The family of the late human
rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi has finally accepted the posthumous award to be
bestowed on him by a Nigerian government.
President Muhammadu Buhari
yesterday announced that the late ‘senior advocate of the masses’ will be
bestowed the nation’s second highest honour of the Grand Commander of the Order
of the Niger (GCON).
Since Nigeria returned to civil
rule in 1999, an attempt to recognise Fawehinmi was rejected in 2008 when he
was offered the national honour of Order of the Federal Republic by then
president Umaru Yar’Adua The family rejected the honour at the time citing
failure to uphold democratic principles.
Again in 2014, Fawehinmi alongside
afrobeat king, Fela Anikulapo Kuti were slated to be given posthumous awards by
the president Goodluck Jonathan.
But Mohammed Fawehinmi, the first
son of the late activist, in a February 27, 2014 letter sent to the
then-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, said his
father’s memory would not be properly served if the family accepted such honour
due to some stance by the Jonathan administration which were contradictory to
his father’s ideals.
The family in the said letter
cited the nomination of the former military president, General Ibrahim
Babangida, for the same award, the unbridled killing of students by Boko Haram
insurgents in the North-East and the incessant corruption reeking across the
country, including the alleged missing of $20 billion from NNPC as reasons for
rejecting the nomination.
“We therefore, find it morally
incongruous and psychologically debilitating for our family to stand on the
same podium with General Babangida to receive awards,” the family said in the
letter rejecting the award.
However, Fawehinmi, in an
interview with Premium Times, said the family warmly receives Buhari’s
posthumous honour of the patriarch unlike the previous ones.
“Accepting the award is a fuller
affirmation of the commitment of the late Mr Fawehinmi. The award is coming at
the same time as the recognition of Abiola as the winner of the June 12 election.
“The award to Abiola is a veiled
indictment of the old decision by the evil geniuses of yesteryears.
“This would have been my father’s
happiest moment, because what he had canvassed for is the now being done,”
Fawehinmi said.
Fawehinmi also commended Buhari
for honouring Babagana Kingibe, one of the president’s closest allies.
Kingibe was the running mate to
Abiola, but later denounced the June 12 campaign and joined the Sani Abacha
junta.
“The president’s gesture to Mr Kingibe was a
recognition of the ticket rather than whatever controversies Mr Kingibe might
have courted at the height of the June 12 struggle,” Fawehinmi added.
Both Chief Abiola and Chief Fawehinmi deserves that and I am so so so happy about that. I participated in some rally at Yaba main bus terminus during the struggling which Chief Gani, May Allah grant both Aljanat Fridaous, Ameen.
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