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GANI FAWEHINMI AND THE DIGBO LU GI...
UNCONTROLLABLES
Written by Kayode Ogundamisi
Tamedo: Unmm Did you notice the “grand” burial given to Chief Gani
Fawheinmi!
Lagbaja: The man is a great man, from the moment he passed away his
GRA Ikeja house became a “Mecca”; all the activists gathered in less
than one minute.
Tamedo: Activist? Do we still have them?
Lagbaja: Of course we have them they came from all the nooks and
crannies of Nigeria even NANS came.
Tamedo: NANS? Did they not give all kinds of awards to all manner of
governors for bringing Mr Biggs to state capitals?
Lagbaja: What is your problem? They came and I saw them with my
korokoro eyes. They vowed to continue Ganis struggle, as a matter of
fact Governor Fashola met them and they immediately surrounded him
shouting Baba ni governor
Tamedo: Oh so the governor is in town?
Lagbaja: Yes and he came with a seasoned activist in his government
as they drove out then came the two Odua leaders?
Tamedoa: Enm me I no dey o, don’t say anything funny about the Odua
people o!
Lagbaja: No I won’t, the younger Odua leader got a resounding
welcome, sebi you know Gani backed him during the Odua crisis? He
waved , shook hands and then signed the condolence register, as he
moved to his jeep the other leader came and someone in the crowd
shouted hey Baba what are you doing here did you not once describe
Chief Gani Fawheinmi as “Digbolugi”?
Tamedo: A-a-ah Lagbaja please shut up! You are trying to make
something out of nothing, that was in the past and things have
changed. At least Nuhu Ribadu came and you can not accuse him of not
being sincere! Imagine he risked his life just to come and “touch”
Gani’s body...that young man should be president he is the kind of
courageous leader Gani was talking about.
Lagbaja: I can’t comment on Nuhu I don’t want EFCC problem. You know
if I say nice things about him Farida will start asking me for the
receipt of my table fan. But I can assure you Babangida sent his
condolence
Tamedo: Baba wetin? You mean Baba Gana Kingibe?
Lagbaja: No not Kingibe. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. He called Gani
a national hero!
Tamedo: A national what?
Lagbaja: Hero! Wonders will never end, even Olagunsoye Oyinlola made
it to Ondo to Honour Gani. And Bola Tinubu too; he gave a very
moving speech.
Tamedo: Did Tinubu mention Chicago?
Lagbaja: No!
Tamedo: Did he remind the crowd of how Gani fought him almost to a
standstill?
Lagbaja: You are a trouble maker, I won’t comment, I live close to
Alausa. I was also reliably informed that Gbenga Daniels sent his
delegates to Lagos. He did not show up and busy bodies kept saying
he was busy at Okija shrine...
Tamedo: Okija? In Ogun State?
Lagbaja: Sorry Ikija , but the people’s Democratic Party promise to
create a foundation for Gani and also carry out Gani’s programmes in
One year.
Tamedo: Even the PDP? Wonders will never end. Gani called the PDP
Evil party.
Lagbaja: I don’t know about that but Adams Oshiomole promise to hand
over his 25 million Naira ‘Silverbird Man of the Year’ award to a
newly created “Gani Fawheinmi Foundation”
Tamedo: Are you serious? Did the owner of silverbird not make money
under Obasanjo? Or are you telling me Obasonjo’s money will go into
Gani’s foundation?
Lagbaja: That is your problem, Oshiomole joined AC but I think after
Gani’s death he will move to the National Conscience Party in honour
of Gani, you know to build a true opposition party not owned by any
god father.
Tamedo: What about the lawyers?
Lagbaja: Ah! they all came even all the Senior Advocates that denied
him SAN suddenly remembered being Gani’s best friend. Even lawyers
who usually did not want to be identified with Gani during the
struggle against military dictatorship brought memorable pictures.
As a matter of fact the courts became a mini carnival centre.
Tamedo: I was told Gani’s clothes were changed several times.
Lagbaja: Mind your business they changed his clothes to match the
occasion but when they got to Edo they could not get the Oshiomole
kind of Khaki for Gani.
Tamedo: So after Ganis burial what will happen
Lagbaja: ‘To thy tents o Israel’. The activists will go underground
again and leave Yar’adua to continue his misrule; ye pa did I just
say that? I withdraw that statement o. I don’t want to be “Boko
Harramed”. Anyway it is a regime of “Ruse of Law” I am safe. So the
activist will resume the usual conferences, symposium ,
parliamentary lobby, and then wait for 2011 to serve as consultants’
to politicians and then wait for God forbid another important
activist and they will all gather again like locusts.
Tamedo: Haba, in your entire story you did not even mention the
Nigerian masses
Lagbaja: Masses ke! Is that not the name of Late Moji Obasonjo’s
political party
Tamedo: No it is the name of ordinary Nigerians
Lagbaja: O I see...they ke? They buried Gani Fawehinmi in their
hearts. They love him to bits and know that someday very soon,
another Gani will rise again.
Tamedo: I am going to sleep o jare. Digbolugi...ah, that person must
be wicked to descrive Gani as Digbolugi and yet shed the most tears,
what a world.
Lagbaja: Good Night.
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