Gani Fawehinmi's Romance with a Dictator

 Hakeem Babalola

 Dr. Olu Onagoruwa's three-part article published by the Guardian from March 5 to March 7, is a severe criticism of whatever Gani Fawehinmi stands for. Dr. Onagoruwa, OFR, is a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation under a General who ruled Nigeria

with such a tempestuous mind. The legal luminary kept a tenacious grip on his possession of information available to him about Gani. Although he sarcastically refers to Gani as my friend, it’s obvious such friendship has gone with the harmattan.  Onagoruwa was apparently angry with Gani and thus laced his criticism with vituperation. Oh no, not that kind of abusive language. His tone can be described as acerbic piercing otherwise flowery prose. In his argument, Onagoruwa portrayed Fawehinmi as fake, selfish, and even a liar. This could not be a simmering quarrel, as Onagoruwa rounded up his fulmination with all his mind and heart and sinew. "Let him deny that he was to be appointed as Attorney General by Buhari’s Government".  Gosh, I had thought I knew the man Gani until I read Onagoruwa’s article titled, "29 questions Gani Fawehinmi must answer". Gani in my eyes is indefatigable Gani; Senior Advocate of the Masses; Gani means Justice, Fairness, and Truth; Gani means freedom fighter and Human Rights Advocate; Gani means courage itself; and a democrat to the core. As I read the said article, confusion and anxiety overwhelmed me. I wanted to believe Onagoruwa was only being mischiveous, that it was a deliberate attempt to soil Gani’s name. Then I asked myself, "What is Onagoruwa possibly going to gain from spoiling Gani’s name knowing such accusation can backfire if it turns to be false?"

Apart from attacking Gani’s cherished virtue which has tremendously earned him conscience of the nation, the article shed light on serious issues which must be clarified immediately. It was alleged that Buhari’s administration helped Gani purchase a house in London . Perhaps I am not that current regarding the affairs of my country, for this would be the first time hearing such allegation against the person of Gani Fawehinmi. Onagoruwa wrote, inter alia, that Gani may not be the most honest man contrary to public perception. "I re-state that Buhari’s administration helped him because he himself told me so in a moment of arrogance and braggadocio. May be he was telling a lie against himself. The reason he is denying this is because it affects his ideology stand-point that he is the most honest man in Nigerian public life."

Onagoruwa asked many provocative questions which if not answered could tarnish Gani’s reputation for the rest of his life. The ones I find most provocative are: "Why would Gani knowing fully well that Abacha was the most senior military officer, call on him via the decree to take over the reigns of government...? Why has Gani continually associated himself with General Buhari even after Buhari has left power, to the extent that Gani’s party (National Conscience Party) recently conceded its presidential slot to Buhari in spite of oppositions within his party? Why has Gani never criticised the government of Buhari even with all the atrocities and flagrant disregard for the rule of law and undemocractic tenets manifested by that government?" If Gani is actually fond of Buhari and Buhari had once clamped down on freedom of speech and Gani is advocate of freedom of expression, then there’s something seriously wrong with Gani Fawehinmi, a man many hold in high esteem for daring dictators’ gun power. If Onagoruwa’s allegations are true, then I contend that people like Gani are part of Nigeria ’s problem. They come about as hypocrites. They confuse and confuse and confuse the masses – the gullible minds.

As much as I respect Gani, his endorsement of Buhari's candidacy portrays him as someone suffering from double standard. How could any right thinking advocate for justice embrace a dictator who ruled with gun? What is wrong with our Gani? Could Wole Soyinka be referring to Gani when the former recommended a psychiatric test for certain Nigerians? Gani's reason for endorsing Buhari is based on the former head of state's "outstanding record of anti-corruption crusade between December 1983 and August 1995". So what about Buhari's record of human rights violation including decree 2, which clamped down on journalists?  The thought that Gani Fawehinmi may be changing his mind is mind-boggling. Especially his support for illegal removal of State governors of Oyo and Plateau respectively. Did Gani actually invite Buhari to his mother’s funeral? Was Gani to be appointed as Attorney General by Buhari’s brutal government? This is an enlightening or astonishing disclosure. If Gani is fond of Buhari, what then is his grudge against other dictators? Why did Gani fight Babangida tooth and nail, while Buhari was being invited to his mother’s funeral? Was it not Buhari who terminated the Second   Republic ? Whatever Buhari’s achivements according to his apologists, the fact remains he aborted a democratic government.

 However, Onagoruwa on his part made a concerted effort to justify his appointment as minister under Abacha’s repressive government by describing himself as a "rebel" under that government. He even resulted to self glorification to prove that his decision to serve under Abacha was absolutely right. Hear him: "An opportunity availed itself during the Abacha regime, and I was encouraged to take it. We had come tc the conclusion that the only way to effect a desired change in the nation’s affairs was from the inside...I went into the Attorney General’s office to fulfill a professional calling. It is the most exalted executive office that a lawyer can ever attain whether he is awarded a SAN or not. I was the first lawyer to be put in the PRC...I was given grace by the Almighty God to achieve some of my most desired objectives which include rotational presidency, thirteen percent derivation, purging of the Judiciary and arrest and prosecution of Mr. Joe Brown Akabueze, a notorious drug baron, whose drugs worth over 600 million dollars was confiscated and burnt by my Ministry..."

