Gani did more of shouting, screaming and was choreographed on acting drama by BBC employees who always visited his chamber at his behests, while he did his bid at preachments before cameras and other media outlet. Of all the hundreds and millions of dollars that came from donor development agencies, he could not assist comrades.
Gani Was Just as Corrupt, Tyrannical & Dictatorial as IBB, Obasanjo & Abacha Regimes by Carlisle U.O. Umunnah
Speaking truth to power, principalities and rulers of the darkness of this world is our safety and security, for truth is self-evident. Gani, we were told allegedly refused and, vehemently rejected political appointments and offers. Fine! On the other hand, nobody told us that Gani however, was receiving hard-currency funds from overseas donor & development agencies that were employable, deployable at creating sustainable development for the people he claimed to serve, and still he never accounted for these funds. Gani converted those monies into personal use, built himself mansions, private businesses, etc. This writer raised these issues at Nigeriavillagesquar e.com where Gani from time to time communicated materials, he ignored them and I raise the same issues again for record purposes.
Some political analysts, observers and what not knew Gani from the pages of Daily-Papers while, others like us knew him up-close when the cameras were turned off. Yes, the late human rights activist, Lagos Lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi made his contributions within the geographical expression called Nigerian-State like those before him (activist, human rights crusaders alike) that operated within the purveyor of civil society establishment. His credibility to that end can never be rubbished. Nevertheless, Gani was a product of oppressive society, was just as tyrannical, sectional, tribalistic, corrupt and dictatorial as oppressors he alleged to have fought, for example, IBB, Obasanjo, Abacha, etc.
This lunacy at illogicality is asymmetrical to kettle calling pot black. In practicality, we will unequivocally state that the only difference between Gani and the despots is variability at methodology. Gani used intimidation at his employees whereas, despots used intimidation, held public hostage at a gun point and killed many more. Like the despots, he aggressive dramatized his lunacy via shouting, screaming, yelling as he feign away from accountability. He deployed this method to conceal his hypocrisy at fiscal responsibility and transparency. He was an isolationist, cared more about his wallet rather than his preachment at poverty and employmentability.
Gani tyrannical administrative state at Anthony Village, Lagos, refused all elements of democratization at National Conscience Party (NCP). He aggressively harassed, verbally abused, and instantly dismissed his staff
sometimes with questionable ramifications. His dictatorial ways at his chamber were clinically clear for all to see. The silent doctrine: either you follow his orders or get fired. I witnessed his employees scrawling like
rats under because Gani is coming into office. My question was why, “Oga na so for here ooo”. Some legal practitioners (names withheld) that practiced at his chambers either sued or contemplated legal actions against him on several occasions because of his tyrannical and dictatorial ways. He was no
democrat.
In 1993 when NANS leadership confronted military regime of IBB/Abacha, worked with NADECO leadership to drive the military back into barracks, worked with other pro-democracy organizations including CD, CLO, etc. We were later declared wanted for spear-heading UNIBEN and Nigerian-Students Union Governments into mass-protests across the country against military authoritarianism. Our security came under attack by state agents; we had little openings at options. I was physically attacked by SSS agents that infiltrated University campuses we went underground in Lagos for more than six (6) months under cruel dangerous conditions because we believed in something. During this time, insecurity, disappearances and other kinds of violence was the order of the day. Accommodation and feeding was administratively difficult for comrades to come.
In the meantime, we knew of funds coming in from overseas were being hoarded by Gani and company. Gani benefited and used our (NANS) protests as his to gain international attention as-well-as attract international funding to him and other pro-democracy groups, shamefully when time came for them to provide assistance to comrades they acted ignorance of these funds.
NANS Mobilization headquarters at this time was led by this writer, as its Chief (or National) Mobilization Officer (CMO), University of Benin (UNIBEN). With the political turbulence, widening insecurity and
uncertainty, NANS mobilization committee followed-up with NANS Communiqué that specifically gave 7 days dateline for the military regime to de-annul June 12, 1993 Elections or the nation will be brought to a stand still.
