The Centre for Human and Socioeconomic Rights says the demise of Mohammed Fawehinmi, eldest son of late legal icon and activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, is a terrible loss.
Mr Alex Omotehinse, National President of the group, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while reacting to the death of the lawyer.
NAN reports that Mohammed died on Wednesday in Lagos. He was aged 52.
Omotehinse said the news was ” shocking”.
“The fact remains that among the children of the late legal icon, Mohammed was the only one who identified with us and remained with us, despite the challenges he faced.
“Mohammed stood with us in the struggle to defend the masses.
“Now that he has again dropped the baton, a very big vacuum has been created,” he said.
According to him, the death of Mohammed Fawehinmi implies that Gani Fawehinmi’s household may be finally missed in the activism circle.
“It is only Mohammed that carried the mantle, despite his health challenges.
“When some of us see him, we believe Gani is still alive, because he was bold, spoke like his father, was courageous and never looked at his challenges.”
The rights activist recalled how civil society groups, alongside Mohammed, attended the burial of late Mr Yinka Odumakin, another activist, who died recently.
He added that the late younger Fawehinmi also joined them recently, during a courtesy visit to the residence of another late activist, Mr Innocent Chukwuma .
Omotehinse said the death was a huge loss and very sad one, praying God to console the late Mohammed’s mother and family.
NAN sources indicated that Mohammed had complained of breathing difficulties and was taken to a hospital where he died.
He had a law degree from the University of Buckingham, England and was called to the Nigerian bar in 1998.
In 2003, he had an accident in Lagos which affected his spinal cord and confined him to a wheelchair. (NAN)