A mild drama played itself out on Monday in Lagos at the 14th Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture when protesters mobbed Mike Ozekhome and stopped him mounting the podium to speak.
The theme of the lecture is “Federalism, Restructuring and Good Governance: Striking a Balance”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protesters comprising youths, shouted down Ozekhome and physically restrained him from entering the venue.
They accused the Lagos lawyer of defending corrupt individuals in court and shielding them from justice.
“His presence here is an insult to the memory of Chief Gani Fawehinmi,” the mob chorused.
The keynote address of Prof. Demola Popoola had to be stopped for 15 minutes because of the pandemonium.
It took the intervention of Mr Adeshina Ogunlana, the Chairman of Ikeja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Femi Falana (SAN) and Mr Mohammed Fawehinmi to douse tension.
Mohammed, the first son of the late Fawehinmi, told the protesting youths that violence which would have been disapproved by his father was not the right approach to address issues.
An unperturbed Ozekhome, who later addressed the forum, said: “Gani was against oppression, repression and tyranny in whatever form.
“That is why in 1983, the NBA said that lawyers should not defend alleged corrupt politicians under the then General Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption, but Gani said No; these people are entitled to their rights.
“By Section 36 of the Constitution, every person’s innocence is presumed; I was with Gani when we were defending the so-called corrupt politicians.
“I am just coming now from the court where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) wanted to freeze the account of a citizen via ex parte.
“I just stopped them again for the 20th time; I will continue to fight the government which looks the other way when corruption is recorded in their system.
“I have told Mr Magu three times to prosecute at least one person in their government so that we can show that corruption is being fought,” he said.
Ozekhome, who was a senior counsel in the law chambers of Fawehinmi, noted that during his stint at the chambers, he helped found the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports and the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO).
“The Shiites that were mowed down during their protests, the massacre in Southern Kaduna, Enugu State and so many other incidents are as a result of lack of true federalism and restructuring,” he said.
Responding to the shouts of “lies, lies, lies’’ that punctuated his speech, the senior advocate told the protesters: “You cannot intimidate me, you are all hired.’’
Reacting to Ozekhome’s claims, Falana (SAN), said: “Go and find out from your history books, Gani never defended anyone being tried by the EFCC or ICPC, I need to correct that misconception.”
NAN reports that Ozekhome is a counsel to the former First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, Dr Bukola Saraki, the Senate President and Mr Ayodele Fayose, the Governor of Ekiti.