Arising from NANS emergency meeting held at Ekpoma University, there was the need to do something. NANS leadership refused to be uncompromised, refused to betray the public trust and faith in her. Gani and other pro-democracy establishment took credit of NANS actions while NANS leadership suffered hunger and starvation in Lagos, except for comrades at Lagos State University (LASU) whose camps were quickly infiltrated by SSS agents.
May we state that June 12 concretization and mobilization was about democratization of our society, not necessarily about realization of MKO Presidency. By implication, we were vastly aware that MKO was compromised, including sponsoring military-coups and other fraudulent activities; notwithstanding, we were left with June 12 crisis to calibrate the mobilization prism democratically.
I and Zone B Mobilization Officer, Festus Ukeje, were disappointed at the civil society community reactionary ways when we visited Lagos. In Lagos, we needed security and assistance from Lagos leadership but were disappointed at the visibility at secrecy, sectional and tribal challenges in Lagos. Rather than finding workable-solutions on how to assist comrades from UNIBEN, the reactionary remark was, “are they our boys”. It is shameful that this monumental national struggle became trivialized. When tribalizism
become prevailing culture at national struggle, trust is betrayed and compromised.
Allowing selfish reasons—“Are they our boys”, interpretation, are they OPC or Yoruba comrades diminishes purpose and mission manifesto. I will never forget that experience at Gani’s chamber. 4 times we scheduled and booked for appointment to meet him, he was either too tribalistic to see us or was too busy to commiserate with bloodied-head- banded comrades from UNIBEN in national crisis. Why? “Are they our boys”? At long last we finally melt Gani one night while he was hurrying home; he instantly referred us to his Librarian, one Chibuzor. Chibuzor was alone Igbo at his chamber. Why Chibuzor?
Ralph Uwazurike, leader of MASSOB, had similar disappointing experience during 1999, PDP Convention in Jos, Plateau-state. We think this wholesome unholy-alliance between Sokoto Caliphate and OPC leadership that blackmailed and scuttled Dr. Alex Ekwueme Candidacy was height of sectionalism and tribalism.
Ekwueme was painted as representing Biafra-Agenda that must be stopped. Uwazurike from that point forward vowed to fight for Igbo freedom. These manifestations illuminate our curiosity at OPC harlotry and gutter politics with Sokoto Caliphate at its best.
This triggered the formation of MASSOB in 1999. When Igbo-properties were being destroyed in Lagos by OPC rogues, this too, triggered the emergence of World Igbo-Congress (WIC)/Ohaneze- Ndigbo, and other Igbo affiliated organizations to protect Igbo privileged interests in Lagos, and elsewhere, Gani said nothing about human rights violations.
Fellows the purpose of this communication is to put the records straight for posterity on the tribalistic nature and hypocrisy of the man Gani; and essentially so that no child will be mis-educated or misled with regimes of institutional administrative lies inside civil society, yes, inside the Nigerian-state outside of it. Specifically speaking, activism or civil society in Nigerian-state is corrupt governmental agencies inside
macrocosmic umbrella-state that faces aggressively debilitating corrosive corruption. Observers must not get caught-up with empty political rhetoric surrounding Gani’s demise and all these other dramas. Guess what, look who is singing praises of Gani too, IBB, Obasanjo, etc, same crooks.
Again at the Nigeriavillagesquare.com when Gani was with us, I communicated and unequivocally challenged Gani, Femi Falana, Beko, Agbakoba, to share with us what happened to all the thousands and millions of dollars and pound sterling that was coming-in from oversea donor-nations and agencies. I did get any response till date.
