The recent comments by Lere Olayinka, attacking legal luminary Femi Falana (SAN) while attempting to elevate Minister Nyesom Wike’s infrastructural strides, particularly in the legal education sector, reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of legacy, law, and the spirit of advocacy.
Yes, Minister Wike deserves commendation for the construction of hostels and law school campuses — these are tangible, visible contributions. However, it is deeply misleading and intellectually dishonest to juxtapose brick-and-mortar achievements with the decades-long legal activism and advocacy that Femi Falana has embodied.
Wike may have built hostels, but Falana built a revolution — a legacy of standing for the voiceless, defending human rights, and shaping Nigeria’s legal consciousness. From the military era to modern-day democratic challenges, Falana has remained a fearless voice against tyranny, a relentless advocate for justice, and a mentor to generations of lawyers and activists.
Lere Olayinka’s tirade is not only misinformed but also a disservice to the legal community and to Nigerians who understand the difference between political patronage and principled legacy. Comparing Wike’s philanthropy with Falana’s lifelong sacrifice is akin to mistaking a donor for a pioneer.
This is not to undermine infrastructural development; rather, it is to clarify that a legal revolution cannot be equated with building contracts. Wike builds structures; Falana builds systems. Wike constructs rooms; Falana has constructed rights, defended liberties, and confronted power when it was dangerous to do so.