Following the just concluded Gani Fawehimi Annual lecture, the publicity secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch, Charles Ajiboye, FICMC, expressed his reflections about the event when being interviewed by Legal Nigeria to comment on the entirety of the annual lecture. In his usual nature, he had the following to say:
“The 16th edition of the Gani Fawehinmi Annual lecture, popularly known as Fawehinmism, has come and gone. Kudos to the executives of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch ably led by the Prince Dele Oloke Administration.
The program was well attended. In delivering the speech and the talk for the event, Olisa Agbakogba SAN and Tayo Oyetibo SAN both renowned activists went deep into the topic. The moderator, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN also did justice to it. One thing that is eminent and is very evident in all the things the speaker spoke about is the fact that our rule of law in this country is going down the drains. The judiciary is not just being murdered, but it is actually being eliminated, that is supposed to be the hope of not just the common man but all men. The question that comes to mind is this – Is there really anyone that is doing anything close to Gani Fawehinmi? Are there people who actually have the interest of this country at heart? Are there people who understand the importance of having the rule of law well entrenched in the nature and economy of our nation? Are there people who are rising tall and ensuring that the judiciary is not continuously rigged? These are questions that should come to our mind and everyone is supposed to be stakeholders. It is an urgent call for us to save Nigeria. It is an urgent call for us to save the future of the generations unborn in Nigeria.
It is no longer news that emigration is the order of the day in Nigeria. All our best brains, our strongest hands are leaving the country in an alarming speed.
Nigerians must learn from Gani Fawehinmi, Nigerians must wake up and speak in order to protect this country, Nigerians must emulate the kind of things the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch is doing to ensure that the conversation as regards protecting rule of law and improving the lives of the common man in Nigeria is sustained. This is a clarion call to every Nigerian to wake up to their responsibility.
The award of N200,000 which was given to Mr. Mayowa Abiru, the overall best student out of the 147 first class students produced by the Nigerian law school, which was ably donated by Mr. Fusika Olumide SAN is also notable. It is noted because Gani Fawehinmi was a very charitable person. We need more people that would wake up to become charitable.
Guests at the event included the chief host of the event, Deacon Dele Adeshina SAN, the matriarch of the Gani Fawehinmi family, Mrs Fawehinmi, Mohammed Fawehinmi, the son to the late Gani Fawehinmi and eminent people such as Olumide Akpata, Tunde Ajibade SAN, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, traditional rulers, men of the press, the representative of the Nigerian Bar president, the general secretary – Jonathan Taidi and several other senior advocates and eminent members of the Bar.”
It was an interesting interview session Legal Nigeria had with Charles Ajiboye. He hinted us of a Chess Tournament for Lawyers coming up sometime in April tagged Charles Ajiboye National Lawyers Tournament. More details on this would be released soon.