Evidentially, Gani did not take or was not offered any political appointments by either military or civilian administrative regimes, but Gani by shouting, screaming and not partnering with other human rights activists, was indirectly and directing hiding something. What happened to the accounted millions and thousands of dollars coming from abroad? Gani used this fund flow to build himself mansions and properties here and there; those funds weren’t funds he acquired from lawyering in Lagos.
Fund came in from USIS, DANIDA, Canada, Germany, and other industrialized donor development agencies. Gani did not manifest fiscal responsibility and responsibility of these funds till he passed because of corruption and selfishness. I know so because I discovered it. While were starving in Lagos, I personally visited foreign Embassies including talking with Walter Carrington U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Contacted Canada Mission, Danish Embassy and more.
At Denmark Mission Lagos, I met Ambassador Peter Lars Blerkenberg, narrated our ordeals and general insecurity. Ambassador Peter Blerkenberg acknowledged knowing that I was No. 9 in the list of those declared wanted along side Anthony Enahoro, John Odige Onyegu, etc by State and federal governments, but he wanted to know what civil societies led by Beko (CD), Gani (NCP) and Olisa Agbakoba (CLO) were doing at providing us needed assistance.
We markedly narrated risking our lives visiting their offices but getting no assistance whatsoever. He asked if I wanted him to draft a letter to some of them. I said yes. Indeed, this Ambassador specifically
communicated to me that Danish government had just release 100, 000.00 dollars (hundred thousand dollars) to Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), he insisted that they should be able to provide us with assistance. This man (God bless him) instantly jumped on his computer and drafted a letter to CLO
President, Olisa Agbakoba and directed him to assist us. Getting to CLO, handed over the letter to Agbakoba, after several try to meet him or Gani, or Falana or Beko failed, Agbakoba was furious, “why did you people go to the Ambassador?”, we responded that we attempted many times to visit with
him but got denied access for such meeting. After this incident CLO and others advised us find a way to get out of Lagos. They even suggested places like Kaduna or Kano. We laughed at the suggestions. As it were, with fifty US dollars ($50.00) assistance, a letter to be given to Danish Ambassador in Benin, I was able to secure a passport, disguised myself and made my way through Coutonou, Benin Republic.
For record purposes, let it be known that no nation or civil society can industrially, politically and economically be successful unless it imbibes transparency and fiscal responsibility compliance. This fundamental is pivotal in democratizing any society.
Political pandering at public pulpit, shouting, screaming were the trade-mark of Gani, media posturing,
choreographed BBC documentary at his chamber only promotes individualized- privileged interests not national development. Gani’s attention seeking-posturing only quenches his hunger for publicity not the
whole noise of assisting the poor and its related pontifications. Gani was all about publicity just as OPC harlotry and gutter politics is a publicity-based gambit, and, cash-inquisitional- driven appetite and OPC
regional interests. Reviewing all OPC gutter journalism, websites, write-ups and more, all you see is campaign of calumny for publicity and gutter politics. This campaign has nothing to do with poverty reduction or de-pauperization of society.
Today OPC ask for Regional Military Command, tomorrow Gani and OPC projects pseudo-Nigerianism & poverty alleviation. At the end of the day the masses are worse off than we found them. Which is worse? Publicity stunt or pocketing public funds that ought to have targeted sustainable development and civilization and industrialization as directed by donor nations or agencies.
Gani fought everybody for his publicity gains that increased his foreign dollars wallet that he never accounted for. The man had zero relationship with other civil society community, for example, Campaign for Democracy (CD), Nigerian-Bar- Association (NBA) Civil Liberty Organization (CLO), and Alternative for Democracy (AD) led by late Chima Ubani.
His friends like Wole Soyinka joined Babangida tyranny with his secret-cult administration into Road-Marshals administration and still talked about civil society. Tai Solarin his friend and mentor jettisoned his khaki short
and went after Agbada regalia under the same IBB fraudulent administration; we also witnessed OPC, NADECO, CD and Obas prostrate for Abacha regime that drove out Shonekon interim regime out office. Imagine the thinking that Abacha will hand over administration to CD or so wad indeed foolish that divided CD and CD’s Secretary General, Chima Ubani, opted-out for Alternative to Democracy (CD), as Beko was head-bent at joining Abacha administration. What an opportunistic bastards and hypocrites fronting as
activists. Freedom is fought for, freedom is not free.
