Lagos Unveils 44-feet Statue in Honour of Fawehinmi

Gboyega Akinsanmi

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday unveiled a 44-feet statue at the Liberty Park, Ojota in honour of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, a human rights fighter and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) before he died on September 5, 2009.

He unveiled the statute to mark Fawehinmi’s 80th posthumous anniversary, which according to him, affirmed commitment “to celebrate personalities whose action have helped to define the fortune and spirit of Lagos State positively over the years.”

Ambode, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule, said the late activist would continue to remain a hero and role model for many in the country and around the world till date and that the statue symbolised the phenomenon that the rights activist represented in his life time.

He, therefore, eulogised the relevance of the personal sacrifices Fawehinmi made in leading the struggle for attainment of human rights and dignity especially during the military regimes which dehumanised many citizens of the country.

He said: “We celebrate the invaluable contribution and personal sacrifices of Fawehinmi in the campaign for human rights and dignity, especially in Lagos State where he spent the greater part of his life.

“Fawehinmi loomed large in the minds of the people, especially the underprivileged and vulnerable masses for whom he was ready to lay down his life.”