Activists gather in Lagos for Fawehinmi, renew fight for justice
By Samuel Ogunsona
Activists gathered in Lagos on Thursday to celebrate legal icon and renown human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
The event held at the International Press Centre, (IPC) in Lagos. Fawehinmi died in September 2009 after suffering from cancer related illness.
Many leaders of civil rights groups gathered at the historic event organised by the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organization (GAFAMORG.
The group also unveiled a national initiative aimed at strengthening accountability, protect vulnerable communities, and restor public trust in Nigeria’s justice institutions.
The Civil Justice Legacy Project (CJLP) is designed to confront the country’s crisis of impunity and promote justice, peace, and human rights.
This information was disclosed during a press briefing held at the International Press Centre in Lagos on December 4, 2025, and monitored by Irohinodua.
According to Comrade Agunbiade Babatunde, Chairman of the Governing Council, “Nigeria is grieving too many preventable deaths. Impunity for mass killings, extrajudicial executions, mob violence, and institutional failure has eroded public trust and devastated communities.”
The CJLP is a practical, rights-based response to this crisis, comprising five major components: Civil Justice Tracker, Citizen Auditor Network, Gani Fawehinmi Youth Civil Fellowship, ACJA/ACJL Simplification, and Research & Policy Reports..
The CJLP will pilot in Kaduna and Lagos, two complementary contexts that together form a robust model for national replication.
The project aims to record memory, pursue legal accountability, build citizen oversight, and protect future generations.
The flagship memorial lecture and official launch of CJLP are slated for Thursday, December 18, 2025, at the NuruDeen Alao Auditorium, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, with invitations extended to journalists, civil society groups, faith leaders, scholars, and international partners to participate in what organizers describe as a “national turning point in the struggle for justice.”
GAFAMORG has declared September 5 as the National Civil Day of Remembrance for Victims of Mass Killings, Extrajudicial Killings, Mob Actions, and Impunity.
The organization is calling on the Federal and State Governments, faith communities, civic organizations, the private sector, media, and every Nigerian to endorse and observe this day annually.
“We call on Nigerians and friends of democracy worldwide to stand with us as we transform Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s legacy into living civic institutions for justice and remembrance,” said Comrade Babatunde.
The launch of the CJLP coincides with the 16th Chief Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture, scheduled for December 18, 2025, at the NuruDeen Alao Auditorium, University of Lagos.
The event will gather jurists, human rights defenders, scholars, and civic leaders to discuss pressing issues and chart a way forward for promoting justice and accountability in Nigeria
