobly, in a venal world, honesty
was his watch word, in a heartless world, he was
human, in a lawless world,
he was
law abiding, in a hateful world, Gani forgave all his enemies, in an
epoch of madness
and selfishness, Gani kept his sanity and be himself, finally, he found
death in life, MAY HE FIND LIFE IN DEATH! Adieu, Chief Gani Fawehinmi,
you will
never be forgotten, Nigerian students will remember you always, the masses
will keep
you alive forever, your memories will live on, your good deeds will live
after you. In the words of Quintus Ennius, adapted to Gani “let no one weep for
Gani or celebrate his funeral with mourning; for he lives daily as he passes
to and fro through the mouths of men and women. Gani will never die, because
to die completely, a person must not only forget but be forgotten, and he who
is not forgotten is not dead – Samuel Butler.
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