Another Advocate for Democracy in Nigeria, dead.


How Beko Ransome-Kuti died, by daughter
SOLA OGUNDIPE, LEKAN BILESANMI & ABEL KOLAWOLE
Sunday, February 12, 2006
THE human rights and pro-democracy communities in Nigeria lost one of their staunchest member at the weekend following the death of Dr. Bekololari Ransome-Kuti. Beko, as he was fondly called, died at about 11.20 p.m. Friday at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

'The Ransome-Kuti family announces the death of Dr. Bekololari Ransome-Kuti who passed away on Friday 10 February, 2006, at approximately 11.20 p.m. at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, at the age of 65 years', a terse statement signed by one Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, on behalf of the family, said.

Details of the cause of death of the former leader of Campaign for Democracy (CD) were sketchy at press time. Family sources, however, said it may have resulted from complications arising from terminal lung cancer.



The daughter, Nike, gave insight into how death came calling on her father who invested the last lap of his life in efforts to fashion a peoples constitution for Nigeria in the process of which he collaborated with elder statesman, Chief Anthony Enahoro, and the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, under the aegis of Pro-National Conference Organisations (PRONACO).


According to Nike, the activist returned from the United Kingdom, UK, where he had gone for medical check-up, following deteriorating state of his health, about three weeks ago.

Beko apparently underwent treatment in a UK hospital before returning home, the daughter said.

However, trouble began at about 10 p.m. Friday when the activist complained of pains in the leg.

Nike explained that a decision to take him to LUTH was taken but that on the way to the hospital, he went unconscious.



On getting to LUTH, doctors were said to have battled to revive him without success.

Born August 2, 1940, Beko was the last of the four children of the activist couple, Revd. Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, the first president of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a feminist active in the anti-colonial movement.


Her immediate sister, Dolupo, died only last month. The two other siblings, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, had died earlier.

President Olusegun Obasanjo led the pack of eminent Nigerians who paid glowing tributes to the memory of the deceased activist yesterday.


Others who paid tributes include Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos State; NLC President, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole and the president of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.



Those in the human rights and pro-democracy communities who eulogized Beko, among others, were Mr. Femi Falana; Mr. Ayo Opadokun; Dr. (Mrs.) Ayo Obe of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO); Mr. Kunle Ajibade and Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere administrative secretary.


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some people will describe the late Beko as a man who throughout his lifetime committed himself to the struggle for a better environment and society, while others will describe him as that guy get strong head like his brother FELA. AS for me i have known he remained one of the most virulent critics of bad governance, as well as a fighter against human rights abuses."

Some people will described the late Beko as a man who throughout his lifetime committed himself to the struggle for a better environment and society.