The fact still remains that Dr. Olu Onagoruwa served under a military junta, especially a very sick one. Whatever the situation between the two legal luminaries, I won’t be tempted to buy any of their books. I am actually tired of our elites’ suspicious behaviour of profiting from the masses gullibility. Onagoruwa served under a repressive regime; and now we are being informed that irrepressible Gani was to be Attorney General under Buhari’s tyrannical government. No wonder the so-called progressives have been unable, and may never turn the table against the military and, or a repressive government. How would they when for example, Gani Fawehinmi stubbornly supports Buhari; Wole Soyinka vehemently in antagonism towards the same man, and both Soyinka and Gani belong to the progressive "party"! Sometimes I feel cheated by these three distinguished gentlemen for their ambiguous principles - serving under the military and supporting illegal removal of a state governor. Anyway, I am no more naive.

 ©2007  mysmallvoice@yahoo.com         

Robot  Villager

# 1 ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 21.03.2007 13:16

Exxcuzme  Villager

# 2 You can never believe anything coming from most people in Nigeria, especially coming from a discredited fellow like Onagoruwa. There is no moral in serving under any illegal and immoral govt. Was it not thesame guy who got his son killed because of ambition. Was he not warned not to join Abacha's govt? As a lawyer Onagoruwa should have ascertain how Buhari paid for Gani's london house. I bet there is a paper trail somewhere. By the way why are all these so called patriot always waiting years or whenever they are discredited to come out with their expose. It was just after fallout with Objoke that Athiefku, Malu etc came out with Obasanjo's corruption? Let wait for Gani to come out with his defense. Posted by Exxcuzme| 21.03.2007 14:24

igwe  Villager

# 3 I've been profoundly shocked by Gani's latest stance on the consitution and the rule of law. His romance with Buhari is well known. Gani, who regales in calling himself "mr. Clean" is ever willing to support illegality and selective justice in the fight against corruption. That in itself is corruption, but not for Gani, mr. Clean, the incorruptible! His support for illegal and unconstitutional impeachments, his contempt for judges who do not join him in illegality, are some of the things that have turned many estwhile fans away from Gani. In less than one year, I've been profoundly disappointed by two Nigerians I held in high esteem: Philip Emeagwali and Gani Fawehinmi. I'm having to conted with the fact that they may after all be empty vessels that make the most noise, that they may be fakes. TOO SAD!!!!!!! Posted by igwe| 21.03.2007 18:36

Kabikala  Villager

# 4 I realised that I had lost Gani the moment he could support the continued witholding of the Lagos State Local Governemtn funds despite the unambiguous ruling of the Supreme Court that it was illegal to withold it and its clear order for the Federal Government to release it. Just because he does not like Tinubu! However, I will still wait for Gani's response to Onagoruwa's allegations before I take a stand on the present issues. Remember too that Gani also had many issues with Beko with whom he fell apart some few years before his (Beko's) death. Finally, Igwe, what did Emeagwali do that disappointed you. I will like to know. Hakeem, I enjoyed your write-up. Posted by Kabikala| 22.03.2007 04:47

ithinkbetter  Villager

# 5 ...something seriously is wrong to matter with Fawehinmi...i'm still compiling my information database...will soon release a can of worms about that man..! Posted by ithinkbetter| 22.03.2007 06:46

abdulmumin  Villager

# 6 The Nigerian Village square is most certainly a microcosm of Nigeria where it is okay to steal billions of public funds and still be popular with the electorate while a man of obvious high integrity who has a track record of probity in public service is treated as a pariah! Posted by abdulmumin| 22.03.2007 07:19

igwe  Villager

# 7 =Kabikala;162931>I realised that I had lost Gani the moment he could support the continued witholding of the Lagos State Local Governemtn funds despite the unambiguous ruling of the Supreme Court that it was illegal to withold it and its clear order for the Federal Government to release it. Just because he does not like Tinubu! However, I will still wait for Gani's response to Onagoruwa's allegations before I take a stand on the present issues. Remember too that Gani also had many issues with Beko with whom he fell apart some few years before his (Beko's) death. Finally, Igwe, what did Emeagwali do that disappointed you. I will like to know. Hakeem, I enjoyed your write-up. Emeagwali claims (or claimed) to be a professor and a PhD. I believed him until it was revealed they were all lies!!!!!!!!!!!!TOO SAD. Posted by igwe| 22.03.2007 14:15

ozoodoo  Villager

# 8 =abdulmumin;162948>The Nigerian Village square is most certainly a microcosm of Nigeria where it is okay to steal billions of public funds and still be popular with the electorate while a man of obvious high integrity who has a track record of probity in public service is treated as a pariah! No one in this village takes the position that it is ok for the thief to steal billions of public funds. What people are saying is that due process and the law must be respected as a means of strenghtening our systems. It is our weak systems that makes it possible for the thief to sucessfully steal from the public treasury. While it is necessary to make the thief accountable, we must do so in accordance with due process and within the law. We detest the attempt by another well known thief to use the instrumentality of the state to settle a personal vendetta against the other thief in the name of fighting corruption. It is a strong system that will make it more difficult for indecent people to dip their hands into our public treasury. It is a strong system that will make sure that they are caught and severely punished if they do attempt to steal from the public treasury. That someone has a track record for probity in public service doesnt mean the person is beyond criticism or that the person is perfect. Moreover because people makes allegations does not necessary mean that the allegations are true and that people will believe the allegations. Posted by ozoodoo| 09.04.2007 05:06