Alhaja Ganiyat Fawehinmi, Gani's widow and his son, Mohammed Fawehinmi when sympathisers visited the late legal luminary's home, today in Lagos.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, former ministers, human rights activists were among hundreds of sympathisers who throng the home of the  late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehimi, to commiserate with the family.

The late legal luminary died in the early hours of today in  Lagos.

Some of the sympathisers at Gani’s home were; Gov. Babatunde Fashola, Senator Ibikunle Amosu, Ogun State ANPP guber candidate; Odua Peoples Congress President, Dr.  Frederick Fasehun, human rights activist, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; former health  minister, Prince  Julius Adeluyi-Adelusi;  ex-Lagos State military governor, Rear-Admiral  Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd) and thousands of Nigerians from all walks of life.

Mimiko, Aturu, others mourn Gani
Ondo State Governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and Laywer, activist, Bamidele Aturu have described the death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi as a painful loss for the nation.

Aturu wrote:
Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi, irrepressible friend of the subjected, rejected, dejected, suppressed, repressed, oppressed and dehumanized underclass everywhere in the world is gone. Born in 1938 into doubtless aristocracy (his father was a successful timber merchant), he shunned and fought privileges with an unparalleled zeal.

The Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko on Saturday expressed sadness over the death of the human rights activist and legal luminary, Chief Abdul-Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi (SAN), whom he described as a Colossus and a pride not only to Ondo State, Nigeria but the whole world.

Governor Babatunde Fashola signing the condolence register during his visit to Gani's home in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola

Mimiko who is also an indigene of Ondo town where Gani Fawehinmi hailed from said he received the news of the passage of Gani with a rude shock saying for him, Gani’s death “was painful and an irreparable loss coming at this stage of our development in Ondo State when we needed his wealth of knowledge”.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary Action Congress:

The death of Gani Fawehinmi is definitely one of the biggest losses to Nigeria in recent times!
A known thorn in the flesh of dictatorship, he fought relentless for the enthronement of democracy in our country, mostly at the expense of his personal liberty. His belief in constitutionality and the rule of law helped propelled many of his actions against impunity, and he did not discriminate between civilian and military leaders in picking his targets when it comes to ensuring a stricty adherence to the rule of law, rather than the rule of the jungle.

An unabashed campaigner for human rights, he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with other campaigners to seek respect for human dignity. Nigerians owe him a ton of gratitude for whatever freedoms they are enjoying today. As a lawyer, he was one of the most accomplished advocates ever, using the powerful platform offered by one of the most respected professions as a bully pullpit of sorts to confront dictators and anarchists.

It is a shame that he had to travel abroad several times, sometimes spending months, to get access to good medical treatment. What an irony for a man who never missed an opportunity to goad the government of the day to use the country’s huge resources for the benefit of the people.

We call on the Federal Government to immoratlise this relentless ‘senior advocate of the poor’, a friend of the lowly and the oppressed and a legal colossus. But we make bold to say that there can be no better way to immortalise this great Nigerian than making life more meaningfulfor Nigerians. Afterall, that is what he lived and died for!