Date Published: 09/07/09

Gani: Ondo opens condolence register

The Ondo State government has opened a condolence register at the Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure in honour of the legal icon, pro-democracy activist, human rights crusader and its illustrious son, Late Chief Ganiyu Oyeshola Fawehinmi.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Print Media, Mr Eni Akinsola said the register, placed at the Ground Floor of the Governor’s Office for easy access, will be opened from 9.00am to 4.00pm everyday.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko had during his condolence visit to the Fawehinmis expressed the readiness of the State to fully participate in the burial events to celebrate Chief Fawehinmi, a man who is unarguably the most illustrious son of the State. The register, which the statement said is the very first step in that direction, is to give the opportunity for the people to participate in the celebration of one their own.

The State government wishes to reiterate the fact that Gani’s global stature, his national prominence and his local relevance make it all the more necessary to give him a befitting burial in appreciation of his love and commitment to the country and its people in an era where there are few heroes left, the statement said.

“Gani Fawehinmi in his lifetime made the common people the centre of his being, the focus of his agitations and the yardstick for the measurement of his successes. The government of Ondo State therefore owes it a duty to let the people have their own opportunity to thank him for his life of selfless service and bid him farewell to an eternal life of rest and bliss in his maker,” the statement added.

“We use this opportunity to condole with fellow citizens of Ondo State, the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo and indeed all lovers of the great values Chief Fawehinmi promoted all his life,” the statement added.

“Though the name Fawehinmi is, as said by Mr Governor, already immortalised, we owe it a duty as his beloved state to give expression to it again for his patriotism, dedication to the good cause, defence of the rights of all and respect for all that is just and fair,” the statement continued, adding that the involvement of the state in the burial is just the very step in the whole process of creating an immortal brand of this great son of Nigeria.

We pray again that God will grant the family, the people of the State and Nigerians in general the fortitude to bear the loss and the presence of mind to learn from the many positive lessons that his life was.