Gani had a conflicted mission, goals and objectives that were contradictory with civil society mission and purpose. He hobbled Ken Saro Wiwa case by shouting at Judges rather than make a legal presentation on a case-by-case basis as defense team representing Ken. Gani was also a closet Muslim suspiciously ignored the killing of Igbo-Nationals in the Northern country led by Sokoto Caliphate. You have to be OPC member or Yoruba for him to see as comrade.
Even the noises about scholarship that he gave some folks are rubbish. Show me the list, and I will show you a data-base that is 99% scholarship that went to OPC membership and his cronies. Gani was about
himself and himself alone and what he can gain. If you see Beko or Chima Ubani or Agbakoba, you hear more about Gani’s proclivity and sectionalism.
Tribalization and realization of aforementioned came to us disappointedly. It will be sheer lunacy to dive into Femi Falana hypocritical ways during the heat 1993 June 12 struggles, and visit at his chamber. As usual “Are they our boys” pumped up. There are exceptions—we must affirmatively say thanks to Bamidele Aturu, for standing-up for justice and trust—Dele did not hesitate to rebuke Falana in his reactionary remarks at fellow comrades especially from Great UNIBEN.
Secrecy and hypocrisy from this writer’s prospective creates suspicions that destroy revolutionary progressivism that facilitate different directional set backs. Societal problematization is usually deeply-rooted in regional and sectional polarity. Liberation struggles always collapses any argument hoisted at vaulted victory because of privileged interests those at the corridor of power even its absence.
Gani avoided political offers but transferred and converted public fund from donor development agencies from overseas for his personal well-being. He built mansions and industries here and there for himself. If Gani and other human rights leaders couldn’t or cannot account for public funds, offered empty noises about the poor, while he built his mansions that is the height of hypocrisy. In this context, all indicators that contradicts sponsors compliance conditionalities and create space for contested mission statements wherever they are manufactured defeats greater objective: freedom and self-reliance.
Democratization, freedom, self-determination are sin-quo-non for a pragmatic return to City-States institutions that existed before the arrival of British-imperialism and control of our resources, and it remains our best option at post-colonial states/post- modernity. Fallibility is human, Gani was human, but allowed his emotion to get the best of him.
“He Died For All Of US”, no sir, Gani was no Messiah and didn’t die for all of us. Greed and bigotry is curable if we control and actively activate our intuitive capability-and true human sensibility at service without pretenses. There is only one Messiah and that is Jesus Christ. Most importantly Gani did his best for his wallet, missed the mark, less relevant at assisting the poor in any form or shape. The impact of oppression is generationally and dangerous. Markedly, oppressively dehumanizing a society, either militarily or human rights window-dressing; avoiding and refusing showing accountability and responsibility, egregiously insulting public sensibilities is lunacy at its height.
According to Paul Fierier “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”, only the oppressed can free themselves from the oppressive institutions. The humanization of any society comes with a prize, and it will come from humanization process that is championed by the oppressed. When this happens, and the oppressed
gain his freedom, he in turn fights to free his oppressors from his oppressive inclinations. In other words, if the oppressed fails to liberate himself from dehumanizing administrative state, such as Nigerian-state, continue to live within such oppressive society, the possibility is that little-by-little, it will begin to imbibe those oppressive methodologies deployed by the oppressors, and sooner or later, he/she will become an
oppressor against his own population that is intended to freed and liberated, abinitio.
