TRIBUTE: Mohammed Fawehinmi Was A Testament To Ability In Disability — Fmr. National Welfare Sec. Adesina Adegbite

The Former National Welfare Secretary of the Nigerian Bar
Association, Adesina Adegbite, has penned a tribute for late
Mohammed Fawehinmi, the first child of the late legal luminary,
Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

The 52-year-old Mohammed died on Wednesday in an undisclosed
hospital after complaining of difficulty in breathing.

Adegbite, in the tribute, said he got the information of the
death of Mohammed while attending a meeting and his reaction
attracted the attention of everyone attending the meeting.
According to Adegbite, Mohammed was amiable and humble.

Adegbite wrote, “At about 8.15pm on Wednesday, 11th August,
2021, I stumbled on the rudest and most shocking news of the death
of a dear brother, friend and colleague, the scion of the Chief
Gani Fawehinmi Family, Mohammed Fawehinmi (fondly called MO by
friends and associates). I was actually attending a meeting at the
time, but the news was too shocking that I screamed and
instinctively dropped my mobile phone like it had virus swirling
all over it. My reaction attracted the attention of other members
of the meeting and caused them to ask natural curious questions…
‘what happened’?, “what happened’? It took me a moment before I
managed to voice out the sad news I just read. The entire meeting
even though dominated by non-lawyers went into a mourning mood upon
my disclosure of the sad news. This was because majority of them
knew MO and those who didn’t know him knew his legendary father,
Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN. It therefore became a loss not only
personal to me, but to the rest of my fellow club members. The
meeting was actually the weekly meeting of Rotary Club of Ogba,
District 9110.

“MO was such an amiable and genial personality. He was most
humble and very energetic regardless of his physical challenge.
Prior to MO’s unfortunate accident which constrained him to the
wheelchair, he was known to be very active in practice and many saw
him as a natural successor to Gani’s activism crusade. He was also
a sportsman and I learnt just recently that Chief Gani Fawehinmi
was indeed preparing him to make it to the Olympics for sprint
races. Unfortunately, the accident cut short those dreams.
Interestingly, while some will be dampened by such a sudden
mobility constraints, MO never allowed his situation to affect his
outward emotions and activities. MO carried on with legal practice
and activism even on the wheelchair. I spoke with MO earlier this
month, precisely on the 2nd of August, to discuss a personal
project with him and in his characteristics ‘humble’ response, he
said “otise e se sir” (It is done sir). He always used sir to
address me, yet he was much older than I am. Such an humble
personality!”

Furthermore, Adegbite said the gravity and activism of Mohammed
was an attestation of his being the true son of his father. He
added that the legal profession has lost a rare gem and the world
has lost a good man.

“There was no time I saw MO either privately or at any official
engagement that I did not develop goose pimples. His arrival at any
event was always significant and emotional. He was such a brave
activist and this was an attestation to his being the true son of
his father. He was very eloquent and highly voracious in both
political and bar activism. The legal profession has lost a rare
gem. Indeed, the world has lost a pious and very good man. My
condolences to the Chief Gani Fawehinmi Family especially the
Matriach of the Family, Mrs. Ganiat Fawehinmi and All MO’s
siblings, the Chief Gani Fawehinmi Chambers’ Alumni, the Nigerian
Law Publications Ltd, the Nigerian Bar Association, especially the
Ikeja Branch where he was a member, and all MO’s friends,
colleagues and associates.

“As your body is lowered beneath the earth today, I pray that
the Almighty God grant your soul eternal rest in His bosom and
comfort the family and the rest of us. Sleep Well MO.” He also
wrote.

The Former National Welfare Secretary of the Nigerian Bar
Association, Adesina Adegbite, has penned a tribute for late
Mohammed Fawehinmi, the first child of the late legal luminary,
Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

The 52-year-old Mohammed died on Wednesday in an undisclosed
hospital after complaining of difficulty in breathing.

Adegbite, in the tribute, said he got the information of the
death of Mohammed while attending a meeting and his reaction
attracted the attention of everyone attending the meeting.
According to Adegbite, Mohammed was amiable and humble.

Adegbite wrote, “At about 8.15pm on Wednesday, 11th August,
2021, I stumbled on the rudest and most shocking news of the death
of a dear brother, friend and colleague, the scion of the Chief
Gani Fawehinmi Family, Mohammed Fawehinmi (fondly called MO by
friends and associates). I was actually attending a meeting at the
time, but the news was too shocking that I screamed and
instinctively dropped my mobile phone like it had virus swirling
all over it. My reaction attracted the attention of other members
of the meeting and caused them to ask natural curious questions…
‘what happened’?, “what happened’? It took me a moment before I
managed to voice out the sad news I just read. The entire meeting
even though dominated by non-lawyers went into a mourning mood upon
my disclosure of the sad news. This was because majority of them
knew MO and those who didn’t know him knew his legendary father,
Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN. It therefore became a loss not only
personal to me, but to the rest of my fellow club members. The
meeting was actually the weekly meeting of Rotary Club of Ogba,
District 9110.

“MO was such an amiable and genial personality. He was most
humble and very energetic regardless of his physical challenge.
Prior to MO’s unfortunate accident which constrained him to the
wheelchair, he was known to be very active in practice and many saw
him as a natural successor to Gani’s activism crusade. He was also
a sportsman and I learnt just recently that Chief Gani Fawehinmi
was indeed preparing him to make it to the Olympics for sprint
races. Unfortunately, the accident cut short those dreams.
Interestingly, while some will be dampened by such a sudden
mobility constraints, MO never allowed his situation to affect his
outward emotions and activities. MO carried on with legal practice
and activism even on the wheelchair. I spoke with MO earlier this
month, precisely on the 2nd of August, to discuss a personal
project with him and in his characteristics ‘humble’ response, he
said “otise e se sir” (It is done sir). He always used sir to
address me, yet he was much older than I am. Such an humble
personality!”

Furthermore, Adegbite said the gravity and activism of Mohammed
was an attestation of his being the true son of his father. He
added that the legal profession has lost a rare gem and the world
has lost a good man.

“There was no time I saw MO either privately or at any official
engagement that I did not develop goose pimples. His arrival at any
event was always significant and emotional. He was such a brave
activist and this was an attestation to his being the true son of
his father. He was very eloquent and highly voracious in both
political and bar activism. The legal profession has lost a rare
gem. Indeed, the world has lost a pious and very good man. My
condolences to the Chief Gani Fawehinmi Family especially the
Matriach of the Family, Mrs. Ganiat Fawehinmi and All MO’s
siblings, the Chief Gani Fawehinmi Chambers’ Alumni, the Nigerian
Law Publications Ltd, the Nigerian Bar Association, especially the
Ikeja Branch where he was a member, and all MO’s friends,
colleagues and associates.

“As your body is lowered beneath the earth today, I pray that
the Almighty God grant your soul eternal rest in His bosom and
comfort the family and the rest of us. Sleep Well MO.” He also
wrote.