Human Rights Activist, Mohammed Fawehinmi, Passes On

Human rights activist, Mohammed Fawehinmi, has passed on. He was the first child of late human rights activist and lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi. According to reports, he died on Wednesday, August 11, in Lagos following some breathing difficulty. He died at the age of 52.

Mohammed Fawehinmi was a graduate of Business Administration, University of Lagos, 1991. He obtained an LLB degree from the University of Buckingham, England. Subsequently, he was called to Nigerian Bar in 1998.

Before his passing, he was the Head of Mohammed Fawehinmi Chambers and the Director of Nigerian Law Publications Limited. He was also the Director of Books Industries Nigeria Limited, and Director of Gani Fawehinmi Library & Gallery Limited.

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In 2003, Fawehinmi had a horrible accident in Lagos which affected his spinal cord and left him on a wheelchair. His death comes as a shock to those who knew him. Many persons have commiserated with his family as they pay tributes to him.

President Buhari eulogizes the late activist

In his condolence message, President Muhammadu Buhari noted that the late Mohammed Fawehinmi did justice to the memory of his late father, Gani Fawehinmi. He sent his message on Thursday, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, on Thursday.

The statement reads, ‘’President Muhammadu Buhari commiserates with the family of the late irrepressible lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, over the death of their son, Mohammed. The President condoles with Ganiat, mother of the deceased; and the entire family, urging them to find comfort in God, who gives and takes. And to draw consolation in the fact that the departed robustly fought a debilitating condition, which confined him to the wheelchair for many years.”

“His body may have been broken, but his spirit was virile, agile, and he kept the flag of the family flying; doing justice to the memory of his late father.’’

Governor Sanwo-Olu speaks on Fawehinmi’s passing

The Governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu released a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile. He described the passing of Fawehinmi as a colossal loss to the civil society movement in Nigeria.

“It is with a deep sense of sorrow that I commiserate with the family, friends and associates of the Late Mohammed Fawehinmi. He was undoubtedly a great Nigerian, passionate human rights activist and champion of a true Nigeria.”

“As a civil rights activist, he spent his life in the service of humanity and particularly for the emancipation of the Nigerian people. Mohammed Fawehinmi was as consistent as his father, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. He kept the flame of his father burning by fighting for the masses even on his wheelchair. The late Mohammed did not live under the shadows of his father as he had grown to become a dependable comrade…’’

Human Rights group mourns late Fawehinmi

The Centre for Human and Socioeconomic Rights described the death of Fawehinmi as ‘’shocking.‘’ In an interview with News Agency of Nigeria, the National President of the group, Alex Omotehinse said,

“The fact remains that among the children of the late legal icon, Mohammed was the only one who identified with us and remained with us, despite the challenges he faced.”

“Mohammed stood with us in the struggle to defend the masses. Now that he has again dropped the baton, a very big vacuum has been created. It is only Mohammed that carried the mantle, despite his health challenges.”

“When some of us see him, we believe Gani is still alive. Because he was bold, courageous, spoke like his father, and never looked at his challenges.”

May his soul rest in peace.