LIKE the Argonauts of the Greek legend, Admiral Godwin Ndubuisi Kanu joined others of like mind to venture where angels feared to tread in the quest for justice and fairness in Nigeria.
His death at the age of 78 came to many as a rude shock. He was still full of life and ready to give more to Nigeria and humanity when the coronavirus cut short his life on January 13, 2021.
Tributes in his honour gathered new momentum after the Central Burial Committee announced October 16, 2021 for the burial of the former pioneer Military Governor of Imo State (1976) who also governed Lagos State.
Admiral Kanu was an exceptional sea warrior who as a Biafran naval officer demonstrated uncommon bravery in commanding an improvised attack boat against an advancing federal frigate during the civil war. After the war he served his country with distinction in the Nigerian Navy.
After his retirement, Kanu became a frontline pro-democracy activist, especially after the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, was formed to fight for the revalidation of the late Chief Moshood Abiola’s presidential mandate.
According to the Central Burial Committee chairman, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, apart from being a strong believer and champion of the Igbo cause and one of the founding fathers of Ndi-Igbo Lagos, the respected elder statesman did not shirk his responsibility in the fight for equity in the country.
“When duty called for courageous men and women to defend our democracy and electoral process after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Kanu stood up to be counted by joining the National Democratic Coalition, a pro-democracy movement, as one of the leading lights that fought for the actualisation of the annulled poll,” he said.
For Chief Ayo Opadokun, a respected chieftain of NADECO, Admiral Kanu was the chairman of NADECO’s Action Committee which organised and participated in protest marches and public sensitisation activities and also signed an ultimatum for the General Sani Abacha regime to revalidate Abiola’s mandate and hand over power to him.
According to him: “NADECO is proud to state without any reservation that Admiral Kanu’s career in the military was not exploited as most others do to satisfy their personal aggrandisement and crude accumulation of stolen public fund. Let it be known that Admiral Kanu as a former Governor of Lagos State, owned just one building till his death.”
Admiral Kanu was born in Ovim village in Isuikwuato, Abia State on November 3, 1943.
After his primary and secondary school education, he joined the Nigerian Navy in 1962. Following further training in the country and abroad he had a distinguished military career before and after the war, including an outstanding public service.
He will certainly be missed. May his soul rest in peace.
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