One of Nigeria’s leading human rights lawyers, Bamidele Aturu, has died. He died today Wednesday July 9th at a Lagos hospital where he was being treated for an undisclosed ailment.
Late Bamidele Aturu came to prominence as a fighter against power abuses when, as a member of the National Youth Service Corps, he refused to shake the hand of the then military administrator of Niger State, Col. Lawan Gwadabe, in 1988 during his NYSC passing out parade declaring that the military had caused great harm to the democratic aspirations of Nigerians.
Mr Aturu studied law at the University of Ife, and devoted much of his legal practice to representing the oppressed and marginalized people in the society. He was quite for his criticism of government’s policies. He was 49. May his soul rest in peace…amen