Date Published: 09/10/09
We Lost Gani; We Have Me
By Hakeem Babalola
All state governors to kill 71 cows in each state. The federal govt. has ordered the best casket ever made in the history of human being. Halls have been hurriedly built to accommodate well-wishers during the final burial. We must do this for the man of the people called Gani.
What else can I say about the death of Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi? In fact, those yeye grammarians have used all the adjectives to describe this man called Gani, a man of Muslim faith who died during our Ramadan festival. Do you think this is a coincidence? No, Gani will surely sail smoothly to heaven where people like him belong. It is there I passionately believe I would join him one day.
But why are they all talking about him as if he was the first Nigerian human rights activist to die? As if he was the first public figure to die. No one has yet to say anything bad about this man. Even beggars are paying their tributes. Chei, this is the way I want Nigeria and Nigerians to remember me when I pass on. Does it mean that he didn't do any wrong? Was he perfect? Does it mean that the man has victory over death? Can the stolen billions buy what Gani means to the Nigerian masses?
It is not that I am against the positive reactions, extolling the virtues of a compatriot, but I mean only God and goddesses are perfect. How can a human being be so perfect like this! Of course, I admire the man and I would have made him my Attorney General. But imagine he told me that he would accept the position only if he (Gani) could probe me first. C'mon, I am not that dumb. I may be sick but I definitely know what I am doing regarding our kontiri.
Even after that, I still chose to confer on him the Nigerian highest honour which he rejected out-rightly. He then gave me a condition for him to accept such honour: he said I must renounce my presidency. Abdicate power? I think that is where he went overboard otherwise I could have worked with him to make Nigeria an environment good enough to live.
He categorically stated that the following things must be provided or met:
1. The abolition of poverty from the face of our country.
2. The unqualified need to preserve, defend and protect the fundamental human rights .
3. The governance of our country through democratic processes.
4. The subjection of everybody and everything to and under the Rule of Law .
5. The right of the people to free and qualitative education at all Levels.
6. The right of the people to free and qualitative health services and facilities.
7. The strengthening of our economy through sound development of infrastructure including power generation (electricity), good roads, good and modern rail-system across the length and breadth of Nigeria, good water way transportation system.
8. The overall duties of all Nigerians and governments (local, states and federal) to make Nigeria a corruption-free country by fighting corruption with all our might and main.
Of course, I would have done all these things for him, because he was one Nigerian you cannot accuse of hypocrisy. He was a man; a man's man. But he rejected my offer which could have brought me closer to him in order to sanitise our dear kontiri together .
How did he expect me to relinquish what Allah bestowed on me! I am a servant leader like him. Besides, the office is a sacred position and even Gani himself knew this, and perhaps the main reason he contested for the exalted office in his desire to serve even more. Well, it is not a position to be given up like that. And I worked for it.
Gani as a devoted Muslim should have known that it is Allah that usually anoints leaders. So I am still holding firm to my God given position in order for me to lead my people out of the wilderness. Like I said, by 2050 everything will be in place. Oh, if only Gani did not pooh-pooh me when I was courting - even begging him to be my Attorney General/Justice minister.
My friend, I won't lie. I enjoy travelling to Saudi Arabia and other places of interest where basic amenities seem to be a birthright. I mean if not for Germany and Saudi Arabia only God know where I too would be now.
It is not that I am here to speak ill of the man but he was too frank, even to a fault. What stopped him from being my Attorney General/Minister of Justice and thereafter do whatever changes he deemed fit. He could have accepted the position and then probed me; after all, I do not have any cupboard in my skeleton or how do they say it?
Really, it is interesting to read the encomium being poured on this man since his death. Even those who directly contributed to his death by constantly using official power to persecute him during his life time have been saying silly things like he was a sincere critic; he was the best defender of human rights; he died when the kontiri needed him most; he was a true patriot; the best president Nigeria should have had; and so on and so on.
I won't stop saying I admire this man whose source of courage only came from Allah. How would you not look up to Gani! Here was a man who stood alone and remained in Nigeria when others fled the kontiri during Sani Abacha brutal regime. Here was a man, a man who on many occasions dared soldiers to shoot him. Kai mana.
So Gani also gave annual scholarships to young pupils! So Gani "nurtured minds, ensuring that the less privileged but talented do not lack for the means of their intellectual advancement"! The man must have been a billionaire to be able to do that.
Ha, I believe Allah gave Gani the spiritual strength, the wisdom and the foresight. That was why I included his name in the Nigeria Book of Honour. I wanted to learn from his wisdom so that we can move our kontiri forward. But he turned me down. Perhaps he thought I was one of those people who spoiled Nigeria.
Apart from being a great lawyer, he was a genuine crusader who lived to serve. I am trying to emulate him in this regard, and I trust you all will vote for me in 2011. If you vote for me, I shall implement Gani's programme as a mark of respect for this man whom Allah blessed abundantly.
I do not want him to die in vain, so I am going to immortalise him in 2011 when I will have become the real president. At the moment my hands are tie. See, I must obtain permission from my godfather before making Gani famous for ever. And my godfather it seems, detest freedom fighters. They always remind him of his own cowardice. This you know already.
For now, I have instructed my media adviser to inform all state governors to kill 71 cows in each state. The Senate, House of Assembly and local chairmen must also do the same. The State is going to take care of the funeral and all the expenses. In addition, the federal government has already ordered from Saudi Arabia the best casket ever made in the history of human being.
Also, halls have been hurriedly built to accommodate well-wishers during the final burial. Even the Nigerian state will take care of Aso-Ebi the family is going to wear. Everybody will have the opportunity to eat, drink and party till day break. We must do this for the man of the people; the conscience of the nation; a man of unbreakable conviction; indefatigable Gani; the Senior Advocate of the Masses. Bakomi
Copyright 2009 mysmallvoice@yahoo.com
