I Tried To Make Gani Fawehinmi My Friend But He Rejected Me – Babangida

A former Military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, popularly known as IBB, has said he tried to be friends with the late human rights lawyer and activist, Gani Fawehinmi.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Friday night, Babangida stated that during his tenure as Head of State, he employed all possible means to make the deceased his friend.

The former military president said Fawehinmi was a very good friend with one of his ministers, Alex Akinyele, who tried to make them very good friends but failed.

Babangida added that in the process of formulating many of his policies, he always queried members of his inner circle on the reaction he would receive from Fewehinmi.

Babangida described the late lawyer as a good critic, saying he valued his comments on national issues and loved listening to his views.

He said: “If we come up with a policy, my first question to my staff was: What would Gani Fawehinmi say? I like listening to him. I made it a point to become his friend.

“He was very friendly with one of my former ministers, the late Alex Akinyele. They were very good friends, and he (Alex) tried to make us very good friends.

“Fawehinmi was a good critic, and he didn’t want to be seen with someone that people already perceived as ‘an evil genius’.”