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12 Years After :How Human Rights  Lawyer ,Gani Fawehinmi Died of Lung Cancer

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Late Gani Fawehinmi boarding black maria

 

When Chief Gani’s 14-year old first child asked for his dad’s support to go to the Nigeria Defence Academy taking the NDA’s form to his father to sign, Chief Gani left the form, reached for the cane and flogged the young man for planning to join his tormentors.

From Kaduna prison to Jos prison, from Gombe prison to portharcourt prison, from Kuje prison to Ikoyi prison, Chief Gani Fawehinmi was the most jailed human right activist from Nigeria.

For raising his voice against injustice, his books were confiscated, his library set ablaze, his house and chambers were always raided and he was assaulted on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way in Lagos by Naval officers.

His travails from security agents never dissuaded him from defending the poor and the weak in the society.

“I defended the students of University of Ibadan in 1971 when one of the students, Kunle Adepeju, was shot dead by the police under Gowon’s regime and the government of the day set up a Commission of enquiry headed by Justice B. O. Kazim and I represented the students for 5 months in that tribunal of enquiry.

In 1976, I defended the students of University of Benin against the wrath of the military government. In 1983, under Shehu Shagari, there was a peaceful demonstration by more than 4000 students of the University of Maiduguri against the misdirected high handedness of the leadership of Professor Jubril Aminu, (former Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S.) Several students were expelled and their education illegally truncated. I fought to the Supreme Court to obtain victory. This is just to mention few of my struggles for justice.” Gani recalled.

They always came for him. He was arrested on his 50th birthday.
“I witnessed one of the times they came to arrest him in the house. They were about armed 20 policemen. It was as if they were coming to take a criminal and they brought a big Black Maria. He told them, ‘Gentlemen how are you? Are you ready?’ He told my mum to take care of us and he followed them” His daughter, Idiat recalled.

Northern Nigerian Muslim Clerics in Politics: Shaykh Pantami and the Lessons from the two Wazirayni of Zazzau (1935 – 56)
Due to incessant arrest Chief Gani always kept a bag with toothpaste, toothbrush and the Qur’an with him-always ready for jail.

When he was asked the possibility of defending Ralph Uwazurike he said:
“If am approached by Uwazurike to take up his case, I will fly straight to wherever he is or, if I cannot go there by air, I will go there by road. If I cannot go there by road, I will trek to defend his right to hold an opinion because freedom of speech is a fundamental right. Because he has the right to pursue any objective and if they feel that his objective is criminal, then he has the right to defend himself in the court of law and we shall defend the issue of his fundamental rights”.

The incorruptible Chief Gani was able to speak truth to powers because he had nothing to hide. He once said;
“I have never got any contracts from any local government, state government or from federal government. I don’t even know the house of ministers. I never met any Head of State in my life. I’ve never met any minister in my life. I’ve never submitted any application for contract anywhere in my life. I have never submitted any application for contract at any level whatsoever.”

Chief Gani was Unbiased, detribalized and unsentimental patriot. When his own daughter was working in his Chambers, she either resumed before/at 7am or be locked outside the gate like any latecomer.

Chief Gani’s lung began to deteriorate while doctors were busy focusing on his heart and blood pressure. It got so bad that he called his cardiologist, Dr Mike Fadayomi, his childhood friend from the age of four. He is one of the best cardiologist in this world.

He directed Chief Gani to a radiologist to do the X-ray first. When he (radiologist) came with the wet X-ray and showed it to Gani and Fadayomi, the cardiologist shouted;
“Gani something dangerous is wrong with your left lung. You must run to London. I don’t understand this”
When Chief Gani got to London the doctors told him that he was among the 5% patients in the world who don’t smoke or drink and yet had lung cancer.

Gani narrated his ordeals to the doctors in London and one of them hinted that his “horrible detention” must have triggered the lung failure.

The human right activist was asked to prepare for the worst and Gani wept.
To prevent politicians from “hijacking” his burial, Gani bought his casket while alive and made cash available for his funeral with instructions to his children about how he liked his funeral to be.

Chief Gani Fawehinmi literally lost his voice to the ravaging lung cancer before his Sun finally set on 9th September 2009. And Nigeria hasn’t been able to find a replacement for that voice of justice and courage till date.

 

Credit:Ayankola Stephen Ayankoya

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History

Today in History: Former Senate President Chuba Okadigbo Was Gassed To Death

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Late Dr Chuba Okadigbo
Late Dr Chuba Okadigbo

By Abbas Yushau Yusuf

On September 23, 2003, the vice-presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Chief William Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo, was allegedly gassed at Kano Pillars Stadium by security agents during a rally of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), led by the opposition candidate in the 2003 general elections, General Muhammadu Buhari (retired).

The ANPP and its candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, staged the opposition rally at Sani Abacha Stadium as a prelude to their court case at the Presidential Election Tribunal in Abuja, led by Justice Umaru Abdullahi.

The rally, which had thousands of Buhari’s supporters in attendance, was graced by the new Governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, his late Deputy, Engineer Magaji Abdullahi, Hajiya Najaatu Muhammad, and John Nwodo Junior.

The ANPP National Chairman, Chief Donald Etiebet, also attended the rally. However, apart from Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, the rest of the ANPP Governors were not in attendance, including Ahmad Sani Yerima of Zamfara, Adamu Aliero of Kebbi, the late Bukar Abba Ibrahim of Yobe, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno, and Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa of Sokoto.

