Tuesday, September 22, 2009


Soyinka recommends Fawehinmi for Nobel Peace Prize
By Ibe Uwaleke

NOBEL Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, yesterday reviewed the legacy of the late legal icon lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, submitting that the rights activist deserved to be honoured with a Nobel Peace Prize.




http://odili.net/news/source/2009/sep/22/15.html

Soyinka spoke in Lagos at a tribute session organised by the Gani Fawehinmi Chambers Alumni (GAFCA), a group of about 130 lawyers who cut their legal teeth under Fawehinmi.

The Nobel laureate who was guest speaker at the event, drove into the Ostra Hotel Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos venue of the event in a Prado Toyota Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) at 11.50 a.m. The event was slated for 12 noon. He spotted a white shirt over a black trousers with a pair of black shoes. Soyinka who limped said he got injured on his left ankle a day before, and so could not climb the podium to deliver his speech, which he did at his seat in the audience.

The Nobel laureate could not stand for too long so he abridged his speech to last less than 10 minutes. In fact, he was recalled by the chief celebrant, Mr. Yemi Adefulu, the chief executive officer of Odade/Lexis Nexis Publishers Lagos, to receive a plaque as an award for accepting to honour the invitation.

In his speech, Soyinka recommended Fawehinmi for the Nobel Peace Prize as "no one among Nobel laureate for peace can even scratch his feet in his achievement in the peace process in Nigeria."

While eulogising the late legal icon, Soyinka said: " This man in whose honour we gathered today was a fighter. He fought for the very downtrodden people of his country. He helped to restore peace which we are savouring in this country now through his dogged style to enthrone democracy in Nigeria".

He continued: "Fawehinmi who has fought for his country needs to be celebrated, remembered and honoured. In our minds, the progressive thinking people, Gani is already a Nobel laureate for peace and it is only time that will prove us right, and I wish he will be made one soon."

On the method Fawehinmi employed for his struggle, Soyinka revealed that the late social crusader applied violence to some level to achieve his aims.

He said: "Many of you did not know Gani too well. Gani was not a passivist. He did not believe in non-violent struggle. He employed it to some extent and it worked out to achieve the result he wanted."

On the torrent of tribute that poured in after Fawehinmi passed on, Soyinka commended Nigerians who honoured the late lawyer this way, they recognised the role the great lawyer of the people played on the Nigerian stage.

He, however, expressed regret that the tributes also came from those that Fawehinmi fought to a standstill in order to bring about good governance. According to Soyinka, the tributes from Fawehinmi's perceived enemies are "insulting to his (Gani's) memory" because they were not needful.

The Nobel laureate, who is also a ground soldier in the struggle for social upliftment of Nigerians, said the greatest legacy the legal icon left was "the therapy for those living" to continue the struggle.

Soyinka urged all the other freedom fighters "to pick it up from where Fawehinmi left off and fight, realising all this great lawyer lived and died for."

In his welcome address, Adefulu, one of the lawyers who served in Fawehinmi's chambers in 1971, thanked Soyinka for honouring their invitation at short notice.

To Adefulu, the tributes that trailed Fawehinmi's death showed that the late lawyer actually spent his life for humanity, law and the country, adding that those of them privileged to pass through him were very proud of the late lawyer.

Chief Ishola Filani, who represented the lawyers that served in Fawehinmi's chambers in 1977, described the deceased as " a compassionate person, hardworking and a compendium of law itself because whoever passed through him must know law intoto." "Whatever we are today, Fawehinmi made us."

Mr. Oluwole Kehinde, the Editor of the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports (NWLR) who also served in Fawehinmi's Chambers, spoke for the 1995 set.

Other dignitaries at the event included a Court of Appeal Judge, Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, President, West African Bar Association (WABA), Mr. Femi Falana, a close associate of Fawehinmi, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), Mr. Mike Ozekhome, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, Mr. Bamidele Aturu, a rights activist and one of Fawehinmi's juniors in chambers and Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, the Campaign for Democracy president.

Fawehinmi's first son, Mohammed and other family members also attended the ceremony.

WOW

What did anyone expect Soyinka to do?

Let's see a northerner or an easterner of note like Soyinka recommend him too, then we take it from there.

Shey na Yoruba prophet predict say others go bow before Yoruba


Gani is great, but for Nobel price? Hm!

