20th Funso Williams memorial: Bode George, Doherty renew call for truth, justice

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Late Funsho Williams

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By Henry Obetta

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Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George, on Monday, relived the painful memory of the murder of the late Olufunso Williams, describing the incident as one of the darkest moments in his political life.

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Williams, a prominent Lagos PDP figure, was murdered on July 27, 2006, a killing that shocked the political class and remains one of the unresolved tragedies in the state’s political history.

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Speaking at the 20-year remembrance of the former Lagos PDP chieftain, George said he could still vividly recall the day he received a call from former President Olusegun Obasanjo, directing him to rush to Lagos after Williams was killed in 2006.

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George recounted how he went straight to Williams’ house and saw his body on the floor.

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He said: “Twenty years is a long time, but it looks just like yesterday. The pain is still there.

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“Mr President called me around seven in the morning and said I have to go to Lagos, that Funsho has been murdered.

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“I can never forget that sight. He was my junior at the University of Lagos. Funso was an epitome of civility, an icon, a humanist.”

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The PDP chieftain lamented that the circumstances surrounding the killing remain a painful reminder of the need for justice and accountability in the country.

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He said: “We lost a gem. Everybody who was involved in that murder knows themselves,” adding that Nigerians must “tell the truth to power” and ensure that the nation learns from the tragedy.

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According to him, the murder of Williams should serve as a warning to those in power about the need to protect the sanctity of human life and govern with justice.

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“Those in government today, let them use today as a pointer that we should alter course for the good of this country,” he said.

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George also paid tribute to the resilience of Williams’ family, especially his widow, recalling the burden the tragedy placed on them at the time.

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He added that the memory of the late politician would remain fresh because of the manner in which he died and the ideals he represented.

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Funso Doherty

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Also speaking, Lagos governership aspirant on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Funso Doherty, described Williams as a man whose legacy went beyond party lines, saying his contributions to Lagos politics and public life continue to inspire many.

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He said: “Late Funso Williams was a man who has a shining legacy not just within one political party, but across the state and indeed the nation.”

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Doherty noted that many of the ideals Williams stood for remain relevant today, adding that the struggle for opposition politics in Nigeria has become even more difficult.

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He said: “All opposition parties today are under threat, and the political landscape is one where the opposition is increasingly threatened and the space for opposition very limited.”

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According to him, the political space has “regressed” since the days of Funso Williams, and there is a need to rebuild a democratic culture where political contestation is freely accepted.

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“Our prayer is to recover the ground where political contestation can become an accepted thing because that is the basis of democracy,” he said.

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