by Ajibola Adedoye | Lagos, Nigeria
A bold, citizen-powered justice initiative was unveiled on Thursday at the International Press Centre, Ogba, as the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organization (GAFAMORG) announced the 16th Chief Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture alongside the national launch of the Civil Justice Legacy Project (CJLP) — a sweeping programme designed to strengthen accountability, protect vulnerable communities, and rebuild trust in Nigeria’s justice institutions.
Speaking at the world press briefing, Comrade Agunbiade Babatunde, Chairman, Governing Council of the Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organizing Committee (GOFAMORG), declared that the initiative is both a tribute to the legendary human rights advocate, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, and a direct response to Nigeria’s worsening landscape of mass killings, extrajudicial executions, mob violence and systemic failures.
The flagship memorial lecture and the formal launch of CJLP will take place on Thursday, 18 December 2025, at the NuruDeen Alao Auditorium, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka. Journalists, civil society groups, faith leaders, scholars, and international partners were invited to participate in what organisers describe as a “national turning point in the struggle for justice.”
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GAFAMORG described CJLP as an urgent national intervention, rooted in citizen action and designed to tackle the deeply entrenched patterns of impunity in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is grieving too many preventable deaths,” Comrade Babatunde stated, noting that communities continue to suffer devastation from unchecked violence and institutional negligence.
To confront this crisis, CJLP introduces five major components:
- Civil Justice Tracker (CJT): A public, evidence-based platform to document and monitor rights violations, state compliance, and justice outcomes.
- Citizen Auditor Network (CAN): Community-based monitors trained to track activities in police stations, detention centres and courts.
- Gani Fawehinmi Youth Civil Fellowship: A nationwide programme to groom the next generation of public-interest lawyers, investigative journalists and civic advocates.
- ACJA/ACJL Simplification: Plain-language and multimedia resources — translated into major Nigerian languages — to demystify criminal justice procedures for the public.
- Research & Policy Reports: Rigorous studies on institutional performance and reform gaps.
CJLP will begin with pilot projects in Lagos and Kaduna — selected for their unique contexts of urban justice system innovation and conflict-affected accountability. The combined lessons, GAFAMORG said, will form a replicable national model.
In what may become one of the country’s most significant civic traditions, GAFAMORG formally proclaimed 5 September as the National Civil Day of Remembrance to honour victims of mass killings, mob actions, extrajudicial executions and all forms of impunity.
The organisation urged the Federal and State Governments, civil society, traditional institutions, the media and all Nigerians to endorse the date annually — with a one-minute silence at 12 noon, nationwide observances, and the wearing of an Emblem of Remembrance created by GAFAMORG.
“This is not merely an act of memory,” the group emphasised. “It is an act of accountability — a collective promise to remember, to seek justice, and to end the atrocious killings that plague our communities.”
GAFAMORG also announced a partial unveiling of the Roll of Honour, a verified compilation of victims of mass and extrajudicial killings.
The list, shared only with accredited editors under strict ethical and legal protocols, aims to ensure accuracy, protect families, and provide a lasting humanitarian and justice record.
According to organisers:
- Entries will only be published with family consent, or remain anonymised otherwise.
- The Roll will serve as a non-political, rights-based documentation tool.
- Journalists were urged to report with sensitivity and avoid sensationalism.
GAFAMORG also issued a broad appeal for national collaboration:
- Governments: Formally adopt 5 September, and align with CJLP’s data-driven reform initiatives.
- Courts, Police & Security Agencies: Engage constructively with the project’s monitoring and research mechanisms.
- Civil Society & Media: Strengthen investigative reporting, protect survivors and witnesses, and amplify verified evidence.
- Donors, Foundations & Corporates: Support technology development, youth fellowships and multilingual legal literacy programmes.
The group noted that a number of early partners have already expressed support and that a full list will be revealed at the UNILAG launch event.
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