Right activists, labour leaders and civil society organisations have called for urgent and comprehensive reforms to address insecurity, economic hardship and hindrances to Nigeria’s democratic growth.
They made the call yesterday at the 17th Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture and Civil Justice Legacy Project in Ikeja.
The lecture had the theme: “Democracy, Human Dignity and the Nigerian State: Living Wage, Security and Accountability in the Public Interest”.
Participants at the event stressed the need to sustain the late Fawehinmi’s struggle for justice, accountability and protection of the oppressed.
Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, president of centre for change and chairman of the occasion, described Fawehinmi as a selfless defender of the oppressed whose ideals must be sustained.
“We are not here just to remember Gani, but to organise for change. He lived for the ordinary Nigerian, and we must continue to amplify and live those ideals,” she said.
Okei-Odumakin said that security remained the foundation of all rights, urging governments to strengthen security.
“Life is sacrosanct. Without life, we cannot talk about wage or development.
“Government must provide the necessary support for security agencies to end kidnapping and terrorism,” she said.
She also urged Nigerians to be vigilant and proactive.
“ When you see something, say something. We must all work together to preserve human lives,” she said.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr Wahab Azeez, a former Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos, described Fawehinmi as a symbol of courage and justice.
“Seventeen years after his passing, Gani remains unforgettable, not just because he was brilliant, but because he was consistently right – right about rights,” he said.
Azeez said the memorial lecture was not about nostalgia but reflection, adding that many of the issues Fawehinmi fought against had persisted.
“What is the state of our democracy today? Where is economic justice for workers?” he asked.