Nchara:

What did anyone expect Soyinka to do?

Let's see a northerner or an easterner of note like Soyinka recommend him too, then we take it from there.

Shey na Yoruba prophet predict say others go bow before Yoruba


Gani is great, but for Nobel price? Hm!

Soyinka is now OPC scribe because he recommended Gani for Nobel prize?. Did you remember he is pro Yoruba when he said Achebe deserves the same Nobel prize more than him?. Did you remember he is pro Yoruba when he went to jail for supporting Biafra?

Nchara , you are a tribalist. Gani was never a tribalist. one of the few in nigeria. Ghana went to jail because of You?

Look there are very few igbos i can remember that get involve in human right. Chima was one. but very few. apart from bala usman, do you know any other. even bala usman never went to jail.  Most of you fight for your own course and not other, which is not good. Do you see Nuru Ribadu say anything about google earth, no. Why. ? so you cant call him a human right activist. He fight for what pay him. This is why Soyinka cant do that. Apart this ijaw lawyer, do you know any igbo lawyer fighting for people right. ?  Why blame people.

There are very few people like soyinka and Gani and say what they have to say and know they may end up in jail.

becomrich,:

Nchara , you are a tribalist. Gani was never a tribalist. one of the few in nigeria. Ghana went to jail because of You?

Well I never thought I would ever say this. I agree with you regarding that statement  .

Aloy~Emeka:

Soyinka is now OPC scribe because he recommended Gani for Nobel prize?. Did you remember he is pro Yoruba when he said Achebe deserves the same Nobel prize more than him?. Did you remember he is pro Yoruba when he went to jail for supporting Biafra?

Emeka, u shouldn't listen to likes of him.

^^^^ lol

Nchara:

What did anyone expect Soyinka to do?

Let's see a northerner or an easterner of note like Soyinka recommend him too, then we take it from there.

Shey na Yoruba prophet predict say others go bow before Yoruba


Gani is great, but for Nobel price? Hm!

@Nchara
Either you are unfamiliar with Oluwole Soyinka's legacy of struggle against all forms of oppression or you are simply ill exposed on such matters. If there is any selfless  literary giant, it is the great son of Abeokuta. Despite being Igbo, I have never thought of Soyinka as a tribalist. Recall his reaction  at the airport upon his return from Europe to receive the Nobel. On seeing the huge crowd that had turned out to welcome him, Soyinka shed tears and said words to the effect that any achievement such as his, is meaningful only when it is shared by all. It is in that spirit you should read his latest plea. He is larger than Yoruba. Don't be like Salubi or Dende.

becomrich,:

Do you see Nuru Ribadu say anything about google earth, no. Why. ? so you cant call him a human right activist.

LWKMD

Dis is serious, comin from Soyinka. I am now thinking d prize is not yet lost.

This is coming from Soyinka himself and If I remember clearly someone on NL suggested same. But I also remember most folks said NO.

becomrich,:

Do you see Nuru Ribadu say anything about google earth, no. Why. ? so you cant call him a human right activist.

mehnnnnnnnn!      .

Here we go again

FBS:

[s]Do you see Nuru Ribadu say anything about google earth, no. Why. ? so you cant call him a human right activist.O.
[/s]
mehnnnnnnnn!      .

Abeg help me interpret that sentence from BecomeRich.

becomrich,:

Nchara , you are a tribalist. Gani was never a tribalist. one of the few in nigeria. Ghana went to jail because of You?

Look there are very few igbos i can remember that get involve in human right. Chima was one. but very few. apart from bala usman, do you know any other. even bala usman never went to jail. Most of you fight for your own course and not other, which is not good. Do you see Nuru Ribadu say anything about google earth, no. Why. ? so you cant call him a human right activist. He fight for what pay him. This is why Soyinka cant do that. Apart this ijaw lawyer, do you know any igbo lawyer fighting for people right. ? Why blame people.

There are very few people like soyinka and Gani and say what they have to say and know they may end up in jail.

Wow!!! Your incoherence deserves a NOBEL WAR PRICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What message exactly were you attempting to pass across
A few names like Nuhu Ribadu, "Chima", Bala Usman had no peupose adorning that message of yours, please stick to the importance of the message. Thanks

Aloy~Emeka:

Abeg help me interpret that sentence from BecomeRich.

Moi thinks it's probably a punchline from his latest album, no?