Former Military Head of State of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida, has made a controversial revelation about his relationship with late civil rights lawyer and activist, Gani Fawehinmi, stating that during his tenure as Head of State, he employed all possible means to make the deceased his friend.
Babangida who said Fawehinmi was a good man, explained that while his efforts failed, a friend of Fawehinmi and member of his ministerial cabinet, Mr. Alex Akinyele, also tried in vain to spark a friendship between them.
Making the disclosure during an interview on Channels Television on Friday, Babangida added that in the process of formulating many of his policies, he always queried members of his inner circle on the reaction he would receive from Fawehinmi.
Fawehinmi, a legal luminary and one of the most loved Nigerian social activist until his demise, was one of the most outspoken critics of Babangida’s government at the time and was detained no less than 17 times by Babangida’s administration which ended in 1993.
Nigerians would remember the human rights lawyer for many things among which were his fierce commitment to upholding the ethics of social responsibility and his many acts of selfless service rendering professional legal services to many of his clients for free.
According to Babangida, “He (Fawehinmi) is a good critic and he doesn’t want to be seen with someone that people already perceived as ‘an evil genius’.”
“I like listening to him. I made it a point to become his friend. He was very friendly with one of my former ministers, the late Alex Akinyele; they were very good friends, and he tried to make us very good friends.
“If we come up with a policy, my first question to my staff was: What would Gani Fawehinmi say?”
He said his fondness for Fawehinmi was born out of his attraction to bright minds adding that he alway told members of his cabinet that joining his administration was in the interest of Nigeria.
Sunday Ehigiator
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