The award was organized by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA, which held at Shoregate Hotel, Ikeja.

The occasion is the 7th edition of the Gani Fawehinmi Impact and Integrity Awards, GFIIA, of which Olawunmi was among several Nigerians nominated for the award.

The presentation of the award was made by a strategic communication specialist based in London, Dr. Sina Odugbemi at the well attended event.

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Commodore Olawunmi made headlines in the news media sometimes in 2021 when he openly challenged former President Muhammadu Buhari, alleging that the State Security Services had information on persons sponsoring the dreaded Boko Haram and terrorism generally but refused to act due to lack of presidential support.

The retired Intelligence Czar is now an Associate Professor of Global Counter Terrorism at Chrisland University, Abeokuta.

Olawunmi was adjudged to embody the values of impact and integrity championed by the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

Speaking to newsmen after the event, the awardee expressed deep appreciation to Nigerians for considering him worthy of the honour.

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Commodore Olawunmi made headlines in the news media sometimes in 2021 when he openly challenged former President Muhammadu Buhari, alleging that the State Security Services had information on persons sponsoring Boko Haram and terrorism generally but refused to act due to lack of presidential support.

The retired Intelligence Czar is presently being considered as a nominee for the Valuable Whistle-Blower Award for the 7th edition of the prestigious Gani Fawehinmi Impact and Integrity Awards, GFIIA, 2024.

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The organis ers, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), has announced the kick-off of public voting which is currently on and expected to end on November 8, 2024.

Olawunmi is now an Associate Professor of Global Counter Terrorism at Chrisland University, Abeokuta.

Nigerians are being urged to kindly participate actively in this process and help honour those who embody the values of impact and integrity championed by the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

The voting phase can be accessed through the Awards website: https://gfa.hedang.org

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In a statement on Friday in Lagos, the branch said that the lecture would take place on January 15 at Lagos Airport Hotel, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja.

The statement was signed by the Publicity Secretary of the branch, Mr Patrick Agboola.

According to the association, the theme of the lecture is “Free, Fair and Credible Elections as Indispensable Tool for National Development.”

It said that Mrs Charlotte Kesson-Smith, a lawyer, writer,  philanthropist, social critic and United Nations International Elections Commissioner, would be the key speaker at the event.

It added that other discussants would include  Mr Mike Igini, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner, Akwa Ibom, and Commodore Kunle Olawunmi, a public affairs analyst.

According to the association, Lagos State governor,  Babajide Sanw-Olu, and his Rivers State counterpart, Governor Nyesom Wike, are among the prominent Nigerians expected to grace the occasion.

“The annual lecture is aimed to preserve the outstanding legacies of the late human and civil rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

“The NBA Ikeja Branch has almost for two decades rolled out the drums yearly to celebrate the greatness of Fawehinmi and his contributions to the development of the legal profession and human rights protection.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu will be the Chief host; the President of NBA, Mr Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau (SAN), will be host. The chairman of the occasion will be Prof. Akin Oyebode, a former Vice Chancellor of University of Ado-Ekiti.

“The organisers intend to engage rapporteurs who will help out during the programme so it will be easy to transmit the helpful points that will be raised to the Independent National Electoral Commission,” it said.

It quoted the chairman of the event’s Planning Committee, Dr Muiz Banire (SAN), as promising that the lecture would be memorable.

Source: NAN

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Usman also told the court  that Tinubu had no pending petition and was not a suspect to the Nigeria Police Force, hence, could not be put on trial.

The explanation was part of the contents of an affidavit filed at the court by his counsel, Mr Wisdom Madaki.

Madaki filed the affidavit in response to a suit instituted by a civil rights group seeking an order of mandamus to compel the police to arrest and prosecute Tinubu for perjury and certificate forgery.

The police chief maintained that the police could not prosecute Tinubu without any known offence committed.

The police explained that the two petitions it had against Tinubu were on allegations that had been adjudicated upon by the Supreme Court in 2002 in a suit filed by the late human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi.

The affidavit averred that since the alleged perjury and certificate forgery had been resolved by the apex court, there was no need for the police to reopen the matter.

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The IGP said that the police did not need any court order to make arrests and prosecute since it derived its powers from the constitution and statutes.

He prayed the court to dismiss the suit brought against him and the Nigeria Police Force for want of merit and jurisdiction.

