Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has praised the late human rights lawyer and pro-democracy campaigner, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, for his major role in defending democracy and expanding Nigeria’s political space.
Sani made the remarks on Saturday in Kaduna during the public presentation of Gani Fawehinmi and Uba Sani: A Tale of Mentor and Mentee, a book authored by Mrs Basirat Fawehinmi Biobaku.
The governor recalled Fawehinmi’s legal battle against restrictions imposed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on political associations seeking registration.
According to him, the prolonged struggle discouraged many human rights and pro-democracy activists, but Fawehinmi remained determined and encouraged others to trust the judiciary, the rule of law and democratic institutions.
Sani said Fawehinmi and former Kaduna State governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, eventually took the matter to court to challenge INEC’s position.
He explained that the legal battle lasted more than two years before the Court of Appeal ruled in their favour in 2002. INEC subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court, which also delivered judgment in their favour in January 2003.
The governor said the landmark decisions contributed to opening up Nigeria’s political environment and created room for the emergence of more political parties.
He urged Nigerians to remember the sacrifices of people who fought for political pluralism whenever citizens exercise their constitutional right to associate politically or establish new political platforms.
“Democracy has a history, and every freedom has a cost,” Sani said.
The governor noted that many Nigerians enjoying political freedoms today might not fully appreciate the struggles that made those rights possible.
He therefore called on politicians, activists and academics to regularly honour Nigerians who made sacrifices in the country’s democratic journey.
Sani also described Fawehinmi as a committed nationalist who believed in the development of all parts of Nigeria. He said the late activist advocated for the empowerment of citizens regardless of their region, ethnicity, religion or social status.
The governor further recalled Fawehinmi’s contribution to education through the Gani Fawehinmi Scholarship Foundation.
Sani said he was once entrusted with coordinating the foundation’s scholarship programme in Northern Nigeria and later convinced Fawehinmi to establish a major scholarship initiative for brilliant but indigent university students in the region.
He explained that the programme was introduced at a time when educational deprivation was particularly severe in Northern Nigeria.
According to him, more than 1,000 indigent students benefited from the scholarship scheme, with many beneficiaries later becoming doctors, lawyers, academics, engineers and other professionals.
Sani recalled travelling to universities across Northern Nigeria to identify deserving students for the programme.
He also remembered the launch of the scholarship scheme at Arewa House 26 years ago, where Fawehinmi challenged Northern leaders to confront the region’s educational challenges.
The governor said Fawehinmi had warned that failure to address educational backwardness could turn the problem into a serious threat to the region’s future.
Sani maintained that the warning remained relevant, arguing that some of the challenges confronting Northern Nigeria could be traced, directly or indirectly, to inadequate investment in human capital.
He described Fawehinmi as one of the most influential Nigerians of his generation, saying the activist consistently placed principles and justice above personal comfort.
“He used the law as an instrument of liberation and defended ordinary citizens against arbitrary power,” the governor said.
Sani added that Fawehinmi made significant contributions to the struggles for democracy, accountability and human dignity in Nigeria.
He congratulated Biobaku for documenting the relationship between Fawehinmi and himself, saying the book goes beyond a mentor-mentee relationship to highlight lessons on courage, social justice, education, leadership and democratic activism.
The governor said the book also demonstrated the responsibility of one generation to prepare the next for public service and national development.
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