President, Women Arise and Centre for Change Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, has lamented that 15 years after the exit of civil rights activist, Comrade Chima Ubani, the crises of underdevelopment that challenged him to take a stand still confront us, albeit in a sharper form.

In a statement on Monday titled, ‘CHIMA UBANI 15 YEARS AFTER’, Odumakin said that the poor people whom Chima spent most of his adult life fighting for are daily sinking into abysmal poverty.

She lamented: “Fifteen years after Chima’s death, over 70% of our citizenry live under poverty line, Nigeria has witnessed attacks on the living standards of the people through retrenchment, anti-people reforms, and violent suppression of the people’s response to their despoliation. Virtually every item that makes for good living has gone beyond their reach.” Reliving the life and times of the late Comrade, Okei-Odumakin said: “September 21st, 2020 marks the 15th Anniversary of the untimely death of Comrade Chima Ubani, founding General Secretary, Campaign for Democracy (CD) and former Executive Director of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO).

“Comrade Ubani died in a ghastly motor accident leading the people’s resistance against obnoxious increase in the prices of petroleum products by the Obasanjo civilian dictatorship.

“In him we lost an indefatigable fighter, a revolutionary, principled activist, consummate and street veteran who believed in the capacity of the oppressed to break the chains with which they have been bound.

“The cold hands of death snatched away this dependable ally of the oppressed and repressed people of Nigeria at a time he and more fighters like him were needed to confront the rot in the land.

“As we remember Comrade Ubani, the most benefiting monument we can build for him is to step up the struggle and complete the unfinished task. This would have been the pre-occupation of this icon were he still to be around today.

“In every corner, on every street, at whatever platform where the oppressed people are gathered to find ways of shaking off the shackles with which they are bound, the moral grandeur of Chima Ubani shall be their shade. His fond memories shall be eternal.

“It is our prayer that God Almighty shall continue to protect the family he left behind. To Chima’s constituency - the suffering people of Nigeria - our admonition is that the struggle Chima died for shall continue until victory is won.

“Chima is not dead! Chima lives! To remain alive in the heart of those who love us is not to die!

“And like Che Guevera noted, for as long as others reach out to continue the struggle, our sacrifice is not in vain. Goodnight, Chima Ubani!"

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