We are indeed saddened by the recent arrest, humiliation and the trumped-up criminal charges brought against fiery Lagos lawyer, Ebun Olu Adegboruwa by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He is a known critics of successive governments in Nigeria and has never faltered in fighting the cause of the oppressed and the common man. He speaks truth to power.
This latest devilish onslaught on the human rights community is an attempt to gag our hard earned democracy, frustrate the cause of justice and firmly entrench dictatorship in our land. We are not unaware that aside Adegboruwa’s legal representation to defend some Nigerians being victimized by this oppressive government, his arrest was a tactical demonic game to prevent him from leading a mass action against the latest insensitive fuel price increase.
It has not come to us as a surprise that an intolerable government will be on the prowl of those who will necessarily stand up against this arbitrary increase in the pump prices of petroleum, thereby inflicting more pain and hardships on Nigerians. The arrest of Adegboruwa is a calculated attempt to silent critics and create fear in the minds of Nigerians, that an intolerable sheriff is in town.
As democracy sinks deeper in just one year of this administration, we wish to remind Nigerians that the way of a dictator is like a wildfire in harmattan that will spare no one in the end. As this government and it oppressive agents bare their fangs, suppressing rule of law and undermining democracy, we will not hesitate to tell them that their antics will fail and tyranny will not last. We have been on this rough path before and we triumphed as a people. We will also prevail this time around.
We stand by the statement of Adegboruwa and company that: “There is no way a criminal case can be maintained against Mr. Adegboruwa as the criminal case upon which the case (by the EFCC) is based has been dismissed (in a competent court). Mr. Adegboruwa did not collect money for any property but acted as a mediator for settlement and he acted upon the lawful instructions of his client.”
We also wish to alert the international community of this wicked assault on Adegboruwa. They plan to break his spirit and cow him, but they will never succeed. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa is gradually becoming the conscience of our nation fighting the unjust manipulation of the system against the people and the downtrodden. For us, an injury to Adegboruwa is an injury to democracy and the human rights community. It will not last.
To those keeping quiet in the face of oppression and injustice, we wish to remind you that it is not about those who started the race, but those who finish it, and in the eternal words of Frantz Fanon: “Every onlooker is either a coward or a traitor.” We warn that in a fascist regime, everyone will at a point becomes a victim of state manipulations and terror. Time will tell.
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Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija
Ariyo-Dare Atoye is a Co-Convener, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution (CDNDC) [email protected]
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