Rights activists, labour leaders and civil society organisations have called for urgent reforms to tackle insecurity, economic hardship and challenges threatening Nigeria’s democratic development. They made the call on Saturday September 5 at the 17th Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture and Civil Justice Legacy Project in Ikeja.
Speaking, participants urged Nigerians and governments to sustain the late human rights lawyer’s legacy of justice, accountability and defence of the vulnerable. Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin said security remained fundamental to protecting human rights and called for stronger support for security agencies to combat kidnapping and terrorism.
The keynote speaker, Dr Wahab Azeez, described Fawehinmi as a symbol of courage and justice and questioned the state of economic justice and democratic institutions 17 years after his death. He said the 70,000 naira minimum wage was inadequate for workers and called for a significant increase, while also expressing concern over threats to judicial independence and declining public trust.
Chairman of the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation, Tunde Agunbiade, called for an end to killings, kidnapping, terrorism and corruption, while urging accountability in security operations.
Participants also advocated stronger electoral and internal party reforms, greater citizen participation in governance and a living wage, with Agunbiade proposing 300,000 naira. They further recommended September 5 as a national civil day of remembrance for victims of violence, abduction and injustice.
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