The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), on Friday appealed to the Federal Government (FG) to name a train station after the former Deputy Premier of Western Nigeria, late Chief Remi Fani-Kayode.
Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the group’s director, who made the appeal in a statement signed in Lagos, said that the former Deputy Premier deserved the honour.
He explained the icon deserved the honour, given the esteemed positions held by him when he was alive and the sacrifices he made for Nigeria.
“It has come to our notice that the name of Chief Fani-Kayode is conspicuously missing among the names of those honoured with train station nomenclatures by the Federal Government (FG).
“Fani-Kayode was the Deputy Premier of the whole Western Region from 1963 to 1966.
“He was a legal luminary of great measure and one of the earliest crown counsels to the Queen of England.
“If names like Mrs Funmilayo Ransome Kuti (Papalanto Station), Olusegun Osoba (Olodo Station) and Mobolaji Johnson (Ebute Metta Station), why shouldn’t that of the great Fani-Kayode appear at one of our stations .
“This will serve as memorabilia for his immense contributions to the political and legal development of this country,he said.
He said the late Fani-Kayode played a major role in Nigeria’s legal history, adding that he was one of the leading actors in the struggle for independence.
According to him,Fani Kayode was also a major character in the Nigerian political landscape from 1940 to 1995.
“Fani-Kayode demonstrated uncommon courage in his political career. He fought against autocratic leadership and feudalistic royalty.
“We affirm without any fear of contradiction that Fani-Kayode (Snr) was one of Nigeria’s heroes.
“He deserves to be honoured like many others. It is unfair to leave him out where others are honoured particularly when most of those honoured are still alive and holding public offices,” Akintola added.
(NAN)
