BETWEEN FRA AND GANI

BETWEEN GANI AND FRA WILLIAMS
*Olumide Babalola

The late Chiefs Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams (FRA) and Ganiyu Oyesola Fawehinmi (GANI) were two of a kind, whose names and acts will be repeatedly chanted whenever and wherever the History of our Legal Profession comes to the fore.

These two late Enigmas, among others, had in the last Century distinguished themselves on and off the Legal meadow, made History, wrote their names in Gold and consequently immortalized themselves and their household.

Though, they both bestrode our Legal firmament like behemoths; they did this in their own diverse but distinctive styles and trademarks. Therefore, a dispassionate comparison of these two cannot be penned-down without carefully x-raying their seemingly frontlines in their life times.
This bit however, should never be befuddled as a Rating or Assessment of the pair, rather a gratifying appraisal of their impact on the Nation during their spells.

Fame
Growing up and learning the ropes as a Law student, the very first master Advocate I heard of was, Chief F.R.A. Williams SAN. And reading through the various Law journals and loci classicus in the different subjects at the university, the name ‘FRA’ would not just stop resurfacing. Suffice it to ingeminate here, that Chief F.R.A. argued a large chunk of the high profile cases right from the 60s up to 90s, creating precedents all the way.

But reading through the Newspapers and Magazines right from my Secondary school days, the only Lawyer who time-after-time domineered the spot light was Chief Ganiyu Fawehinmi SAN. If he was not reported for suing the Government for a social or constitutional foul, it would be that he was locked up in one of our Prisons for criticising the Government or publicly condemning one of their loathsome policies or the other.

From these, it is overt that, the twosome was massively popular. While 'Timi de Law' was celebrated and revered more by his learned Contemporaries and Juniors, 'GANI' was adored, worshipped and crowned Champion of and by the Masses, who he endlessly and openly fought for.

Political Relevance
FRA's foray into the political scene dated as far back as the first Republic, when he joined the National Youth Movement becoming their Secretary General, from where he joined the Action Group in the 50s. He was elected into the Lagos Town Council in 1953 and subsequently made its Chairman. In 1957, he was appointed the Attorney General of the Western Region, and his headway in Politics strode along till Third Republic when he bowed out to concentrate fully on his legal practice.

GANI, of the other part, was never really interested in partisan Politics until he succumbed to the inveigle of the likes of Chief Femi Lanlehin and co. in 1994 when he founded the National Conscience Party in brazen defiance of military forbiddance of such. Though he contested but lost the Presidential election in 2007, GANI had been politically relevant before and even there after, as he was a ready-made torn in the flesh of every anti-masses Government.
He sought the Courts' interpretation on almost every dappled stir of the Policy Makers, and as such he did not only become an unofficial Stake- holder in governmental affairs, but different Regimes had him in contemplation before announcing their policies- ''what would GANI say?''

Men of many ‘firsts’
GANI and FRA have both at varying times taken the Nigerian Legal Profession by storm, by setting diverse nerve-racking Records, announcing them as Pioneers of such feats:
FRA was the First Nigerian to establish an indigenous Law firm, when in 1948 he started “Thomas, Williams & Kayode” alongside his friends-Bode Thomas and Remi Fani-Kayode, with the two leaving later to join Politics.

GANI was the first Nigerian individual to publish a Law Report, when in 1988 he started the Nigerian Weekly Law Reports (NWLR) - an essential Lawyers’ companion.
FRA was the first Nigerian Queen's Counsel and Senior Advocate when he was conferred in 1958 and 1975 respectively, while GANI was the first and only recipient of the rank ''Senior Advocate of the Masses'' when he was ‘turbaned’ in the early Eighties by the Students of Obafemi Awolowo University.
F.R.A. Williams was the first elected President of the NBA, first Solicitor to the Supreme Court, and first indigenous Attorney General in Nigeria, while GANI was the first Nigerian to receive the Bruno Kriesky (1993) and International Bar Association’s Bernard Simmons’s (1998) Awards.

Nation Building
These two distinguished Nigerians have immensely contributed to the development of our Nationhood; this, they did in their different capacities and within the confines of their Principles.

While Chief F.R.A Williams was involved in almost every Constitutional Drafting and Review Committee since 1976, up till the 1999 Constitution, he was a major Proponent of true Federalism for Nigeria

GANI was Social Crusader and freedom fighter who had the rule of Law, emancipation of the masses, Constitutionalism and Transparency as part of his “7 Point Agenda.” An Activist who relentlessly confronted, questioned, and fought all ‘anti Masses’ Administration to a stand still.

Both Men, though with different temperaments and modus operandi, were nonetheless able to achieve result in their bids to positively influence the running of our Polity.

Contributions to the development of our Lex.
The Nation is so fortunate that the two late Icons discovered their ultimate calling and fulfilled Destiny in their Career, as I hold no doubt in my mind that GANI and FRA would have lived and died in utter obscurity should they have studied and practiced something else.

FRA through his brilliance and astonishing advocacy skill succeeded in laying down several novel principles of Law especially in the grey areas. He had the reputation of advancing legal propositions and counter propositions which often made the Supreme Court to review its decision at his behest.

While FRA is commendable largely for his effort in the Court room, GANI is far and wide appreciated for his efficacious combination of the arts of advocacy and writing; he was not only a Law-Lord, he was equally an erudite and prolific writer.
All Nigerian Lawyers will be eternally grateful to this Giant, who ostensibly brought the Law to their doorsteps, by his widely read and valued Nigerian Weekly Law Report (NWLR) which started in the late Eighties when Law Reporting in Nigeria was gawky and in shambles.
The NWLR with over 780parts has by no less means improved the quality of Law Practice in the Country, as it has over time become a household name and a must-read for every Legal Practitioner who knows his onions.
GANI authored over twenty books on different areas of our Laws and handled over 5000 cases, a good percentage of which were pro bono cases.
Conclusively, GANI and FRA were two of Nigeria’s best Attorneys at Law, who will be fondly remembered not necessarily by the edifices, monuments or streets named after them, but by their lustrous footprints on the Legal and Socio- Political sands of time. They shared a measure of strength and weaknesses and cannot be perfectly weighed against each other as they were two distinct Personages:
While FRA was a consummate, robust, and Brilliant legal Positivist who along the austere line of professionalism, employed his skills and weaponry to promote the ethics and foothold of the Profession, GANI was a radical, energetic, and blunt Activist who through the instrumentation of the Law sought to protect, defend and emancipate the Masses, irrespective of whose ox is gored.
From whichever slant, one chooses to analyze them; the duo will go down in history as two of our very best in the Profession for Centuries to come, as their legacies would not cease to speak on their behalf even after their celebrated exits.


*Olumide Babalola writes from Bauchi
lordskentex@yahoo.com