A combined photo of Chief Edwin Clark and Chief Ayo Adebanjo
Chief Edwin Clark and Chief Ayo Adebanjo who died in an interval of a week are without doubt a great loss to Nigeria.
The centrality of the loss lies precisely in what they represented and the value system they upheld, the ethos they were known for and the advocacy they became famous for.
The Southern Nigeria no doubt has suffered a major loss in the death of of Afenifere chieftain and eminent proponent of restructuring, Pa Ayo Adebanjo who passed away at 96. Just days later, on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, another prominent figure in the call for restructuring and a new constitution, Pa Edwin Clark, also passed on, at the age of 97.
The duo of Pa Clark and Pa Adebanjo were towering figures in the advocacy for Southern interests, earning respect for their unwavering stance on key national issues. For decades, they championed the causes of true federalism, restructuring, and democratic governance, often speaking truth to power regardless of the political climate.
As leading elder statesmen, they were pivotal to the galvanization of the Southern and Middle Belt regions, strongly advocating for policies that would lead to equity, justice, and a fair distribution of power in Nigeria’s governance structure. Their powerful advocacy resonated in national conversation , having great impact on decisions on constitutional reforms, resource control, and power rotation and other important national question.
Their deaths automatically translates to a frustrating reduction in the number of patriotic great minds who daily push for a better country at great cost to their personal interests. We don’t need a soothsayer to divine that a significant leadership chasm has emerged in the Southern political structure. The shoes the duo have left behind may be too big for the present crop of politicians who are more enamoured of personal interests and have little or no interest in stepping into the shoes of these departed nationalists who have left indelible mark in the sands of time in their quest for better Nigeria.
The challenge is not just about filling their shoes but sustaining the momentum of their lifelong struggle for a more just and equitable Nigeria.
Before their foray into national acclaim as avatars of worthy causes and better Nigeria anchored on constitutionalism, democracy, rule of law and justice, several strong Southern voices had championed regional and national interests in Nigeria. Notable among them were the foremost nationalist and first Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo (1909–1987); the first President of Nigeria and a key nationalist, Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904–1996); a prominent journalist, nationalist and politician who moved the motion for Nigeria’s independence in 1953, Pa Anthony Enahoro (1923–2010); an environmental activist and writer who fought for the rights of the Ogoni people, Ken Saro-Wiwa (1941–1995); a former governor of Ondo State and leader of Afenifere, Pa Michael Adekunle Ajasin (1908–1997); another Afenifere leader, Abraham Adesanya (1922-2008); former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige (1930–2001); a former governor of Imo State, known as ‘Weeping Governor’, Chief Samuel Mbakwe (1929–2004); a strong voice for the Niger Delta and minority rights, Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye (1927–2005), among others.
Their departure has offered us time to reflect on their legacies and how to continue the good work they have left behind in our quest for better society and a sustainable nation.