He also told the court that the plaintiff would not be prejudiced if the suit was dismissed.

Counsel to the group, Mr Eme  Ekpu, however,  told Justice Inyang Ekwo that the counter affidavit of the police had just been served on him.

Ekpu prayed the court to give him some time to peruse it and reply to it formally.

In a brief ruling, Justice Ekwo granted the request and fixed January 19, 2023 for hearing of the suit.

The Incorporated Trustees of the Center for Reform and Public Advocacy had dragged the IGP to court.

The suit was predicated on the alleged refusal of the police to prosecute the presidential candidate of the APC over allegations bordering on forgery.

The suit dated and filed on July 4 on behalf of the group in Abuja by Mr Mike Nwankwo has the Nigerian Police Force and the Inspector General of Police as 1st and 2nd respondents.

The group said that the legal action against the police was necessitated by the IGP’s refusal to take action on its petitions against Tinubu.

The petition they said was over an offence it claimed Tinubu committed and was indicted by the Lagos State House of Assembly in 1999.

The applicant maintained that by Sections 214 and 215 of the 1999 Constitution and Section 4 of the Nigerian Police Act, 2020, the Police had the statutory responsibility to uphold it.

The applicant said the responsibility was to prevent, detect and investigate criminal allegations whether brought to its notice by individuals, persons, corporate bodies or institutions.

The applicant in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1058/2022, is asking the court for an order of mandamus compelling the respondents to comply with Sections 31 and 32 of the Police Act and Section 3 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2015 .

This, according to the applicant, is with regards to the alleged crime of forgery committed by the APC presidential candidate.

Source: NAN

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See as bush meat come dey hungry me this cold night. It made me nostalgic about the night Gani Fawehinmi and l fought over bush meat.

We were having dinner together in his house sometime in 1999 and because he never missed the CHANNELS 10 pm news, his attention shifted to the news. Meanwhile, l had played some pranks, the plate where they had dished big pieces of bush meat, l had changed the plate and put the pieces of bush meat in my plate and started eating.

So, he dug his spoon in my plate to take the meat and we started struggling over the meat, till madam pleaded with me to give him part of the meat, otherwise, she would be the “fall guy” after l would have left.

After listening to the highlights of the news, he now shifted his attention to the food. Immediately, he noticed that he couldn’t find the bush meat. In his usual manner, he screamed, calling his wife -“Abikeeee! We de sinwin, e’ongbe mi sa” (in Ondo dialect, Abike, are you mad? Where is my bush meat? In Ondo dialect, the “r” is silent. So, instead of ‘erangbe’, it is pronounced ‘e’ongbe’).

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Then l challenged him, “but Chief, why are you shouting at madam? The bush meat is here. I have swapped it since the news is more important to you than the food”. Then he protested, “Richie, we le hijack e’ongbe mi ke” (Richie, you can’t just hijack my bush meat). Then l told him – “Point of correction Chief – our bush meat, not your bush meat.” So, he dug his spoon in my plate to take the meat and we started struggling over the meat, till madam pleaded with me to give him part of the meat, otherwise, she would be the “fall guy” after l would have left. So, truce was effected and we shared the bush meat. But bush meat still dey hungry me this night sha.

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The family made this known on Thursday at a briefing in Lagos State.

Mohammed died penultimate Wednesday at 52 but the cause of his death was not revealed.

However, speaking at the briefing on behalf of the family, Mohammed’s younger brother, Saheed Fawehinmi, said the family wanted to be sure of the cause of his death before making it public.

His words:  “The family could not immediately disclose the cause of our brother’s death because we wanted the information to be based on factual medical details especially as maybe contained in the death certificate.

“Today however, we are in a position to inform you that our dear brother died from COVID-19 related complications.”

The family said as a result of the development, members of the public should take all necessary measures against being infected.

“Arising from this, we want to urge all Nigerians to take necessary precautions to avoid being infected by the deadly disease, including, but not limited to taking the required doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

“The public should ensure wearing of face masks, regular hand sanitising, hand washing with soap and maintaining social distancing amidst crowd,” Saheed Fawehinmi said.

Mohammed had a law degree from the University of Buckingham, England, and was called to the Nigerian bar in 1998.

In 2003, he had an accident in Lagos which affected his spinal cord and confined him to wheelchair.

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