The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) o Wednesday
celebrated human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) as he clock 60 years.
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said: "The NLCwishes
to celebrate a great Nigerian patriot, lawyer and defender of workers and
people’s rights, Femi Falana, as he turns 60!
"Falana, since his student days, has been in
the fore front of the crusade for the emancipation of the Nigerian people. As a
student, even before he became a lawyer, Falana was in the habit of bailing
fellow student union activists who got captured by the state.
"As a lawyer, Falana has continued in the
footsteps of Nigeria’s numero uno Senior Advocate of the Masses; Chief Gani
Fawehinmi. Falana has always broken through the noise of silence to speak out
against oppressive policies and actions of those in the corridors of political
power.”
Wabba observed that Falana's "interventions as
a human rights crusader and activist transcend ethnic, religious and political
sentiments, and has kept successive governments in Nigeria on their toes.
"Falana is not just a rabble rousing activist,
he is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) with an illustrious pedigree as a
lawyer’s lawyer and a thorough bred professional.
His commitment to pristine principles has elevated
him above many of his colleagues in the legal profession who hide under the
principles of ‘adversarial litigation and right to defend’ to go to bed with
all manner of shady characters. Falana has continued to live above board.
Wabba added that "in tandem with his avowed
commitment to the liberation of the Nigerian state from retrogressive forces, Falana
has always been on the same page with the Nigeria Labour Congress in so many of
our campaigns for social justice, equity and national renewal. To describe him
as an abiding friend of Nigerian workers would only betray a struggle with the
right adjectives.
"In further demonstration of his unflinching
passion for a better society, Falana, who we describe as Comrade, has continued
to reach out beyond the boundaries of his professional calling to intervene in
the political arena.
"Recently, he was the Chairman of the National
Conscience Party (NCP) and on which platform he contested for the governorship
seat of Ekiti State in 2007.
"Falana has also been in the fore front of the
call for a vibrant Workers Political Party-a collectively shared aspiration
that would soon be a reality.
"At 60 years, the NLC wishes our erudite and
eminent partner in the struggle for workers and peoples’ rights, Falana, a
graceful ascent to golden years ahead!"
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