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Aware of Dr. Chuba Okadigbo’s health condition, the then Federal Government under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo did not want the rally to proceed. Security personnel mounted the entrance to Kano Pillars Stadium to prevent entry into the field until the Kano Governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, ordered the youth to break the gate, allowing the opposition figures to enter.

Upon entering the stadium, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau chastised his predecessor and the then Minister of Defence, Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, for not visiting Kano since handing over power on May 29, 2003. He referred to Kwankwaso as “Ministan tsoro,” meaning “Minister of Fear.”

On returning to Abuja, the late William Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo died on Friday, September 25, 2003, following the alleged gassing by security agents at Kano Pillars Stadium.

Dr. Chuba Okadigbo was the political adviser to former President Shehu Shagari during the Second Republic. He hailed from Oyi Local Government in Anambra State.

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Meet Nigeria’s First Professor Of History

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The first professor in Nigeria was Professor Kenneth Dike (1917-1983). He was a renowned historian and academic who made significant contributions to the field of African history and culture.

Professor Dike was born in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria, and received his early education in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. He earned his Ph.D. in history from the University of Aberdeen in 1950 and returned to Nigeria to teach at the University College, Ibadan (now the University of Ibadan).

In 1956, Professor Dike became the first Nigerian to be appointed as a professor, serving as the Professor of History at the University of Ibadan. He was a pioneer in the field of African history and wrote several influential books, including “Trade and Politics in the Niger Delta” and “A Hundred Years of British Rule in Nigeria”.

History of the Ajanakus Family in Ilesa, Osun State, Nigeria

Professor Dike’s achievements and contributions to education and academia have been recognized and celebrated in Nigeria and beyond. He remains a celebrated figure in Nigerian history and an inspiration to generations of scholars and academics.

 

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History

Late Haruna Kundila: The Pre Colonial Wealthiest person in Kano

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By Jamilu Uba Adamu

Late Mallam Sa’adu Zungur (1915 – 1958) in his song Arewa Mulukiya ko Jamhuriya said;

“Ya Sarki Alhaji Bayero,
Ga Yan birni da Kanawiya.

Tun Bagauda na saran Kano, Suka fara fataucin dukiya.”

Throughout its history Kano State have been a trading and important commercial center. History have shown that Kano has produced quite a number of wealthy individuals that their names will always be there in the annals of history.

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The ability of Kano and Kanawa to create wealthy individuals did not start in this modern era. The like of Madugu Indo Adakawa, Muhammadu Dan Agigi, and Madugu Dangomba, Umaru Sharubutu, Mai Kano Agogo, Alhasasan Dantata, Adamu Jakada, Muhammad Nagoda and many others were among the wealthy individuals that Kano produce.

Late Alh. Haruna Kundila (1810 – 1901 ) was known for his great wealth and fortune in the pre-colonial Kano during the reign of Emir Abdullahi Maje Karofi and his successor Emir Bello Ibrahim Dabo.

There was this popular Hausa saying attributed to him ; Bana siyarwa bane ya gagari Kundila, literally meaning that there is nothing Kundila can’t afford to buy unless if it is not for sale, because of his massive wealth and purchasing power.

Haruna Kundila was born in 1810 at Makwarari Quarters in Kano city.

The story about his source of wealth says that ” one day when he came out from house, he met Mallam Sidi ( according to the story Mallam Sidi, is a Pious God fearing Islamic teacher, that many people believe that he is a “Waliyyi’ ) and Mallam Sidi asked Kundila how he can help him get those that can evacuate his sewer pit ? Kundila answered him in positive. When he checked and couldn’t find anyone to do the job, he decided to do it by himself. When the Mallam came back and asked him weather he find out the people? He told him that the people have already came and do the work, Mallam Sidi asked him again “How much they were supposed to be paid for the work? But suddenly someone that witness how Kundila did the work alone, intercede and told Mallam that Kundila do the work by himself. When the Mallam heard that, he shake his head and said; To , Insha Allahu,duk inda warin masan nan ya buga gabas da Yamma, Kudu da Arewa sai kayi suna ka shahara an sanka ”

History tell us that Haruna Kundila who was a slave trader in those days, had a trade relations with traders coming to kano from foreign countries such as Mali,Sudan,Libya, Senegal,Damagaram,Agadas,Garwa,Duwala,Bamyo and Fallomi.

In his heyday’s, there is no one in Kano with Kundila’s wealth. Kundila was very rich and had estates by each of the city gates (Kofofi). It was said that he owned more than one thousand slaves. In fact he was the wealthiest trader in Nineteen century Kano.

The reason behind the name Kundila; history tell us that, Haruna has a younger sister named Binta who follows him in birth. After she grew up, one day Haruna went home and found his sister in thier mother’s room, he said to her ” Please Binta, “Miko min Kundina” the sister started to be repeating the words “Ina Kundina? Ina Kundina? Since that time the name Kundila followed him for the rest of his life. Up till today some Government housing estate in Kano bear the name, example Kundilar Zaria road.

It was said that when he died in 1901 (two years before the British Conquest of Kano) Kano was shaken for the loss of one the greatest wealthiest individual in it’s history.

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