Human Right Activist, Bamidele Aturu dies at 49

Bamidele Aturu, one of Nigeria’s foremost human rights lawyer is dead.

A prominent Lagos, Nigeria-based human rights lawyer and analyst, who died Wednesday evening have disclosed that he actually collapsed and could not make it to the hospital.

Aturu was said to have been confirmed dead on arrival at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba.

Confirming his death to P.M. NEWS, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, said he was unconscious and never did not make it to the hospital. The cause of is death is yet to be confirmed.

Debo Adeniran of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, who expressed grief at the news of Aturu’s death, confirmed to P.M. NEWS that the late lawyer collapsed.

“I was told he collapsed, but the news did not come to me early. By the time I heard it, I called his wife, the background noise coming from the other end seemed sounded like a church setting. It was another person, a lady, who picked the phone and was just shouting: ‘it is well’ and that Aturu’s wife cannot speak to me.

“He must have overworked himself or he is a victim of the doctors’ strike, but we will know in due course,” he said.

Agbakoba

Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, said: “This is a terrible shock. It is a massive loss. I am shockingly stunned hearing it. He was a fantastic man. He was one of the guys I had pleasure working with. What I cherish about his attitude was that he was very dispositional on issue people were disagreeing with. If it is true that Bamidele Aturu is dead, it is a massive loss.” -

Born 49 years ago, Aturu, nicknamed “Gentle Tiger” for his outstanding brilliance and stand-out personality. He studied law at the Obafemi Awolowo University and observed his National Youth Service Corp in Niger State between 1987/88.

NANS
Coordinator, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Zone D, Mr, Monsur Adeyemo, said: “Aturu was a great freedom fighter that will be greatly missed by Nigerian students both at home and in diaspora. He was a liberator of the masses and his passing on will be a great loss to Nigeria and Africa as a whole.”

President, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Dr. Chibuzor Asomugha, said: “It is a sad news, in fact, a big loss to tertiary institutions in Nigeria, to civil society and to the movement of democracy in Nigeria.”

Student Union President, Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, Mr  Nurudeen Yusuf, said: “Aturu will be missed  mostly by the entire Nigerian students. He was a former student union leader, who fought even to the detriment of his life against military repressions. I, personally will never forget the hope he gave us during our struggle against the outrageous fees hike in our school. Mr. Aturu was willing to give us free legal services in court. In fact, his death is a great loss to human rights activism in Nigeria and Africa in general.”