Nigeria Has Lost The Noblest Protector Of Its Laws

Sep

2009

Gani Fawehinmi was one of the most morally courageous and principled men I have ever known. Like the prophets, he fearlessly spoke truth to the powerful. Military rulers, who could not abide his candor, threw Gani into their darkest dungeons.

The dankness of those prison cells could neither dampen nor diminish his dedication to democracy and human rights. The fetid air he was forced to breathe in captivity surely was not conducive to the health of this once robust man.

Nigeria has lost the noblest protector of its laws, its indefatigable conscience. The poor have lost their most passionate advocate. His family has lost their beloved husband and father.

Arese and I have lost a friend whom we deeply admired and who made me proud and humble to have been a member of the legal profession which he so glorified.

Walter Carrington

Former United States Ambassador to Nigeria

Your Comments

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Robot

# 1 | 07.09.2009 12:26

	...Read the full article.

mathelize mathelize is offline

# 2 | 07.09.2009 15:07

	Thank you sir!

Tall

# 3 | 08.09.2009 05:11

	WHO IS AFRAID OF GANI? Silence the man of words who says Baked in Aba is SAP It saps the helpless hollow Pampers the privileged What a World Bank smell What an IMF taste. Silence him who says Give The poor gari to soak’ To the thirsty a drop of water Panadol to the pained To the hopeless hope. Prophet of doom! Silence him. Silence the man of words Burn his paper His pen fill with water In cold lonely cell Confuse his head for a drum Drum into his empty head He is born of a whore! The Kaffir will not change His blood he turns to ink For paper he peels his skin Writes his pains Give Justice to the poor The jobless temporary employment Home to the homeless The children a chance to dream. Extremist! Silence him. Threat to security of State Risk to transition programme to the vultures offer his bones in the interest of the public silence the man of words tyranny shall reign. Woe to them who forget… His words Echoe on youthful minds His flesh rejected by vultures Has composted to nature His blood shall water the same flowers Flowers of change. Beware, beware, beware Silence the poet Throw a boomerang Face The fire next time. -Tall 1989! When Gani was came out of one his countless detensions in Jail.

anonimi anonimi is offline

# 4 | 08.09.2009 12:52

	Tall, Thanks for the beautiful poem.