Nigerians should draw strength from the legacies and exemplary life of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, social critic, human rights lawyer, late Chief Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi.

They were also urged to do so in fighting poverty and improving the society for the benefit of generations to come.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, made the call at the unveiling of the forty-four-feet high remodelled statue of late Chief Fawehinmi at Liberty Park in Ojota area of Lagos.

Ambode described the late legal luminary as a relentless human rights lawyer, social critic and a towering figure in human rights activism.

He spoke through his Deputy, Idiat Adebule, saying the monument stands as a testimony of Chief Fawehinmi’s strength and courage.

Also speaking, Legal Practitioner, Femi Falana described the new Fawehinmii statue as the best monument in the country, appreciating Governor Ambode for investing in the remodelling of the statue in honour of Gani and his legacies.

Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria said Fawehinmi was a thorn in the flesh of dictators as he was totally committed to fundamental change from poverty to prosperity.

He said it was a mark of greatness to honour great people like Gani who stood for justice, accountability, transparency and equity.

Secretary, National Conscience Party, Ayodele Akele, who also expressed happiness over the remodelling of the statue, said it was a birthday gift to the family, friends and associates of Fawehinmi.

Also speaking, Vice President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Isa Aremu, described Fawehinmi as the defender of the masses who was always on the street to protest against bad governance.

Aremu said Fawehinmi also fought a legal battle to ensure that the Independent National Electoral Commission could register as many political parties as possible.

Convener of the Women Arise for Change Initiative, Joe Okei-Odumakin, said Fawehinmi gave all his resources, time and energy to defend human rights, saying Nigerians should imbibe all Gani lived and died for including justice, good governance, equity, accountability, adherence to rule of law.

Responding, the first son of the late Fawehinmi, Mohammed Fawehinmi, who spoke on behalf of the family, thanked the state governor, saying he was overwhelmed seeing the statue.

Mohammed, a lawyer thanked Governor Ambode for honouring his father with the statue, saying it was an indelible work of Art that would place the name of Gani in the global map and would go into the Guinness book of records no doubt.

He appreciated the Governor’s efforts in driving development and making Lagos a megacity, but he needed to listen to the yearnings of the people.

He said the state government had continued to set the pace, saying Ambode was the first governor to build such a gigantic statue in honour of his father, while he acknowledged the one done by former Governor Babatunde Fashola which was smaller in size.

Fawehinmi’s son who was so happy that Governor Ambode remodeled his father’s statue, said he would like to laugh at the face of three people who made his father’s stay on earth unpalatable.

He said he awaits the death of former military dictator, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, and former President, Olusegun Obasanjo on a daily basis, mentioning the late dictator, Sani Abacha, but said unfortunately, Abacha was dead.

For the remaining two still living, Muhammed said “I wait for their demise everyday.” He said they were now old and deserved to die.

In his address, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Steve Ayorinde said the remodelling of the Gani Fawehinmi statue was part of the State’s strategy to enhance the aesthetic beauty of open public spaces and parks across the state.

Ayorinde said the remodelling of monuments across the state was to celebrate and immortalise worthy icons that contributed immensely to the development of Lagos State.

He said the statue was also informed by the desire of the state government to project and entrench the enduring legacy of the country’s foremost human right lawyer, saying Fawehinmi was also an activist, philanthropist and one of the icons of pro-democracy movement in Nigeria.