Kolawole, aka (Iya Gani Fawehinmi) ,a human rights activist, child’s advocate, and consultant to several non governmental organizations (NGOs), is to preside over the association’s affair for another years.
In his acceptance speech, the new Chairperson thanked the body for a privilege given to serve humanity. She thanked the former national executive team led by Comrade Ayo Ademiluyi where she co-served as the general secretary alongside with him,the elders of the bar and members for the unprecedented confidence reposed in her through their confidence and promising “not to disappoint.”
The chairperson thanked the new members of the National Executive Committee are indebted to God Almighty who has given us the grace to see another day and with humility we express our profound gratitude to as many comrades who came from far and wide to graced the occasion through physical appearances,virtual attendance and absentis we say thank you.
This is a clarion call for the voiceless, for the legacy. To all members pointing hands at us , we have seen your hands, and we have accepted. Now point those same hands to work, Let us work. Comrades who had lost their lives in the struggles of those who started RAMINBA with nothing but passion and trekking to courts for indigent citizens their labour cannot die .This is the “Reluctant Servant” speech.
My distinguished elders,
My dear colleagues,
My fellow defenders of the defenceless.
I stand before you, not as a person who lobbied for this chair. In fact, many of you know I declined. I said no. Not out of pride, but out of fear, fear of the weight of this crown. Because to chair RAMINBA is not to wear regalia to events; it is to lose sleep when a citizen is abused at midnight and vulnerables calls you.
But you refused my No. All hands pointed at me, and when I went home to pray and reflect, one voice kept coming: *What about the voiceless? What about the legacy of our heroes past?*
And so we are here. We accept, not because we are the best, but because we can not watch the labour of our heroes past go to waste.
We remember them today, those who started RAMINBA in small chambers, without funding, without fame, but with fire. They went to court probono. They stood at every nooks and crannies to rescue citizens. They wrote petitions with their own money. If we let that legacy die because the chair is too heavy, then we have betrayed them.
So today, I accept this call on three promises.
Firstly: I will not be a sole administrator, and I will be a team player. This will be an all-inclusive executive. Senior advocates, senior at the bar, women leaders, volunteers, and everybody will have a seat. We will send letters to all organs of government, engage them, and publish our positions for history.
*Secondly: I will protect the legacy by expanding it.* We will not just defend citizens in court; we will engage the nation. We will document, we will publish, and we will be on record. Future generations must see that when Nigeria was in shambles, RAMINBA did not keep quiet.
*Thirdly and the last : I will serve, and I will leave.* I do not see this chair as a property. It is a trust. I will serve with transparency, and after my tenure, hand over to a better person, stronger than me.
To the outgoing chairman and the members of the National executive committee, thank you all for your sacrifice. Your names are written in gold in our story.
To the Nigerian citizens who can not speak for themselves, we are here. Your voice may be small, but our own is loud. We are voice to the voiceless, and we will not be silent.
God bless our heroes past.
God bless RAMINBA.
God bless NIGERIA.
I humbly accept to serve as Chairperson with my team members of the executive.
