The daughter of late civil rights activist and lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, Barrister Basirat Fawehinmi-Biobaku, has praised Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for what she described as his commitment to implementing her father’s philosophy of putting the interests of the masses first.

Fawehinmi-Biobaku said Governor Sani had lived up to the advice her father gave him more than three decades ago when he had the opportunity to serve the people.

Recalling her father’s relationship with Sani, who
once lived with the Fawehinmi family, she said the late activist had advised him never to forget the masses if he ever got the opportunity to serve Nigeria.

According to her, Fawehinmi once told Sani: “Uba, if you ever have the opportunity to serve our country, Nigeria, in any capacity, make sure you never ever forget the masses of our people.”
Fawehinmi-Biobaku spoke at the presentation of her book, Gani Fawehinmi and Uba Sani: A Tale of Mentor and Mentee, held at the Brigadier Abba Kyari Banquet Hall at the weekend.

She described Sani as being very close to her father, recalling that he lived with the family for four years at their residence at 9A Ademola Close, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

“Together, they lived very peacefully. Comrade Uba Sani lived in our house for four good years. Every morning, he had breakfast with Gani. They went to the office together,” she said.
The author said she had toured Kaduna State and witnessed what Sani had achieved since becoming governor, adding that his administration had continued to reflect the values and advice of her late father.
She commended the governor for his investments in education, including the construction and renovation of schools and classrooms, as well as efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children through free education from primary to secondary school levels.

Fawehinmi-Biobaku also praised the administration’s healthcare initiatives, saying all 255 wards in Kaduna State now had primary healthcare centres.

She said the governor had also embarked on extensive infrastructure development and rural transformation, which had improved the movement of agricultural produce to markets, reduced travel time and boosted commercial activities across the state.

The author further credited Sani with promoting peace and unity in Kaduna State by bringing together communities in the northern and southern parts of the state.
She stressed that peace was essential for sustainable development, saying no meaningful progress could take place in an atmosphere of insecurity and division.

“I’m not a politician, but I must speak on this: his choice of Deputy Governor, a Christian from Southern Kaduna. Governor Comrade Uba Sani, if Gani Fawehinmi were alive today, he would have been very proud of you,” she said.
Fawehinmi-Biobaku also conveyed a message from her mother, Mrs Ganiat Fawehinmi, who, she said, could not attend the event because of her age.

She recalled that her mother had often cooked for Sani during his years with the family.
“Mama couldn’t be here today. Mama is 77; she does not go out again. But she asked me to tell you: Gani lives on. We know. Uba, well done. In Comrade Uba Sani, Gani definitely lives on,” she added.