26 Facts About Gani Fawehinmi

Gani Fawehinmi held the chieftaincy title of the Lamofin of Ondo.

Gani Fawehinmi's father, Chief Saheed Tugbobo Fawehinmi, the Seriki Musulumi of Ondo, was a successful timber trader, philanthropist, civic activist and muslim chieftain of the Yoruba people.

Gani Fawehinmi was reported to be a follower of Ajao, who brought Islam to Ondo City, southwestern Nigeria.

Chief Saheed Tugbobo Gani Fawehinmi died on 5 February 1963 at the age of 89 years.

Gani Fawehinmi was an avid reader of Daily Times and West African Pilot, the most popular newspapers in Nigeria at that time.

Gani Fawehinmi then worked briefly as a law clerk in the High Court of Lagos until 1961.

Gani Fawehinmi enrolled at the Holborn College of Law- University of London to read law in 1961.

Gani Fawehinmi completed his academic degree in London with a measure of difficulty due to lack of funds.

Gani Fawehinmi returned to Nigeria in 1964 and was called to the bar the following year.

Gani Fawehinmi then worked briefly at the law firm of his brother, the late Hon.

Justice Rasheed Olabamidele Gani Fawehinmi before branching out on his own.

Gani Fawehinmi gained prominence when he took on the case of a factory worker, Bala Abashe who alleged that the Secretary to the government of Benue-Plateau State, Andrew Obeya had an affair with his wife.

Gani Fawehinmi took on the case as a pro bono lawyer for Abashe while the state government stood behind their official.

However, in 1981, Gani Fawehinmi was queried by a disciplinary committee and told to explain himself within fourteen days why he was touting himself through advertisements in a weekly publication contrary to the ethics of the bar.

Gani Fawehinmi flouted the directive because he believed the accused should be made to disgorge any money stolen as a result his name was placed in NBA's dishonour roll.

Gani Fawehinmi was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the highest legal title in Nigeria, in September 2001.

In 1986, while Chief Gani Fawehinmi was Dele Giwa's Lawyer, the latter was killed in a bomb blast under suspicious circumstances.

Gani Fawehinmi was beaten up time after time and was deported from one part of the country to another to prevent him from being able to effectively reach out to the masses among whom he was popular.

Gani Fawehinmi's books were confiscated by the Federal Military Government and his library at Surulere, a suburb of Lagos, were set ablaze.

Gani Fawehinmi was dumped in many police cells and detained in several prisons between 1969 and 1996.

Gani Fawehinmi's supporters have called him "the scourge of sphygmomanometer with which the blood pressure of dictators is gauged, the veritable conscience of the nation and the champion of the interests and causes of the masses".

Gani Fawehinmi library is recorded to be the largest library in Nigeria.

On 11 June 1993 Gani Fawehinmi was awarded the biennial Bruno Kreisky Prize.

In 2018, Chief Gani Fawehinmi was posthumously awarded the Order of the Niger, Nigeria's second highest honour.

Gani Fawehinmi died in the early hours of 5 September 2009 after a prolonged battle with lung cancer.

Gani Fawehinmi was buried on 15 September 2009 in his home town of Ondo City Nigeria.