Christy Anyanwu
Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) and other activists gathered yesterday at Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota Lagos, in the evening to hold a candlelight in memory of the late Prof Pius Adesanmii, who died in the ill-fated Ethiopian air crash on March 10, 2019.
The gathering, which consists of activists, lawyers, writers, students and admirers of the late don, poured encomiums on the deceased, eulogizing him.
In his opening remarks, Inibele Effiong, of the conveners of the event said: “Today, we cry for the passage of our legend. But the greatest honour we can do to his memory is not by shedding tears, it is for us to uphold the ideas he stood for and defend his values without compromise.”
Falana described Adesanmi as a man born into a country where Ideas are not valued, stating that Pius was a product of brain drain, but was always returning to Africa for meaningful change to the struggles of transformation to the continent.
He enjoined the friends of the deceased to extend love to his wife, two children, and mother. “As lawyers we would ensure the right of the family will be given them as soon as possible,” he promised.
Human rights activist, Ayo Obe, who said she knew the deceased through his writings before meeting him personally, said that Nigeria has lost one of the finest writers and boldest personality.
He described the late professor as a meticulous, hardworking and very firm believer in honesty, saying that “he knew how to deploy words as his weapon.”
Lanre Arogundade, Director, International Press Centre, described him as a writer who has done well for himself, noting that Pius was not a radical, or an activist but his writing catapulted him to the hearts of many within and outside the country.