• How he formed National Advance Party, by Ben Obi
• Shonekan, Okotie, Akerele-Bucknor euologise legal
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Special Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter-party Affairs, Senator Ben Ndi Obi, yesterday in an exclusive chat with The Guardian said the late Dr Tunji Braithwaite totally believed in the ability of the youths, the reason for which he (Braithwaite) co-founded the Nigeria Advance Party (NAP).

Obi’s kind words for the late legal icon came as Chairman of the Fresh Democratic Party (FRESH), Rev. Chris Okotie, described him as a friend of the masses. Okotie said this while commiserating with Braithwaite’s family yesterday.

And former Head of Interim National Government (ING), Chief Earnest Shonekan has urged Nigerians to thank the Almighty God for life and times of the late legal luminary and Human rights advocate.

Speaking during a condolence visit to the family yesterday, Chief Shonekan also recalled when he was in secondary school with Dr. Braithwaite. “Since then, I knew he was going to become a great leader. He was very forthright and this is what I want him to be remembered for,” he said

In the same vein, former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Kofoworola Akerele-Bucknor, said she felt sad by his death “we have known from childhood and it is painful that we have lost such a courageous and dogged fighter.
“Braithwaite encouraged a lot of people to succeed during his lifetime. He lived a fulfilled life.”

In his condolence remark, the Chairman Honey Well, Oba Otudeko described the deceased as a great man of profound opinion on national issues. His strides were bold, his opinion informed.”

According to Ben Obi, who is also a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the first time in the history of Nigeria, Braithwaite championed the first revolutionary party that brought the Nigerian youths into participatory politics as NAP, through its symbol, sought to entrust the future of the Nigerian youths into their hands.

He said the legal luminary and politician in forming the NAP, brought on board a few tested and trusted friends, like Dr. Ayo Ojajune, Dr. Muyiwa Oladimeji, Comrade Mallam Sanni, and himself (Senator Ben Obi).

“Ayo was the director of ideology; Muyiwa was director of organization; Comrade Sanni was Acting National Secretary, and my humble self was National Publicity Secretary. We had the slogan: Eliminating cockroaches, rats and mosquitoes, which was a philosophical way of saying: Eliminating bribery, corruption, poverty, ignorance and disease in our decadent society.”