11 February, 2013
Pro-democracy and human rights groups across the country converged on Lagos yesterday for the 7th memorial anniversary of former president of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti who they described as icon of democracy.
Speakers at Beko’s cenotaph at Anthony area of Lagos included former Lagos State governor, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu; CD President, Dr. Joe Odumakin; Arewa Youth Consultative Forum President, Mallam Shettima Yerima; Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) National Coordinator, Otunba Gani Adams; former Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) president, Ms Ayo Obe; Voters Assembly Convener, Moshood Erubami; National Chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Debo Adeniran; Beko’s daughter, Mrs. Nike Nedun and his mother, Mrs. Abosede Ransome Kuti, among others.
The speakers said though Beko was dead, his spirit was marching on, saying that he never died in vain since his ideals were still being pursued by those he left behind.
According to them, Beko’s ideal included “restructuring of the polity through the convocation of the Sovereign National Conference (SNC), enthusing that “the SNC would soon be a reality since the agitation for it has become a national anthem.”
While agreeing that “the most befitting honour we can accord our departed leader is to continue to push for the convocation of the SNC,” they urged Nigerians not to relent in the struggle to make it a reality since those in power would not let go easily.
Chairman of National Democratic Coalition, Ndubisi Kanu said activists were taking it easy with the authorities because they wanted it peacefully, warning that doing otherwise would not augur well for the country.