Under controversial circumstances surrounding the geographical expression, the paralysis called British-Nigerian error remains false because it doesn’t have the fundamental characteristic and foundation of a true-nation- state. The Obatala administrative state was overseen by City-states characteristics before the invasion by IFA-group or rather after the invasion by Ifa-OPC followers led by Ifa. Essentially Ifa-OPC preferred Kabiesee-kingship, and chaotic clime rather than liberty. The kingship administrative state will
always be characterized by imperialistic domineering retrogressivism.
Today much of this earth-plate constitutes present day Sub-Saharan Afrikkan (SSA) will never enjoy freedom unless it fights for her freedom. Friends, freedom is never and can never be free.
To be sure, Gani, Beko, Olisa Agbakoba, Tai Solarin and more were all products of oppressive regimes and were in turn oppressors themselves. They in one way or the other compromised and betrayed the movement. These so called human rights also stole from organizational treasuries while they claim to fight for the pauperized oppressed people. Funds meant for sustainable development were diverted into personal coffers including funds from foreign governments and donor nations that support democratization of societies.
Gani did more of shouting, screaming and was choreographed on acting drama by BBC employees who always visited his chamber at his behests, while he did his bid at preachments before cameras and other media outlet like other OPC attention seeking groupings. Of all the hundreds and millions of dollars
that came from donor development agencies, he could not assist comrades, let alone assist the poor.
While we needed funds, accommodation, and security, he gave NANS officials from UNIBEN 200 Naira each while he racked in millions of dollars for himself without any substantial developmental, entrepreneurial and market culture or cultural innovation made possible. We may say that while local corrupt-politicians were parasitical at government handouts stealing from government coffers and produced nothing, Gani displayed parasitical over-indulgence at foreign currency, became excessively greedy, used despotic means like IBB, Obasanjo, Abacha to discourage transparency, that in turn discouraged creativity, work ethic, entrepreneurship that makes and allow free commerce and trade, made maintain-cultural innovation-possible impossible.
While total Islamization of Nigerian-state is manifest everywhere he acted as if all was well. While deportation and violation of human rights abuses go on attended in Lagos as rogue OPC engages in harlotry and gutter politics, shipping citizens back to their states of origins by Fashola administration, Gani acted blind.
Islamic amputation and killings of Igbo-nationals and destruction of Igbo-property in Lagos goes and elsewhere unabated, Gani looked elsewhere. He aligned with Sokoto Caliphate as a closet Muslim, and said nothing about Islamization of all 12 Northern-states. Gani did his best like those before him. He could have done more, collaborated and strategized more with the entire human rights groups as a united front, had it being he was not selfish, sectional, corrupt, and tribalistic.
Finally, Gani was no different from corrupt military rulers like IBB, Obasanjo, Abacha and other narcissists out there—the only difference—he never hold his colleagues or employees at gun-point, rather he used his
logical illogicality at tyranny, yelling all day. Encouraging non-transparency and fiscal irresponsibility that characterized his institutional administrative lunacy, within the context of shouting-match, screaming-oddity, to obfuscate civility at legitimate legal procedural practice is shameful and defeats freedom of expression and liberty.
He avoided collaborating and strategizing with CD, AD, CLO, and NBA because he was egotistic. He raked-in more cash, built himself more mansions, and practically interrupted fiscal responsibility at funds coming in from foreign donors and development agencies.
Again, fellows the argument of scholarship that he made out to some folks is diversionary. . May I add, show me that scholarship listing and I will show you that 99% of it went to OPC membership and his cronies. The funds never belonged to him in the first place it belonged to the people.
Inside developed countries, agencies that receive funds grants, donations, or any kind of funds from agencies individuals locally or internationally, credible government financial agencies, would have launched into massive investigation of these funds that went to his Chamber, NCP, MASSES and other secrete agencies headed by Gani, in the name of eliminating poverty but were diverted into personal funds, building of mansions and establishing private businesses would have been investigated and possibly personal assets built with donor funds would have been taken-over by the government.
Carlisle U.O. Umunnah